People are inundated with new information constantly. It’s getting more and more difficult to stand out and get attention, never mind keeping their attention once they notice you. 

So how does a business break through the noise and keep people interested? Through a captivating brand story. A brand story is a way of showing, rather than telling, who you are and what your brand has to offer. Draw people in by creating a story, being consistent, and showing them what is important to you and your brand.

Understand your audience

The old adage that you cannot be everything to everyone is important to remember as you create your story. Everyone is not a part of your audience, so you need to know who is. 

Who are you targeting? What motivates them? What do they like and dislike? What is their communication style? Do they prefer you to be formal or informal in your tone? Use these questions as a foundation to build your story to engage your audience.

Use analytics to figure out which of your webpages get the most traffic and which social posts receive the most engagement. Your goal is to quickly convert your audience from curious spectators to engaged customers and clients.

Actions speak louder than words

Who you are is not simply the words on your About page. You have to actively show your audience in the ways you connect with them. Focus on how your brand helps and tell that story. You want your audience to have an emotional tie to the experience. Identify your audience and speak directly to them.

There are many ways to connect with your audience. Creating an emotional connection is one of the best ways to create a bond. Many non-profit organizations use this tool to create a deep affinity for the cause. 

Look to organizations like the Special Olympics to view this connection in action. They regularly highlight the stories of their athletes, allowing the audience to share in the athletes’ success.

Show them, show them, and show them again

Do everything you can to keep your brand consistent with the values it associates itself with. You are building a relationship with your audience through your brand story - if you are not showing up authentically, your audience feels that you have violated their trust. So when you make a promise, keep it. When your brand takes up a value, make sure you don’t contradict it, or your inconsistent behavior will turn your audience away.

Make your values part of your brand story; demonstrate why they are important and how you stand by them. Keep your message consistent in all your different marketing avenues, and your brand will be seen as authentic. Inconsistency is also confusing, and people will turn away from a brand that contradicts itself in favor of one that doesn’t.

Pull back the curtain

Let your audience in on your organization’s origin story. Why did you start your business? Why do you love the work you do? Talk about your values and passion, and make sure to include how they influence the work you do. Invite your audience to become part of your story. Share with them your vision for the brand and connect it with something they care about.

This is also a chance to humanize your business. Don’t simply highlight the successes - share the struggles as well. Your origin story helps connect a human face and experience to a brand. You build trust as you present yourself not as just a company, but a person or team with goals and a mission. 

Pay attention to the details

If you’re working with video or audio, make sure that you start with a script. A script will ensure that you have highlighted your values and tone to build on your brand story.

And be sure to keep an eye on things like grammar in all of your communications, as your story’s effectiveness can be greatly hampered if it is poorly written. Sites such as My Writing Way or tools like Grammarly can help ensure your grammar is correct. I strongly recommend taking a pause away and returning at a later time with fresh eyes with everything you write.