In a previous article, 4 Quick Storytelling Tips for More Engaging Content, I discussed the basic fundamentals for great business storytelling. Now it’s time to put those quick tips in action and begin telling your brand’s story in unique and effective ways. We know that great storytelling is a powerful way to build relationships with potential clients and draw larger audiences - but how do you begin to tell your tale?
Share your Company’s Story in Unique Ways
For any company to thrive, the brand needs to resonate with the audience. It needs to be projected as relatable and beneficial. This can be accomplished many ways, but a unique and captivating story is a great place to start. Every business has a different story, each with peaks and valleys; triumphs and failures. Why did you launch the company? What problem needed to be solved and why have you committed yourself so passionately to this brand? – The answer to these questions is sure to make a great story, and needs to be shared!
Your story needs to demonstrate the uniqueness of your brand and explain what makes you so different from the competitors. By striving to reach new benchmarks and telling the story of your progress is one of the best ways to keep that story alive and loyal customers engaged with the brand.
Think Outside-the-Box
It’s crucial that brands find a way to differentiate themselves from other competitors in the industry. But it’s not all about standing out and getting noticed by a large audience. Great storytelling is about getting people to care about your brand and buy into a product or service. Thinking outside-the-box with storytelling means moving away from the tradition mission statements and cliché promises.
Tell stories to create customer-loyalty and meaningful relationships with your customers. What motivates your brand? What goals are you trying to reach? Tell the audience what your brand stands for and a predicted outlook for the future. Your story should be the foundation of your brand and a blueprint for future growth and success. This story can be told through a variety of channels, including:
· Social Media: Social media has boomed into not only a cultural phenomenon, but an extremely valuable tool that is used by millions of businesses worldwide to tell their story. Regardless of industry, companies can have a lot of fun with social media by using graphics, pictures or quick video to tell their story. According to The Content Marketing Institute, the most successful brands are active on an average of 7 networks. Don’t be afraid to get personal and use social media to directly engage with your audience. Short staff bios posted once a week or photos of the company in action can add a personalized touch to your social media presence.
· Write Blog Posts: Blog posts create a perfect opportunity to showcase accomplishments, press releases or staff events that help tell the continuing story of your brand. If your company or its employees have won industry awards, or your company was quoted in a prestigious publication – that makes for a great story! Create some content and celebrate that achievement with your audience.
· Video: YouTube brings in over 1 billion unique monthly visitors – that’s a lot of traffic. Video makes for great storytelling because it creates a strong and vivid connection with the audience. A friendly video with a staff member or leader in the industry can humanize your company. It's a great way to communicate your ongoing story and personalize your brand. And who can resist an episode of Office Dogs… really?
· Event Timeline: In order to avoid a text-heavy story that covers the long history of your brand, consider creating a timeline to showcase your company’s achievements. By structuring information into easily digestible content, visitors can quickly comprehend the successes and benefits of your company. A wonderful example of this is the Moz ‘About Us’ page.
Don’t Neglect the 'About Us' Page
Moz is a great example of a properly optimized About Us page. Not only does it highlight key events in their history, it provides a personalized look into the fun and accomplished company. Any company can create a personalized and relatable About Us page that works to build a trusting relationship with new visitors or existing customers.
The ‘About Us’ page is a crucial part of every website or blog. It always shocks me to find brands without an optimized or built page - it’s usually one of the first destinations for visitors when arriving to a site or interested in a brand.
Your business may have started out as a passion or hobby, reaction to a life-changing event, passed-down by a family member for generations. The About Us page is the perfect area to tell your story about the many inspirations and events behind the business. Tell the story of how the company was founded, along with explanation of its goals and objectives. Be personable and allow visitors to learn more about your business and work to build a trusting relationship.
Continue Telling a Compelling Story with Great Content
Every company has a story about how, when, where and why they got started – But that story doesn’t end once a customer makes a purchase. Continue telling your story, share industry events, and focus on providing a valuable experience for the audience through great storytelling. As The Storyteller Agency says, “if you tell a great story, your audience will follow.”
Brad Kuenn is a Content Writer, Editor and Strategist living in Nashville, Tennessee, and he provides research, content topics, writing, editing, and content development expertise to clients. He has a passion for writing as well as art, which shines through in his work. His creativity and attention to detail makes him a valuable asset for a wide range of clients. During his time off he enjoys spending time with his wife, family, and his two dogs Brutus and Kane.
Connect with Brad: Twitter LinkedIn Google+
