When you think of a traditional storyline, there’s a protagonist, antagonist, plot line and hopefully a resolution. Branded storytelling for a company functions in the same way. Your company is the protagonist, your competitors the antagonist, the plotline is the product or service you supply to your customers and the resolution is the value your customers find in your offering.

Storytelling is the art of developing an engaging connection between your offering and the value it provides to your customer. It is important to note storytelling is not about pushing your message onto your customer, it is about involving them in the process of the story developing.

With every story, there needs to be an inherent why. Why is this story worth telling, why do you want to tell it, and why do you tell it better than your competitors. Here are 5 tips to consolidating the best storytelling strategy. Customers are way more likely to get on board with a business that has something unique to bring to the table, and in its simplest form gives them what they need with the best service possible. Crafting a story gives something for the customer to attach to, helping to remove the stigma of pushy marketing.

Who are you?

Before you begin writing and marketing your story it is important to figure out who you are, and what makes your business unique. Having a unique selling proposition will make your business stand out in a crowded landscape. Taking the time to invest in collecting your proposition can help immensely when you deliver that value to customers. A strong awareness of your business and what it stands for will make it easier to communicate that with your customer and will make them feel more connected to your brand.

Why?

Everyone can have a business, but it is important to know why your business is different from the rest. The core values of your business should be present in your marketing strategy. Telling the audience a story involves attaching your why and core values to how it is beneficial to the customer. In the flooded digital and social media marketing landscape, brands that stand out to consumers stand for something. Pushing posts and marketing on consumers is no longer enough, there needs to be a relationship built on great service and continual engagement.

Who are you trying to reach?

If you’re telling a story, you don’t want to read a children’s book to a group of adults. While that direction may result in some reminiscing, adults are not the right audience for the content. When you’re developing your story and your content, it is important to know who you are marketing to. Research what your audience cares about and how you can integrate that into your storytelling. Delivering relevant content and messaging to the right audience is crucial to storytelling. Consumers want to purchase brands that they see engaging with causes, customers, and community.

Research

Learning as much as possible about your competitors can give you an edge. Know what your competitors are doing to distinguish themselves, and figure out how you can do it differently or better. The whole point of storytelling is so consumers connect with the value of your brand, but if you are telling the same story as your competitors--what makes you different? Create a strategic storytelling plan that will separate you from the other competing businesses, and engage your audience.

How does this help grow your brand?

Storytelling is not just about creating a narrative to tell your customers. It is driven by the core of who you are and how that provides value to your customers. Storytelling starts with the customer, and with measured objectives works to move your bottom line through brand awareness. When done correctly, storytelling can contribute enormous value to your company. It all begins with who you are, why you are, and how this value impacts the customer.

Businesses of any size can use storytelling to generate brand awareness. Big or small, there is value in the products and services you provide and it is important to know how to articulate that. Always make sure that all facets of your marketing strategy are founded on a marketing strategy with measurable objectives. If you develop your story and no means of effectively communicating with an audience, it becomes a bit like reading a book aloud to an empty room. Make sure you tailor your story specifically to the audience you are trying to reach.

Storytelling can be a fun and inventive way to boost your bottom line with marketing. Learning how to communicate your value to your audience is crucial to creating a relevant story for your brand. Storytelling can be enticing, inventive, and generate brand awareness.