People have told stories for centuries whether it is through cave drawings, around a campfire, at bedtime or through personal anecdotes. Everything around us, tells a story.
However, the way in which a story is communicated is what connects with people and encourages decisions. Therefore, it is important that brands use storytelling effectively, to build their brand image and engage with their target audience.
But what is it that makes the art of storytelling truly effective for a brand? The answer is simple – consistency! Brand consistency is key as it affects the way people perceive your company via words, design and offerings.
Storytelling must be consistent
From a brand perspective consistency makes storytelling truly effective. Every brand should have a consistent overarching narrative that allows situation specific stories to fit into it. It is also vital that the team is well versed in what the brand story is, what goes into it and how to use appropriate language that will communicate the message to its audience. Therefore, you must keep an eye on how well your story is serving your brand.
While maintaining consistency, a brand must also review its story every now and then. Stories may turn stale or not apply to your brand’s image. Moreover, not all stories fit every season and what may have worked five years ago, might not work anymore.
The best way to learn if your story is still effective and helping you reach your goals is by getting feedback from your audience. If your customer or audience feedback isn’t positive and is full of confusion, it is a signal that you need to pay attention to your brand’s story.
Here are some game-changing differences that consistent storytelling achieves:
Recognition: A simple and consistent story has the power of making a lasting impression, especially when it is incorporated across all platforms.
Trust: Using consistency in communication, builds a brand’s credibility and trust among its customers, making it more likely that they will buy your service or product. It also helps gain more referrals and new customers.
Inspires Employees: When your employees understand what the brand stands for, it creates clarity and a sense of pride within them. In addition, it makes them feel motivated in working towards the company’s goals.
Your Storytelling Challenge
Your challenge for today is to think about your brand’s story. Most of you may have it well outlined and well understood, if so then start looking at your communications and customer interactions and see if they fit well into your narrative. Keep doing what you’re doing, but remember to look for new ways to communicate your story while being consistent. However, if your story isn’t clear, start working on it today!
