All businesses have a story to tell. The issue is that a lot of brand stories sound like they were created in a meeting room, not by someone who has actually experienced something. They speak with elegant verbiage, sweeping statements and common buzzwords around innovation, passion, purpose and disruption. The outcome might be polished, but it can feel like it's not part of the company.
A compelling brand narrative doesn't have to be melodramatic. It doesn't have to make every founder a hero, or every product a movement. It should sound authentic. That is to say, it should mirror the company's origins, what it actually does, who it serves, what it believes, and why people should trust it.
This is important for expanding businesses because audiences are adept at detecting when a brand is acting rather than expressing itself. A story that resonates can make a company memorable, more believable and easier to relate to.
Start With What Actually Happened
Great brand stories start with the truth. They don't draft anything polished without first checking the facts. What was the purpose of the company's establishment? What was the first problem it found? What were the first client's names? What did the team learn through experience? What belief was constantly surfacing in decisions prior to it being written?
Don't hurry through this step. Many companies attempt to dive straight into messaging, but the most powerful content can be found in old conversations, customer feedback, the founder's memories, product decisions, and moments of pressure. The story could be about why the feature was created, how the team reacted to a setback, or the customer segment they chose when they were able to go larger.
Avoid Turning Purpose Into Performance
While Purpose is important, it must be specific and believable. If a brand can actually make work easier for people, save them time, boost team efficiency, or improve their experience, they don't have to say they are changing the world.
Too much purpose undermines trust. Audiences will believe a little story told truthfully rather than a big story that seems like a tall order. Rather than asking what sounds inspiring, ask what can be proved through our actions.
For instance, this is particularly crucial when rebranding. Businesses are under pressure to craft a larger, more emotional story. However, size isn't necessarily a good thing. The right story should increase the company's meaning, while keeping the practical truth intact.
Listen Before You Rewrite
The brand story shouldn't be written from an inward perspective. While internal teams know the company's intentions, customers know what the company is really worth. They can explain why they selected it, what they recall, what they believe, and what they would miss if it were lost.
This is where research comes in handy. Language that really sounds natural can be gleaned through interviews, sales calls, reviews, support tickets, community discussions, and client feedback. A good rebranding firm will often search for this disconnect - the best story is often in between what a company says about itself and what customers say about it.
When customers keep commending reliability, don't force the concept of rebellion. Don't use complicated language if they prefer simplicity. When they perceive the company as an expert and calm, they don't suddenly become loud because everyone else is.
Keep the Human Tension
Tension is essential to good stories. But it's not a fight for the purpose of a fight. It's about articulating the problem, the frustration, belief, or change at the heart of the brand.
It is possible that a company came into being because an industry became too complicated. Perhaps it was due to customer dissatisfaction with the service. It could have earned trust by opting for transparency in an era when there were many promises in the air. It could represent craft in a world that's all about speed.
This tension provides the shape to the story. It helps people to see not only what the brand is for, but what it is against. A brand story without tension can be a laundry list of positive qualities. Tension, it is easier to remember.
Use Language People Would Actually Say
Unnatural language can destroy a true story. The company should not have a poetic story to it if it's not practical. If the audience is technical, the story shouldn't shy away from detail. If the brand is friendly and direct, the writing shouldn't go abstract.
Good brand language is not artificial; it's edited. It's not a different personality; it's the clearest version of the company. Read the story out loud. Check if any of the following people would be able to imagine saying something similar in actual dialogue: Founder, Employee, Customer. Otherwise, the language might be too much of a stretch.
Try to avoid using any cliches that may apply to any company. It is only when these words are backed up with tangible evidence that they make sense: “innovative,” “customer-focused,” and “world-class.” Details help to make the story believable.
Make the Story Useful Across the Business
But a brand story isn't merely an About page. It should guide decision-making in marketing, sales, hiring, product, design, and customer experience. If the company preaches simplicity, the product should be simple. If it claims to be an expertise-based company, the content should be written with confidence. If it claims to be a service-oriented company, then the customer service experience should reflect that.
This is the true proof of authenticity. A brand story is believable when people can see it happening. It should provide teams with a common framework for communicating about the company and a workable benchmark for the company's behavior.
No brand story is ever set in stone. Businesses expand into new markets, expand to new customer segments, develop new products and grow over time. It is not intended to keep all the old phrases. The aim is to preserve the essence of the truth and leave room for expression to change.
