Marketing has a lot of noise. Between the noise of competitors and the ever-changing landscape of trends, marketing is like a deafening wind howling right into your eardrums, and it may feel like they’re about to burst. It’s logical to assume standing out would mean making the MOST noise but we’re here to tell you that that’s not the case. What makes a brand stand out among the racket is emotion; and endless void-screaming isn’t an emotion (although we’ve heard it’s highly therapeutic).
It’s the time of the year where you might be looking at your marketing efforts like a chess grandmaster running out of time to make that strategic move; and you might be tempted to approach your marketing like a cool-headed Roman general with neat legions of strategy, planning, statistics and all other things that’ll impress the CFO when placed in the deck for the next all hands meeting.
“All because he only got 3 likes on his last Instagram post…”
See what’s happening here? There’s a story to be told and it isn’t going to be told with pie charts and percentages.
Telling a good story is the greatest tool to have in your arsenal, the key to deep emotional connection. Humanising the brand is what keeps an audience engaged and what makes a customer choose you over the rabble. It’s well-known by now that people don’t want to be sold to; that’s why a key marketing tenet is “people buy from people”. Humanise the brand, and you’ve captivated the audience.
One of our stories is the tale of a Michelin star chef with an obsession for sourdough pizza and bike-fettling. Pizzeria Molto Bene has all the delicious details of a dynamic story of independence, steadfast commitment to taste, all pulled together by a quirky cast of characters that make up the employees. As a new brand, we’ve taken great joy in spreading the origin of a special slice of independent eateries across multiple digital platforms like social media, Google ads and a freshly baked website. A segment has been dedicated to the unique staff, to the values of the company, to the absolutely phenomenal pizza and most of all, to the humanity behind the business.
Forge emotional connections with narrative
The tenets bring us nicely to the first principle of storytelling; narrative. What’s the story of your brand? What is it about your brand that your audience will emotionally connect to? Having a mission statement and a strong brand voice builds the foundation of that narrative you want to tell. If the customer relates to your mission, vision and values then they will wholeheartedly support your company; they’ll want to see you succeed. Loyalty is the most valuable connection you can create.
If you, as a brand, can pinpoint a customer out from the noise and say, “Hey, you there, we see you. We understand,” then you’re well on your way to crafting that perfect narrative. Emotional resonance leads to brand advocacy from loyal customers, enabling you to finally…
Inspire action and drive results
Once you’ve solidified your place in the minds of your audience, ensuring you’re top of mind with loyal advocacy, you can call them to action; like that Roman commander calling upon his legions, you set them on their customer journey with confidence and real results. The effort you put into nurturing your audience with emotive storytelling pays dividends when it comes time to motivate them to book a call with you, or peruse your summer sale, or just throw you a message in the DMs. Interact, engage, succeed; but only with that story.
We’re not forgetting the importance of strategy. Whatever narrative you create for your brand must fit into the larger picture. In many ways, you ARE painting the picture with it. A good book has plot points to motivate the reader towards something the author wants; to evoke despair when all hope seems lost, bring on elation when the underdog saves the day, and that bittersweet afterglow when it’s all over – but at what cost? Everything is purposeful.
Therefore, when crafting your brand’s narrative, think about the motivations behind the company. Was it borne out of a desire to fulfil a perceived need in the market? Or if you’re selling a service, were you unsatisfied with companies selling similar services and wanted to be the change you want to see in the world? From there, your customers will naturally funnel themselves exactly where you want them to go.
Brand storytelling is what we do here at Brace Creative Agency. If you’re thinking about what your company’s story is, drop us a message at hello@brace.co.uk or call us on 01452 729953 and let’s get your message out there, loud and proud!
