Branding is an integral part to any business, large or small. And branding is much more than just a logo or slogan – it’s the lifeblood of the business, what it stands for and its heart.
To give your brand life, it does need to come from the heart and one way to see that is the case is through story telling.
Stories connect customers to a brand.
They give it heart and life. They contribute to the feeling of a connection with a company.
Are You a Storyteller?
Just as it’s important to make sure the colors you choose for your marketing efforts exemplify the message you want to send, adding stories to your branding is an all-important facet as well.
As the article, “How to Make Brand Stories Contribute to Your Brand Narrative” looks at, this may come naturally for some.
Other small business owners may have more of a difficult time adding stories to their marketing.
However, there are some key things you can do to improve your storytelling within your brand.
They include:
- Show the human side – Whenever someone is presenting something, whether it’s a pitch for a new idea, a recipe or new company, showing the human side of it is a reach to personalization. Sure, businesses are made up of facts and numbers and statistics, even a little dreaming now and then, but when an owner can incorporate history and storytelling into its marketing, he opens up new doors for connections.
- Connect your story to your brand – Maybe you want to share some history or your childhood vision for your company -that’s great. But keep it cohesive and relevant. Make sure what you are telling is relevant to the brand. Too many parts to the story can become confusing and chaotic. That won’t be a draw for your customers.
- Invite your customer to share, too – Many companies are using customer videos and testimonials in their branding and marketing. This is part of storytelling, too. When you let your customers in, it becomes a conversation in addition to a story. A connection is formed, a loyalty and an interaction.
Your story can take place in a lot of forms, too.
Because marketing has taken such a new turn over the past years, it’s easier to incorporate an ever evolving story. In the past, branding was in print form, or maybe radio or TV, but it wasn’t easy to change and update.
Now, with social media and a website, your marketing can be updated on a daily basis.
You can chime in in on your customer’s stories and update your own. You’ve got Instagram and Facebook and Snapchat to work with, and you should also have a great website where you can add video and comments.
All of these tools are in your hands; make the most of them and create your small business story.
About the Author: Heather Legg is an independent writer who covers topics related to small business, social media and health and wellness.