Is your brand story getting you noticed?
"Hi, my name is Candee. I’m an illustrator. Hire me."
Even if you know me I doubt that would entice you to fork over some cash and invest your business with me. Similarly, your brand is more than your logo or a name; it’s the story you build around your business. Think of your business as a person. Your logo is the face, it’s what you focus on first and how you recognize them. Your website, business card, letterhead and social media visuals are your clothes; how you appear, how you coordinate a special look. Your Brand is your personality. It’s how you interact with others, it shows people what you value. By branding, you tell everyone who you are, what’s important to you and why they might want to work with you.
Your brand interacts with everyone for you. When you start out, you personally handle every interaction with existing and potential customers. As you grow, your customer base increases and you begin to hire people to represent you. What if your brand could be doing that for you from the very beginning? What if you could be at a meeting and your brand could be making friends and potential customers for you in 10 separate places? 100? Having a solid brand helps you work smarter and more efficiently. Going forward, you can rely on your brand guidelines to show employees how to use and interact as your brand ambassadors.
It’s interesting that we initially perceive ourselves as not having a brand. Whatever you put out there, no matter if it’s accidental or purposeful, is speaking for you. Do you even know what your brand is at this moment? It’s more about shaping what you have than creating it out of nothing. Are you excited about your brand right now? Do you think it matches up with how others would describe you? Start thinking and then call me…I’d love to help you get your brand working better for you!
♥♥♥ Great examples:
Lego. Think about how they have engaged you in their brand story by making a movie. Everything about it shows both parents and kids how fun creativity is! It uses their products so you can see what’s possible (limitless possibilities)! Their messaging is clear:
- We are all “builders”
- Our imagination creates limitless possibilities
- All ages…parents and kids can create and have fun
Coca Cola. They build emotional connections through their commercials that are highly effective. I saw this one recently about two brothers, ‘Brotherly Love’. There are so many tiny ways that they reinforce their messaging throughout. If you notice, the hero is always in red, their brand colour. The story is one everyone can relate to and it brings up an emotional memory which allows the message to have a deeper tie for the viewer. The music is perfect for reminiscing. Their aim is for you to feel happiness, warmth, and associate that with their brand.
There are many other examples…think of the brands you are especially loyal to and see if you can figure out what their brand story is and why you connect so strongly with it.