June 11th, 2023
Connecting with your audience in a crowded market can feel like a challenge.
By weaving a compelling narrative, sustainable brands can captivate consumers, foster emotional connections, and convey their mission and values effectively.
Understanding the power of brand storytelling:
Storytelling has been around for centuries as the method by which humans connect, convey emotion, recall and retell information. From cave drawings to modern day social media, as social beings we connect with one another and the wider world through stories.
Using storytelling technique as a brand goes beyond simply promoting products or services. It involves crafting narratives that evoke emotions, resonate with values, and create a sense of purpose. For sustainable brands, it's an opportunity to highlight their commitment to the planet, inspire change, and build a loyal community.
If you aren’t yet using storytelling technique in your brand, it can seem a little daunting. Does using storytelling mean you need to convey your personal brand? Does it mean you have to share personal information? Not necessarily (although building a personal brand is also powerful for driving brand engagement) – there are plenty more ways in which to tell a story.
To create an impactful brand story, sustainable brands should consider the following story elements:
Origin and purpose:
Share the story behind your brand's inception, the problem it aims to solve, and its larger purpose in creating a sustainable future. This is NOT your typical ‘About Us’ page of the year you were founded and what you did next. Noone reads that stuff or really cares (sorry, but it’s true) . Talk about your brand’s values and bring in your motivations by talking about how these can benefit your potential customer. Despite it being about you, it still needs to be about them.
Heroes and values:
Introduce the individuals behind the brand, their passion, and the values that drive their commitment to sustainability. Again, talk about the good these key figures (or products) can do for your customer. Show the value and authenticity. Be clear and make it obvious you know what you are talking about. Don’t just be the ‘good guy’ – we’ve all watched those movies where the good guy dropped the mask and turned out to be bad one. Make clear why you are authentic in your mission – be transparent, including talking about challenges you may have faced.
Impact and success:
Highlight the positive changes the brand has made or aspires to achieve, showcasing real-world examples and success stories. This is where customer stories can come in as social proof. Use testimonials that highlight the before-and-after. Ask your customers to talk about how your brand made them feel.
Invite them to be part of the story:
As a purpose-driven brand, you can use consumer engagement to involve the audience in the story of your purpose, making them feel like active participants in the brand's journey towards sustainability. Your story hasn’t ended yet – invite customers to join and help craft the narrative of the future. Listen to your audience by using reviews and feedback points, answer questions, be transparent and help them shape where the story goes next.
Connect through emotion:
Emotion plays a crucial role in brand storytelling – this is the real art of storytelling. Activating the emotional part of your customer’s brain by evoking empathy, hope, and inspiration and real-life examples will cement your brand as one to remember. Don’t be afraid to get real.
Set the narrative and be consistent:
Weave the narrative into various touchpoints. These don’t need to be obvious. Consider other assets beyond your website and keep your copy consistent. Remember, many of your potential customers will have come to your site through a social media platform or other advertising. From there, take them on a journey where the story continues. Keep your story flowing through your email marketing, purchase points, confirmation emails and follow-ups.
Brand storytelling is a powerful tool for sustainable brands to connect with their audience, inspire action, and build brand loyalty. As a purpose-driven organisation, your story can be more than your brand, your product and profit. It can and should be the story of how you are achieving your purpose and the difference you are making in the world with your customers by your side.
By crafting a compelling narrative that embodies your mission, values, and commitment to sustainability, brands can leave a lasting impact on consumers and build a community passionate about creating a better world.
Do you struggle to tell your own story? You may be too far in to be able to articulate the story your customers need to hear. Drop me a line at [email protected] to discuss how I can help.
