Expert takeaways on brand storytelling

Many consumers first learn about a brand through its marketing. Social media posts, promoted campaigns and conversations with friends and family lead consumers to grow more aware of a company. However, they aren’t the first focus for marketers when figuring out how to connect with their target audience.

Brand storytelling is the first line of development for businesses preparing to present a cohesive product or service to their base. Given how critical this step is in connecting with consumers, we reached out to Matias Rodsevich, PR Specialist and Founder and CEO of PRLab, a global PR agency.

Here’s what he discussed:

The steps to creating a strong brand story

There are seven key elements to successful brand storytelling. While you may have already established your brand story, there will be times when a refresher is necessary. 

1. Character: Who is your target audience? 
2. Problem: What problem does your character/target audience face?
3. Guide: Who/what is assisting the character on their journey? 
4. Plan: How are you going to win the character over?
5. Call to action: What must your character do to reach their goal? 
6. Help the character to avoid failure: How do you make your target audience’s life less painful?
7. Help the character achieve success: What is the marker for success?

The audience is a central part of the story

As a developed brand, you have plenty of experience cultivating a story, but that doesn’t mean the work is over. There’s one factor that will remain a constant pillar in your foundation: your target audience. 

Chances are high that you know who your target audience is. You know where to find them, what kind of media they like to consume and the sources they interact with the most. But do you know just how crucial they are to the story itself?

“The ultimate goal of telling a story as a brand is to engage with your audience. So, the story needs to be told from the audience’s point of view,” Rodsevich said.

Let’s dissect why a customer-centric story is critical. In many ways, it’s a matter of relevance. Your story — who your brand is, the purpose of your products and services — all serve to satisfy your customers. When consumers are looking into your brand story, they’ll be considering just how much of a fit it is with their life. Does your story match well with their needs and interests? Will your product align with the rest of their consumer usage habits?

On the psychological side of things, consumers like hearing about a brand from other humans. It’s why concepts like influencer marketing and reviews work so well. Psychologists refer to it as social proof, the idea that humans are influenced by like-minded individuals they trust.

When a brand’s story is told from the consumer’s perspective, the subtle implementation of social proof elements allows consumers to see themselves as someone who’d interact with your brand and benefit from the time spent.

How to tell your (already developed) brand story

As your brand continues to grow, you will have to look back on your brand story and ensure that you’re remaining consistent with the messages you're sending out. While you’ll be tempted to prioritize the more glamorous side of your brand, Rodsevick suggests taking things slowly and focusing on the basics.

“It’s easy for brands to jump right into execution, especially when you’re in PR and marketing. You’re thinking: Should I start a podcast? Should we get into influencer marketing? Organize events? But those are all tactics and not the guiding light,” said Rodsevich. “Once you answer all of your questions around your target audience the rest is easy, because the rest is just about being consistent with how you push your messages.”

To better explain how well-established brands use their story to describe brand goals, Rodsevich highlighted Apple as an example.

“We know that Apple users really care about privacy. So, the key message would be about how Apple takes privacy very seriously. They’d then create content around privacy in their chosen formats,” said Rodsevich. “Everything would revolve around that topic because it’s a pillar in their brand story. Once you know what your pillar is, then you can focus on execution.”

There’s more to having a successful brand than having a brand story. You also need to know why it’s important and how to use it.