 Storytelling is highly effective in any kind of business. Stories capture the attention of your audience and make your business relatable. This is why they’re so useful in rebranding. An essential part of any rebranding strategy is to develop and tell a good brand story. Why We Love Storytelling Why is storytelling so important in branding? Your brand needs to be memorable and relatable. It needs to impart your company’s personality and emphasize how you’re unique. These are all things that can be done through a good story. In fact, some people are loyal to brands solely because of their story. You might love a local coffee shop that stands up against the big nation-wide chains, or a healthy organic restaurant with a mission to offer ethical and environmentally-friendly food. These brands are strong because of stories that emphasize the values they share with their customers. Stories work especially well in the digital age where people are flooded with advertising and marketing messages all day long. Your story helps your brand cut through the noise. What’s Your Story? Your brand story is the genesis story of your company. It tells why you founded it and how you grew it to its current state. It might include things like:
Like any good story, yours starts with a “why.” It has ups and downs, plot twists and drama, and a vision for the future, all centered around your company and its brand. How to Discover Your Story You’re not starting from scratch with your brand story. It’s already there, you just need to figure out how to tell it. Start by identifying your “why.” Why does your company exist? What is your mission? What motivates you to do what you do? How do you contribute? Brainstorm several story ideas. Write a few different versions of the basic story that emphasize different aspects of your business. If you’ve already clarified what your unique value is, write a story that explains this along the way. You may also write a few different versions to appeal to different segments of your market. Once you’ve chosen the right one, simplify it so it gets straight to the point. Give it the “so what?” test. When people are reading your story, they’re thinking, “so what?” In other words, “What’s in it for me?” It should be about your company, but it should also tell the reader what you do for them. A good brand story is straightforward and easy to understand. Once you have it finished, decide when and where you’ll use it, and create shorter and longer versions. Integrate it into your branding and it will drive home the unique value you offer. Do you want to learn more about branding your business the right way? Check out Innovative Business Solutions’ self-study course “Branding – Who Are You?” which teaches you the A to Z of developing the right brand for your business and helps you achieve your business goals HERE. About The Author Pat Simes is a blogger, entrepreneur, and Founder of Innovative Business Solutions. She currently resides in the Midwest and is committed to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs.
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 Your brand is a major source of value for your company. With a strong brand identity, you can do more with fewer resources to reach your audience by creating an image in their minds of how you uniquely meet their needs. But branding is about much more than just logos. Here are the 5 key elements of a strong brand identity. 1. A Purpose Your branding tells people your reason for doing what you do. It explains how you want to change the world for the better. At a glance, people can understand the values that are at the core of your philosophy and products. To start creating your brand identity, spend some time thinking about your “why.” Why does your business exist? What is it you hope to change in the world to make it a better place? 2. Market Perspective Your brand identity tells people what position you occupy in the market. It says not only what you do, but how you do it uniquely from anyone else: “We’re the ones who ____.” Part of successful branding is to understand your industry and the unique place you fill in that industry. It involves getting in touch with your natural strengths so you can play to them. 3. Your Company’s Personality Your company should have a likeable and relatable personality that resonates with your audience. Your brand communicates this personality to your audience, speaking to them in their voice and tone. The personality also makes it memorable. What is your brand’s personality? You can figure this out through research on competitors and natural strengths, but also by asking your customers why they prefer buying from you and not someone else. 4. Consistent Design Elements Although branding is more than just logos and colors, design elements are important. They work on a subtle level. Wherever your audience member encounters your brand, they see the same design features, which tells them it’s you and shows that you’re consistent. Design elements includes name, logo, colors, banners, fonts, and so on. 5. Your Audience Your content is targeted to a specific audience, talking about their problems and addressing their needs. For a strong brand identity, you need to know your audience well and focus on them, not you or your products and services. Your branding discusses your offerings in terms of the unique benefits to users. How to Create a Strong Brand Identity Branding isn’t second nature to most companies. It requires some planning and strategic thinking to develop a strong brand identity. Creating a strong brand starts with clarifying your business goals and your strategy for achieving them. Your brand needs to be in line with your core values and unique value proposition. The next step is to research your audience and industry. A detailed customer profile helps you understand your target market so you can address their needs and speak their language. Once you’ve clarified the fundamentals of your business and gained a thorough understanding of the marketplace, you’re ready to create a branding message and unique value proposition. With this in hand, you’re ready to go about implementing your brand and monitoring your results. Do you want to learn more about creating a strong brand identity? Check out Innovative Business Solutions’ the self-study course “Branding – Who Are You?” which teaches you the A to Z of developing the right brand for your business and helps you achieve your business goals HERE. Start Creating A Strong Brand Identity TODAY! About The Author Pat Simes is a blogger, entrepreneur, and Founder of Innovative Business Solutions. She currently resides in the Midwest and is committed to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs.  In a world where things are always changing, your business needs to stay current. Many companies make the mistake of holding onto their old brand long after it’s no longer effective. Your brand needs to be up to date in order to meet the changes in the market. Is it time for a rebrand? Communicate Your Current Business Rebranding may become necessary in order to reflect a big change in your business. This could be a merger or acquisition, or a change in company strategy. It could be something smaller like the launch of a new product line or a period of considerable growth. Whatever the change, it necessitates a brand makeover. Getting Serious About Your Branding Like many companies, you may not have done your branding correctly to begin with. It’s often hard when you first get started to fully grasp your customers and your unique position in the market. As you start to grow, you may feel like you’re lacking a strong brand identity, and now’s the time to develop one. Connecting with a New Audience Companies often decide to re-brand in order to connect to a new audience. In order to grow into a new segment of the market, your brand needs an update in order to focus on the needs of this new segment. Since you’re reaching new customers, you need to reassess the needs your company meets so your branding can communicate this. Changes in the Industry Landscape The industry landscape might have changed. If there are new players in the market, you might need to re-brand in order to show your audience how you’re different. Rebranding can help you stay relevant in your industry. More Earnings and Higher Value for Your Company Brushing up your brand makes your company more profitable. Most companies find that they earn more after their rebranding. The process adds value to your business and makes you more attractive to investors. How Do You Know It’s Time to Rebrand? Rebranding is a major step that takes considerable resources and effort. Here are the signs that it may be time:
Rebranding starts with clarifying your business’s vision and goals and performing a brand audit to determine how well your current branding is communicating your unique value to the market. It’s a great way to reinvigorate your business and meet new challenges. Do you want to learn more about branding strategies for your business? Check out Innovative Business Solutions Self-Study Course, “Branding – Who Are You?”, which teaches you the A to Z of branding and helps you achieve your business goals. Find The Self-Study Course HERE About The Author Pat Simes is a blogger, entrepreneur, and Founder of Innovative Business Solutions. She currently resides in the Midwest and is committed to inspiring and empowering entrepreneurs. |
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