How to develop a brand narrative
How do you succinctly communicate the complex value of what you have to offer so that it's easily understood by the right person?
A lot of people say that you need a "brand story", but wtf is that?
Are you just supposed to talk about yourself?
Is it how you got your start?
Are we making documentary here?
Not exactly.
Your "brand story" outlines the dream outcome of your ideal customer, the problems that stand in their way, and how you can help.
In other words ... it's about them, not you.
In this email, I'm going to walk you through a three step process to develop your own brand narrative, following a classic storytelling framework.
This is a long one ... so buckle up!
The Power of a Story
Everyone loves a good story — which is why they're so powerful!
"Stories" are how we perceive reality.
Good stories are relatable and easy to understand.
The best (and sometimes worst) part is that stories can be highly leveraged to command action in large numbers of people.
Just look at today's headlines!
As a brand, though, the story that you tell will communicate the role you play in your customer's life.
It will show them how they'll benefit from you.
The simpler your story, the easier it will be to tell through a variety of mediums.
How to Write a Brand Narrative
I've always admired Donald Miller's approach in applying The Hero's Journey to storytelling.
I have adopted pieces of his process as part of my own approach to developing a narrative for my clients.
This is by no means the only way to do this, but it's what I've used many times with great success.
Let's dive in!
Step 1 — Answer these questions
Start by answering the questions below. Feel free to elaborate as much as you want. The goal here is to get everything out of your head.
A Character
- Who is your ideal customer?
- What do they want most?
Has a Problem
- What external problem are they facing?
- What internal problem does this external problem create for them?
- How does this problem make them feel?
And Meets a Guide
- How do you (the brand) empathize with their problems?
- What authority do you have to help them solve their problems?
Who Gives Them a Plan
- What plan can you provide to help them overcome their problems?
- What are the clear steps they need to take?
And Calls Them to Action
- What direct call to action can you give them to get started?
- What transitional call to action can you provide to build a relationship with them?
That Helps Them Avoid Failure
- What negative consequences will they face if they do not take action?
- How will they feel if they don't take action?
And Ends in Success
- What does success look like for your customer if they follow your plan?
- How does this outcome make them feel?
Step 2 — Ad-lib
Now it's time to fill in the blanks below using your answers from the first step. Keep it simple here — use words that a 9 year old would understand. You may need to wordsmith this a bit for it to make sense.
[Ideal Customer] wants [Desired Outcome], but they face [Problem]. This makes them feel [Emotion].
At [Your Brand], we understand this struggle. With our [Credentials/Experience], we can help.
Our plan is simple: [Step 1], [Step 2], [Step 3].
Start by [Direct Call to Action].
This way, you avoid [Negative Outcome] and achieve [Success].
Step 3 — Application
Now that you've got this sorta clunky / maybe cheesy-sounding paragraph, what do you do with it?
It's not going to do much use just sitting in a Google doc or in your Notes app.
The next step is to apply it through all of your brand's touch points.
This is the fun part.
This could be your name, your messaging, your visual identity, your website, your ads, your commercials, etc.
We need to cover each and every step of your customer's journey — from when they first find out about you, all the way through to when they leave a positive review of your product or service.
The goal is for all of these touch points to tell the same story in varying degrees.
For example, your visual identity will tell this story through fonts and colors, whereas a commercial will be much more literal.
When this is done successfully, everything will work together in unison, helping you build a clearer and stronger reputation in the market.
Here are a few examples in application...
Subaru
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAWV9ek9Uh8
Customer: Families
Problem: Driving a vehicle is dangerous
Guide: Subaru
Plan: Buy a Subaru
Action: Visit a Subaru dealer
Avoid: Death
Outcome: Stay alive and safe
Tony Robbins
Customer: Individuals seeking growth
Problem: Feeling stuck or unmotivated. Unable to achieve goals.
Guide: Tony Robbins
Plan: Attend a seminar
Action: Take a quiz
Avoid: Stagnation
Outcome: Transformation
Commencal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv9gYbbw6_c
Customer: Mountain bikers
Problem: Don't have a bike
Guide: Commencal
Plan: Order a bike
Action: Visit our website
Avoid: Being like every other rider
Outcome: Ride and look like a pro
Eleven Willow (one of my clients!)
https://www.platoon.studio/work/eleven-willow
Customer: Entrepreneurs
Problem: Need an office
Guide: Eleven Willow
Plan: Become a member
Action: Take a tour
Avoid: Working from home or a coffee shop
Outcome: Get more work done
I could go on and on with these examples... but you get the point.
The more you can keep this simple narrative aligned across all of your marketing, the stronger position you will build in the market.
I'll leave you with this:
Are you a visionary founder who wants to overcome feeling overwhelmed and stuck with your branding?
After over 15 years of working with clients just like you, I understand the struggle.
In one single workshop, I will help you develop your entire brand strategy.
This way, you can avoid blending into everything else... and instead completely dominate your market.
If that's you, reply here and we can set up a time to chat!
See what I did there? 😏
– Charles