Years ago, marketing was about using catchy lines and hooks to turn your target audience into customers. While that is still very much needed today, it’s not enough to keep your customers from exiting your services. Brand storytelling will not only generate great leads for your business but will also help you maintain your customers. 

Brand storytelling is a unique form of content marketing. It’s about building heartfelt connections with people having similar values, experiences, or expectations. It is the one ingredient you need to connect with your customers and form a tribe of individuals and organizations that love your services but, more importantly, how you deliver your mission. 

What is Brand Storytelling?

Brand storytelling is the art of building a company’s identity using storytelling that results in a relatable experience while establishing a meaningful connection. Brand storytelling helps your audience understand what your brand is about—your mission and how it connects or relates to them. 

Many successful businesses today are successful because their mission resonates with many people. Not just once, but over and over again. These companies have found a way to keep their mission engrained in everything they do. 

For example, Amazon, a widely successful company, aims to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company.” With the mission in mind, thousands of Amazon staff work to deliver the best of everything, including content creators.

Brand storytelling is beyond your brand story, which is your foundational narrative. But beyond letting your audience know how you came to be, many other content types revolve around brand storytelling and help sustain your connection to your audience.

Brand storytelling is beyond your brand story.

Types of Brand Stories

Brand stories differ; some are single and unique pieces, for example, your origin story, and others give the space for constant content creation, like your product story. Here, I’m going to highlight the major brand stories you should focus on to build an authentic and loyal customer base.

1. Brand Story

This is where you tell the world who you are, what you do, and what drives you. Take a look at Amazon’s brand story, and you’ll see why it’s number 2 on Fortune’s top 10 most loved companies.

2. Founder’s Story

Whether you’re a business founder or a content writer, showcasing the founder’s story can have an untold effect on your audience, especially if their journey is laced with events and moments that are relatable and inspiring.

3. Origin Story

The origin of your brand and the changes it has passed through over time is a good story to share. Sharing a story of your company’s journey through challenges and successes while highlighting the milestones reached after each period can help build your brand’s resilience and authority.

4. People Story

Some of the most impactful stories are the ones that entail why individuals choose to work for a particular brand. A beautiful way to build your brand’s perception amongst your audience is to show them why and how the people behind your brand find fulfillment in the workplace.

5. Industry Story

Stories in this category should cover how your brand fits into your industry and what makes you stand out. What gives you the edge over your competitors, and why should people care to use your products or services? 

6. Customer Story

Customer stories are important, and they’re widely craved by your ideal customers. How has your product helped your customers? By sharing how your service impacts your customers, you build an expectation of what could be your audience’s story and ultimately convert them into customers.

7. Brand Value Story

One of the most important things in business today is inclusivity. Is your brand an inclusive brand? Show how. For example, a make-up brand should have all shades of color, from the whitest white to the darkest dark. Let your audience know how you’re facilitating inclusivity as a company.

8. Product Story

Your product or service story can be based on several themes. For example, how are your materials sourced? Are you eco-friendly, and do you pursue sustainable processes? What needs will your product address? Explain the use cases of the different features of your product or the various scenarios where your service is the hero.

9. Seasonal Story

Many brands understand seasonal stories well. When your customer is first, you respect and acknowledge what they consider important and sacred. Seasonal stories can be developed around holiday themes like Christmas, monthly themes like Black History Month, and days like Earth Day. You can also create exciting stories around seasons like winter, fall, summer, and spring. Seasonal stories are very relatable and offer a chance to deepen your connection with your customers.

10. Community Story

Brands that stand out are community-driven. People are more interested in being part of a brand community that gives back. Are you helping the environment in any way? What community activities do you offer and why? And how do you give back to customers who use your products or clients who sign up for your services?

11. Educational Story

This is the most common of all brand stories. Educational stories include how-tos and expert stories on topics related to your audiences, such as an interview on a podcast or written content. You can also create engaging instructional content with a strong focus on an exciting and easy-to-digest experience for your audience.

There are tons of stories you can create to sell your brand. It’s not hard to find the best story to tell when you understand your ideal audience. You can begin to generate ideas by putting yourself in their shoes and navigating through the different scenarios that would necessitate them using your product or service. Further, research can go a long way to getting feedback and relevant information.

The Bottom Line

At its core, brand storytelling is heart marketing. It has a unique angle where connecting with your audience for a long-lasting relationship is a priority. When you focus on creating compelling stories for your brand, you can rest assured that your ideal audience will find you, and when they do, they’re more likely to stick to your brand.