• by Emily Canan , Columnist, August 1, 2016

Storytelling may be one of the most overused words in marketing. It’s being treated like it’s something new when, in fact, it’s as ancient as the human race. And nothing’s changed since the beginning of time, except now there are more variables that could detract or change your brand’s story. 

A brand tells its story through its name, logo, its product or service, its company culture, its office building and location, its promise, its guarantee to customers, its personality, and the experiences people have with it. 

People have never had access to brands at as many touchpoints as they do in today’s world, through their phones, apps, websites, social, in-store, email, friends, customer service, and the list goes on.

But what’s the value of a strong brand and brand story? Why has the word story become such a massive buzzword? Well, research shows that having a strong brand and brand story:

• Creates a meaningful difference in their competitive set

• Fosters loyalty and an emotional connection with their customers

• Simplifies the choice of which product customers buy/use

• Builds trust

• Increases customer satisfaction

In my next four posts we’ll dive into building your brand story through the following elements: 

1. Defining your brand How you define your brand is the biggest input into your brand story so this is one of the most important parts of this storytelling exercise. Before you tell others who are you are, you need to determine your mission, above your offering; what do you stand for? What makes you different than the category? 

2. Training your people. No matter your brand, product or service, the people who work for your brand are your living story. They are the element that make your consumers feel something. Brand managers, customer care, manufacturers, R&D. These are all part of your DNA. 

3. Publishing your story: When you’re publishing your story, your defining how your brand talks, communicates and behaves with others. It’s imperative to ensure your story is consistent across your website, social, packaging, in store. 

4. Spreading your story: This is allowing your advocates and consumers to be your megaphone and tell people/talk about your story. The people who speak for you brand when you’re not involved are just as important (more often than not more important) than any other channel. This is your living brand that will change and evolve over time.

Stay tuned for next month and feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the meantime.