Start With Your Audience
We think the best place to start is with your audience’s story. After your employees, your customers are the central figures of your company’s overall story. I engage in an “Audience Builder” workshop and process with my clients that identify who these people are, what makes them tick, what they really want or need, and how your business can help. From there, I create a narrative they can relate to and a story they see themselves in. This creates connection, empathy, and understanding.
Example: Old Spice
Tell Us About Your Roots
The next story you can tell is your origin story. How did your company get started? What was the catalyst for embarking on the adventure of business building? Is there something unique that could connect potential customers to your purpose or vision?
Origin stories help connect audiences to the founder(s) – actual humans behind a logo or website, highlight motivations for the company’s existence, and create brand interest and loyalty. As a bonus, they can also be used to motivate and rally your workforce and get new hires aligned with your purpose (why you exist) and vision (how you see your company in the future).
My brand workshop process helps uncover the hidden gems behind the history of an organization including its origin story.
Naadam’s origin story is compelling because it immediately captures your attention with humor and interesting visuals. It’s longer format to tell the full story but gives you an appreciation for how the company accidentally came to be and how it’s committed to being the source of the world’s fairest cashmere through sustainable and ethical business practices.
Why You Exist
Finally, you can tell your purpose story – why your brand exists in the first place. Closely tied to your origin story, your purpose should answer questions about what specific impact you’re looking to make and how you are living that out.
This is important for more than just feel-good reasons. More and more studies reveal that consumers (at least in the U.S.) are motivated by a company’s stance on issues along with their purpose, and employees today are more concerned about their company’s impact than ever before.
The Challenge Of Telling Your Own Story
Both #1 and #2 are part of why I do what I do. It’s one of the ways I help leaders and businesses maximize their potential and impact so they can be the world-changing brands they were always meant to be.
Need help telling your story? Contact me today and let’s start a storytelling adventure together!