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We are made of stories. We tell them, understand them, remember them, and live them. In our deep past we sat around the campfire listening to the storyteller recounting tales of our lives, peppered with fascinating and compelling characters and happenings. The power of narrative is no less meaningful today. Storytelling fosters emotional engagement so it is no wonder that
storytelling is at the heart of the debate on how brands are shaped.

A brand story is aligned with the narrative craft, and represents the complex connection between the storyteller and the audience. Story engages in a relationship and within this your philosophy, values and aspirations can be communicated, and your brand story can come to life.

To be a successful brand storyteller, you must first understand how your brand’s products and services meet a customer’s emotional needs. If your story sounds like everyone else’s you’re implying that there is nothing distinctive about your brand. In nearly all cases, a company makes its first impression with words, whether they’re on a website, in sales materials, or in emails or letters. A trendy design might catch attention, but it’s the words that make the real connection.

Your words are your frontline so you need to avoid using buzzwords, generic expressions, jargon, or hype in your messages. Standout. A quick search on Google will tell you just which over-used words to avoid. Words need to create a unique personality for your brand. What you need to craft
is your own voice with a personality and a point of view that communicates. You have a story to tell, so tell it well.

What if you don’t have a story? Where should you look to find it? Here are a few ideas:

History

Many great stories emerge from a company’s history. The 42 Below story is about humble beginnings and brash marketing. Evolving from an idea to a nameless liquid distilled in a home garage, to finally a drink asked for by name. It is impossible now to think of 42 Below without its famous name and its rags to riches tale.

Customer Experience

When it comes to customer experience, Bendon has gone beyond the call of duty. The company revolutionized the lingerie industry almost 60 years ago with a radical approach to design. Rather than force women’s bodies into the restrictive corsetry
of the era the company pioneered lingerie that could ‘bend on’ the body. Its approach to combine function with fashion has made Bendon one of the world’s leading intimate apparel
companies.

Technology

Companies like TradeMe take their narrative from the innovative use of technology to solve a problem. Sam Morgan searched online for a small heater for his cold and draughty Wellington flat, and finding that he was unable to purchase from current listings he decided to set up his own classifieds website where people could post current ads for free. This was the beginning of an entrepreneurial success story. If you use the internet in New Zealand you are almost guaranteed to be member of this auction website.