How To Connect with Your Clients Through Brand Story

Does your small business have a story behind it? Are you using that story to attract and connect with your ideal clients? Today we'll be diving into how to do just that!

Small business owners often make the mistake of keeping their own story out of sight, because they are trying to “appear professional” or simply because they feel crunched on time. If you’ve fallen into this trap before (I know I have!) comment below! And if you have, it’s okay, because now is the perfect time to dive into brand storytelling!

We talked in my last post about why branding is so crucial to small business. And now we will start to dig into the inner workings of what actually makes a business a brand.

Brand story should be the foundation of your entire brand. What is a brand story? It’s the guide that tells your audience: “This is who we are, this is why we matter, and this is why YOU (the ideal client) can relate.”

Brand story is what allows you to connect with your client/audience. That connection builds relationship, trust, and ultimately sales. “94% of people said they’d be highly likely to recommend a brand they were emotionally engaged with.” (LabelInsight) Our brains operate as emotional organs. People are LITERALLY wired for connection and constantly searching for it. There are whole studies out there devoted to how our brains react and search for human connection.

Story is a powerful vehicle for this connection, because story forces our left and right brain to work in sync with each other. The right brain’s images and emotions have to connect with the left brain’s logic and words. Brand story takes a business from “just another business out there”, to another person or group of people--with the potential to connect and care. I had a girls weekend recently and we stopped into Condor Chocolates. I liked their shop design and thought their coffee a little pricey--I had little impression or opinion otherwise. But THEN I heard my friend read their story on the back of a bag of their coffee beans.

The company was owned by two brothers. Their dad was American and had met their mother on a backpacking trip in Columbia. They fell in love and the rest was history. The boys grew up visiting their relatives and grandparents in Columbia, and discovered the beauty of columbian coffee beans, which inspired their business.

All the sudden I was immediately invested, cared about their business, and remember them now, weeks later.

Your brand story is vital because it tells your audience--”I’m human just like you”. And to your ideal client--Hopefully your story says--”Hey, I get you, we can relate to one another.” Telling our story helps us come across as genuine. Did you know?: 86% of consumers prefer an authentic and honest brand personality.” (Hubspot)

Your brand story can take multiple forms: Personal: It could be your own life story. Origin: How your business came about. Inspiration: The why: What inspired you to do what you do. Vision: It could be your vision for impact in the world around you.

You can also weave other aspects into brand story: Your process

Customer experience (this is huge!) Real events your brand participates in.

So how do we begin to implement and write our brand story?

Well, the first part is crafting it and intentionally reflecting: What IS your story?

Exercise: Part A: Write one sentence about each of the above categories about your own brand.

Part B::

Read through these sentences and figure out two things: 1) What most defines your brand story. 2) Which aspects your ideal client will be able to relate to. Remember in sharing our story, the purpose is to create connection. We aren’t just gushing on and on about ourselves. We are purposely sharing select pieces of our personal puzzle to show our humanity, and include aspects our ideal client will be able to see themselves in.

Part C: Write your story in long form and short form. Summarize it in a sentence, summarize it in a paragraph.

Branding needs consistency to actually work, like plants need sunlight to grow. So that’s why it is so important to figure out what your story actually is, and then you can start sharing.

If you’re ready to start crafting and telling your brand story, JOIN ME in my brand building facebook course and community!

I’m a mil spouse mama of three and brand photographer in Georgia; during naptime I love to strategically unpack branding to help other small businesses stand out and sell in a saturated market. I’m diving more in depth about this blog post inside my group, as well as sharing other helpful resources, and how you can start implementing branding in your business TODAY!

We’re using the social learning group mode, so you can jump in any time and catch up!

Comment below with one unique aspect of YOUR story! I want to know!