Welcome to the fourth edition of my “Tell Your Brand Story” Weekly newsletter.
This week, I had new followers and enjoyed exciting conversations with some of my new connections. I even zoomed in with a few. Thank you for following me and supporting my content here.
I had a mentoring session with a client here, and she has graciously permitted me to share excerpts of our initial conversations on LinkedIn.
“Dear Nora,
I hope you and your loved ones are keeping well. I’m delighted to have connected with you. As a part of your network, I’ll now be seeing your posts nearly and dearly. I am already looking forward to our mutual learnings. I hope to collaborate with you someday.
Warmly,
D.”
I loved this email for two reasons.
- It’s a thank you note, and gratitude is still the best attitude.
- The writer has great self-esteem. She realizes our learnings should be mutual, so she sees a possibility for collaboration.
Of course, I acknowledged her mail and thanked her for reaching out. But as we conversed, she expressed a wish – she would like to be known as an expert in her field and grow her LinkedIn network. I assured her she’s doing well and should consistently put herself out there while applying the tips from some creators here on LinkedIn.
“But, I am a software developer and not a storyteller,” she said. “Most viral creators share what happens in their lives. I don’t have such stories, and my business is straight to the point”.
“Virality is great,” I said, “but telling your story is phenomenal. We want to know why you started coding and debugging. Tell us how you can solve our technical challenges, share success stories of clients whose challenges you have solved, and we’ll never forget you”.
D’s objections are not unique, and you are probably wondering what story you can tell about your brand. Perhaps you’re even saying, “I am an Accountant, not a storyteller, and I think in numbers, not words. So what story could I possibly be telling?”
But as you’ll see, no matter what industry you thrive in, you have a story to tell. Besides, telling your brand story is critical because it helps you personalize your brand and establish a relationship with your audience. The best part? Telling your business story is as easy as apple pie.
I’ve put together three easy types of brand stories you can tell. These stories keep your brand front and center and are proven marketing tools to reach your target audiences.
1. Your Origin Story: This story tells us how it all started. Consider it to be the why of your business. To get the answer, think about why you started your business. What problem were you trying to solve? Better still, what impact were you trying to make? This narrative is critical because it is the foundation for your future content and the base upon which your products and communication are built. Please keep it simple, straightforward, and authentic.
The About page of PJ Jackson is an example of this story. PJ takes her audience through the thrills in her life, her exciting job, her education, and other wonderful things that came her way. Then she shares that moment when life happened and how those events birthed an award-winning soul empowerment brand. In her narrative, you experience the highs and lows and can see how she positions her brand as the friend that helps you through those inevitable low moments. Your origin story should do the same.
2. Before and After Bridge Stories (BAB): This type of story shows a client’s situation, that is, their current world where a problem exists. Then it shows what it could be like after the problem is solved. There’s a gap between the before and after. Thankfully, your product or service is the solution that helps your audience cross to the other end of the bridge. Can you think of some quick examples? You guessed right. Make-up artists and weight loss coaches use vivid imagery to tell their BAB stories.
Let’s look at another example of a BAB:
Before: You’re constantly getting sucked up in the vicious spiral of fast fashion. You want to boost your self-esteem and represent your values, but trendy short-lived clothing won’t let you be great. If only could find timeless outfits that inspire your confidence and express your values.
After: Imagine owning a dress that is classic, enhances your self-esteem, and represents your standards.
Bridge: Cop our Tara throw-on to own your power in this piece with triple benefits. This piece empowers you to be timeless, ups your confidence, and represents your values. Visit the website to rock this limited edition piece.
3. Client’s Success Stories this story showcases a customer’s experience with your product, their challenges, and how your product solved their problems, leading to desirable results for them.
Like all great stories, there’s a beginning, middle, and end. This story is about the client and their feel-good experience. The customer’s experience helps your target audience know what to expect from your product or service.
According to a report by PWC, 73% of the 15,000 respondents polled from 12 countries point to customer experience as a critical factor in their purchasing decisions. This finding explains why Michael LeBoeuf said, “A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.”
That said, here are a few customer success stories from LinkedIn. Please note how these stories highlight a challenge or pain point, a solution (Linkedin’s products), and the results for the customer.
This story generally has
A Headline: Talon.One Goes Full-Funnel on LinkedIn For Greater Lead Generation Efficiency
A Highlight/Company Profile: Chicago-based Gatorade is an internationally recognized food and beverage company that sustains a network of Sports Performance Professionals who benefit from industry-leading and community collaboration.
The Challenge: For about a year, H&M Group extensively A/B tested its marketing campaigns and response to its organic content. It found that engagement levels were dipping among certain segments. The company decided to partner with LinkedIn Marketing Solutions to extract maximum value from its investment in the platform.
The solution: Talon.One brings its marketing strategy to life on LinkedIn, using the platform’s precise targeting capabilities and trusted first-party data to accurately define its persona-based audiences of developers, marketers, and product marketers.
The results: Gatorade saw a 69% increase in Gatorade Performance Partner LinkedIn Followers from 2020 to present, with a 53% increase in brand engagement during 2020 after implementing a new creative strategy.
LinkedIn highlights these clients and their stories, and you know what to expect when using those services. It feels authentic, and you can relate.
An effective way to get happy customers to share their stories is to interview them. For example, you would want to ask them to describe their pain points and how your product solved them.
Which of these brand stories will you be telling soon? Thank you for reading, and I will see you next week.