What’s in a Brand Story — and why do you need one, anyway?

Brand story, voice of customer, core message, brand voice, brand identity… you may be forgiven for thinking that all these terms and more have been invented to confuse you and keep you feeling stuck. As someone who didn’t start their career in marketing, despite walking 2 miles from the train station on a boiling hot summer’s day in heels for a particularly cringe-worthy interview, I totally sympathise.

Marketing yourself and your business can be daunting.

You know your business, inside and out.

You care about the products or services you provide and the clients you work with.

You may even have a great idea of what makes you stand out from the competition — maybe not.

But it’s when that fateful, dreadful moment arrives when someone asks you to explain what you do, or why you do it, that you feel your resolve unravel.

Why am I doing this again?

Who do I really want to work with?

And what the heck is a USP, anyway?

Aargh, your palms start to sweat. You know you’re rambling. You lose the thread of what you wanted to say… Are you imagining it, or can you see eyes glazing over?

No one likes fumbling for words or feeling like they’re boring their audience — that’s where your brand story comes in.

A well-crafted brand story is the cornerstone of your business messaging. It’s the thread that runs through your website, your case studies, your social media marketing and all your interactions with your clients and collaborators.

It’s not about having a great dramatic tale worthy of a Hollywood film, or inventing a fictional alter-ego. 

It’s about setting out the essentials of your business in a clear, concise, consistent, honest and human way. 

So that when you (and your team) need to talk about your business, you’ll never feel lost for words again!

What’s in {and what’s not in} a Brand Story?

Your brand story is the narrative behind your business, so it’s a little bit of everything…

Your brand story goes much deeper than a simple about page. But by that, I don’t mean a ticker tape timeline of events — if you need to store that somewhere for your own peace of mind, do it, but your brand story isn’t the place.

The essentials of a brand story are:

• Why you started your business (and perhaps what led you there)

• What you and your business stand for (what non-negotiables do you bring to the table?)

• Who you help (it’s important to give this one some thought — remember, you can’t help everyone!)

• How you help them, and 

• What transformation they can expect after working with or buying from you (this might be simple for some businesses, not so for others, but it’s essential nonetheless)

Why is Your Brand Story So Important?

With so many businesses vying for attention, your clients don’t necessarily choose you for what you do. They choose you because they know enough about you to make an informed decision. In other words, they trust you to deliver on your promises.

The starting point for building trust may be a word-of-mouth recommendation (the holy grail of trust builders), but if you don’t have that… everything starts with your brand story!

Your brand story is the starting point for all your marketing — that includes conversations you have over the phone, whilst networking, or even at a family party. 

A solid brand story helps you (and everyone associated with your business) to show up and promote your brand with confidence.

By showing off your values and motivations, you’ll instantly stand out from businesses offering similar products and services. And, by making your marketing more joined-up, meaningful and consistent, your potential clients will instantly feel a deeper connection with you.

So, is it worth putting in a little time and effort into getting your brand story straight? 

I’d say so.

Side Note: If you’re in the exciting phase of bringing on new team members or working with subcontractors or freelancers in your business, having a clear, coherent brand story to share could very well save you a world of pain! 

Some Common Brand Story Mistakes

Not all brand stories are created equal, and if you find your story isn’t reaping the rewards you’d imagined, then it may not be all it should be. Take a look at these examples to see what I mean:

You’ve embellished your story to make it sound more interesting

Big mistake… huge! Oops, couldn’t resist.

The fact is, your audience needs reassurance. Making up stories, exaggerating, or generally going over the top is more obvious than you think — and it’s a real turn-off. Your potential clients are normal people {mostly}. And they want to know that the person or team they’re dealing with is human too. Your brand story doesn’t need to be filled with drama. It just needs to be honest, relevant and connection-driven.

Top tip: if you were doing business with you, what would you want to know?

It’s all about you, you, you

As much as it’s tempting to use your brand story as a biography, writing something to leave a legacy for future generations is not its purpose. Your clients want to see themselves in your story. 

How will they fit into your vision or your mission? 

How is your journey to this point relevant to how you can help them? 

In reality, your brand story is as much about your clients and your deep understanding of them as it is about you.

Top tip: which parts of your story help you to identify with your prospective clients? Think about their pain points and how you can help make that pain go away.

Don’t ramble… get to the point!

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah… zzzzz.

Rambling histories, generic language, too much information, or too much fluff are off-putting and downright boring.

Remember, your brand story is a quick way for someone meeting you for the first time to feel a connection with you. 

Sure, you may have a longer version tucked away in a drawer for reference, but the version that gets to speak to the world should be short and punchy. War & Peace-style stories really only appeal to the most academic types, so know your audience. Your brand story needs to create a lasting impression and leave them wanting to know more.

Top tip: write down everything, and then condense it down to the essentials.

Don’t hide your light — be bold, be you!

With so much information floating around in the ether, it’s super easy to get distracted by what you think you should say. But be warned… trying to be anyone but yourself is an error. 

A story that doesn’t sound like you or resonate with you won’t resonate with the folks you want to work with either.

Stories that come across as false or have no personality leave audiences feeling numb. Think about it. In these days of TV reality, we’re used to seeing everyone, including many celebrities, warts and all. So, trying to be something you’re not is never going to work.

Top tip: be a little vulnerable. I don’t mean put everyone off their dinner with pictures of your latest hospital procedure, but rather, be honest. If you have a story that puts you firmly in the place of your ideal client, tell it. If you don’t, then don’t pretend.

How I Help Clients Find Their Brand Story

When I started working as a copywriter, advice I heard a lot was 'don't work with new businesses'.

I totally understood where folks were coming from and why they were telling me. Many new business owners can’t see the value in working with a copywriter. 

But here’s the thing… in my experience, just as many new and growing businesses do!

In fact, I’ve worked with a ton of new businesses and entrepreneurs who wanted to define how they show up in their marketing. Some are opening the doors of a new business for the first time and want to get things right from day one. Others have been in business a little while, and now they’re ready for a smarter, more strategic approach.

For most, their story already exists… they just can’t see it clearly.

That’s where I come in. It’s my job, through thoughtful interviews and information gathering, to guide my clients through a process that helps them uncover the moments, values and language that make their business unique.

It’s not about creating something out of nothing — I’m not a magician! It’s about listening, asking the right questions, and teasing out the gold that makes your business shine like a beacon in the night.

Can You Tell Your Story With Confidence?

When you’ve been in business for a hundred years and told your story a hundred thousand times, this stuff might be a breeze.

But, if you’re…

• Struggling to articulate what makes you or your business different

  
  

• Feeling that your website or marketing materials are missing authenticity

  
  

• Having trouble finding the confidence to make those important first connections

And you're ready to make your brand story as unforgettable as you are...

Then, I’d love to help!

Drop me a short message at info@wendyannjones.com for more details.

Remember, 

“Storytelling is not something we do. Storytelling is who we are.” – Carmine Gallo

With encouragement,

Wendy 😊