Consumers love a good story. That’s why your brand story is the bridge that connects you to your consumers. Building your brand strategy on strong storytelling is not a new concept. After all, storytelling stirs up thoughts and feelings in your consumers that forge a closer connection with your brand and greater loyalty. All of which is bread and butter to any insightful brand strategy of course. But storytelling does not mean weaving a fairy tale. Instead, it is important to be real in your brand story. Authenticity speaks volumes to consumers, particularly Millennials. In our earlier story titled What’s driving change in the future of retail?, we discussed how consumers are accessing far greater retail intelligence. An authentic brand story is an important aspect of retail intelligence that can really swing consumers your way and keep them craving what you offer. Here we explore the importance of making an honest brand story a foundation stone of your brand strategy.
Don’t fake your brand DNA
Fake is out. Millennials particularly will call out disingenuous stories, advertising and promises but the same is increasingly true of other consumer generations. Modern brand strategy is not about being a hero. Rather, it is about getting right down to grass roots as to who you really are as a business and sharing this honestly with your consumers. It can be tempting to exaggerate, drop in buzz words or divert from your mission and values in favour of more glamorous messages. For the sake of your brand strategy, don’t. Real people, real experiences, real emotions and real facts: these are the currency of a brand story that truly resonates.
Unpack your brand DNA
Your brand DNA is made up of many components like your business:
- History
- Audience
- Promise
- Culture
- Goals
- Unique experiences
You can use all these aspects to craft an authentic brand story. Be sure to include your customers in your story. When they choose your business or product, your customer is engaging in your brand story. You can harness their involvement as part of your brand strategy by gathering testimonials and inviting customers to share their experiences with your brand via social media.
Authentic brand stories build trust and connection with your consumers. These are goals that every brand strategy wants to kick. Design Clarity has extensive brand strategy expertise. We have taken many prominent clients, like Power of Health in London, on the brand strategy journey from concept to roll-out.
