As I scrolled Facebook earlier this morning, when an ad for jewelry popped up. Along with an attractive photo, the “story” in the description made the ring even more appealing.
How so?
The description wrote a story: how the recipient would feel, what the piece symbolized, and a reminder of the giver’s presence in her life.
This piece focused strongly on the bond between mother and daughter. The story clearly described this.
The listing resonated deeply with me. I’m a word nerd, so well-written descriptions, brand stories, blog posts, etc., really catch my attention.
I looked at similar jewelry, but none had the compelling story and description like this first piece I saw.
In fact, I saw it earlier today and it’s been on my mind since. (I may have even added a couple of items to my cart!)
Why am I telling you this?
Your BRAND and BRAND STORY matters.
Three compelling reasons to ensure your brand represents you and your brand story is unique and creates a lasting impression, good or bad.
- Resonance
In order for your brand to resonate with your customers/clients, you’ll need to dig deep and find some stories or personal experiences that will resonate with your audience. Before your potential customers buy from you, they’ll need to develop their own “why”. Forging deep connections with your audience will help that along. These connections help to build the “know, like, and trust” factor. Oftentimes, we look for “people like us”, right?
Be authentic in what you share. Most people can sniff out a fake within minutes. When you share authentically, those consuming your content will likely want to share what they have found because they believe that it will touch or impact their family, friends, etc.
When you brainstorm your list of stories to share, think of the following:
- Life-changing moments (loss, new baby, major illness, etc.,)
- Experiences that impacted you deeply (volunteer opportunities, a “God works in mysterious ways” moment, etc.,)
2. Recall
If you recall, earlier in this post, I mentioned that since I’d seen this piece of jewelry earlier in the day, I returned to it frequently and added it to my cart. As I sit here, mulling over my Christmas list, this piece continuously pops into my head. That description of it really touched me and it’s exactly what I want this gift to mean to my recipient.
Think about any stories or situations you could share with your audience. Search for things that maybe friends and family have said really touched them or made them realize something about you, your life, etc. Maybe something they think of when something hard happens in their own lives. These stories will help your audience recall who you are and what you do. They’ll remember how your story made them feel and come back to you.
3. Real
There’s something for being authentically you, but I think we can all agree that some folks take it a bit far. Social media is for engaging and sharing, but the oversharing that I see on a daily basis makes me cringe.
You can share a high-level view of victory, struggle, etc., without divulging personal, cringe-worthy details. Oversharing can repel your audience just as sharing to make a connection can attract your ideal audience. If in doubt, ask a trusted colleague or friend.
4. Repeat
When you have solid branding and an impressive branding story, your audience will seek you out. Your current customers will buy from you, again and again. They will tell their friends about the great things you sell or do.
What better compliment to get than having a repeat customer? Your story, how you made them feel, how the buying process unfolded, to delivery…this sets the stage for recall (you made a big enough impression that you stayed top of mind).
–>If you are struggling to write descriptions for your products or a synopsis of your services, be sure to download my FREE Top Tips for Writing eBook. This eBook contains some fabulous, easy-to-implement tips to take your writing from average to amazing.