One of the worst things you can do for your business is to tell a bad brand story. The biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs or small business owners make is assuming the design, font and fancy buttons they’ve paid a website designer to create for them will not only attract, but then convince, a browser to become a raving, paying fan.
The truth of the matter is, design alone won’t build a successful business.
So many entrepreneurs build beautiful websites but then leave the brand story – the actual words written on the page – for later. They put their brand story as second-best when they should actually be putting story above all else.
I’m here to tell you that a bad brand story is 10x worse than no story at all.
If you’re ready to tell a story that will help you build a profitable, purpose-driven brand then keep reading…
Photo by William Daigneault on Unsplash
5 Easy Ways to Fix Your Brand Story
For a story to resonate with your ideal customer, it needs to meet the following criteria:
- It must acknowledge their problem
- It must show them what’s possible
- It must inspire them into action
- It must emotionally resonate
- It must give them a plan of action
These five criteria are the foundation for any brand story and the really great brands make all five a priority.
If you’re new to brand storytelling and have never considered if what you’re sharing is in-line with these five criteria, head to your website and do a quick scan. Does your website copy pass the test?
If not, here’s how to fix it…
1. It must acknowledge their problem
You are in business to solve a problem but the problem with most businesses is, they only like to highlight the benefits and end results without touching on what’s not working.
Customers want to know you understand them and can solve their problem.
If you don’t talk about the problem, or you gloss over it, you’ll move too fast to the results and not set up a proper foundation for the transformation you promise your client.
Think of a great book you’ve read recently: without the build-up, angst and problems the main character experiences, the ending wouldn’t be as satisfying!
Same goes for your brand story.
2. It must show them what’s possible
Once you’ve acknowledged the problem, you’ll want to show them what’s possible if they overcome it. Whether it’s your personal journey to success, your clients’ stories of success or painting a picture of what’s to come, giving them a clear vision of who they will become after they’ve reached their goal is vital.
While most people can find this part of the story process easy, take your time with it.
Our version of success might be slightly different than what our ideal customer envisions. You’ll need to spend a fair amount of time listening to your clients to understand what motivates and inspires them.
3. It must inspire them into action
They’ve got a problem, you’ve got the solution. But how do you inspire them to work with you and see you as the go-to expert?
Acknowledging the problem shows you understand what they’ve been through and giving them a clear vision of what’s to come shows them you might have the answer. But first, you need them to know it’s possible for them.
Objections are a dime a dozen.
Whether it’s not enough time, money or talent, we’ve all got reasons something might not work.
The trick is to meet those reasons head-on in your brand story so whatever objections your potential client is believing can be silenced long enough to be all-in with whatever it is you are offering.
4. It must emotionally resonate
As logical creatures, we believe we buy something because it meets our conscious needs.
An example would be a gym membership. I want to lose weight (the problem), a gym offers workout machines (the solution) and they inspire me to action (low cost entry, open 24/7, etc.). So what makes me join one gym over another?
Emotional resonance.
The values, message and story of a business all play into how I feel when I encounter the brand.
If I value independence and want to bulk up, the local pilates studio with a close-knit community might not be the best option.
Each business has values, a theme and a story that pulls at the heartstrings of their ideal client. Think carefully about yours.
5. It must give them a plan of action
An essential component to your brand story is the plan of action. What do you want your ideal customer to do? Sign-up for your newsletter? Book a call? Buy a digital program?
Clearly defining a plan of action creates less confusion, leading to more conversions.
We receive over 5,000 messages per day and just about every one of them wants us to do something. That’s a whole lot of information to process!
So our brain breaks down only what it feels is important and if there is confusion, it files it into the abyss.
Moral of the story? Tell your ideal client what to do next and never, ever leave them hanging.
Until next time…
