As the owner of a marketing firm, I hear the question all too often: “My brand benefits are clearly defined on my website and throughout my marketing materials. Why aren’t they moving the sales needle with our audience?”
I get it. It’s frustrating. As a company Running on EOS™ ourselves, we understand all the work that goes into defining your target market, determining your 3 Uniques™, and crafting an attention-getting guarantee.
But here’s the deal (and the big “aha moment,” at least from my perspective): Creating messaging that clearly conveys your brand benefits is one thing. But taking that information and turning it into a brand story that positively inspires, impacts, and engages with your prospects and customers is quite another.
The good news? At Spoke, we’ve discovered that the insights we’ve worked so hard to develop, gather, and organize through our EOS journey can lay a solid groundwork for the brand stories we like to tell about Spoke – and about our clients too.
Lean on Your Learnings to Begin Your Brand Story
For us, the EOS framework steps in as a guiding light. We use the learnings from our Vision/Traction Organizer® (from our vision to our 3 Uniques) and leverage them as the foundation for all our messaging.
These findings don’t just sit in a notebook on a shelf. We actively incorporate them into our website and marketing campaigns. They inform our brand’s distinct visual identity and influence the brand’s singular voice, which together are foundational to the story. They also serve as our North Star to make sure we’re always headed in the right direction for our agency and for communicating with our audience (and our clients’ customers as well).
Think Visually to Complete the Brand Story Picture
While words are important, visuals instantly convey an image and emotion for your brand. Graphic elements such as logos, color schemes, and imagery can communicate your message more powerfully than text alone. By incorporating compelling visuals, you create a memorable and cohesive brand identity that resonates with your audience. A well-crafted visual strategy can be the missing piece that brings your brand story to life.
When executed correctly, the words and visuals that represent your brand will seamlessly work together to leave a powerful and lasting impression.
You Haven’t Told Your Brand Story Until Someone Else Can Tell It
Read that again.
We emphatically believe in this mantra and use it as a measuring stick for everything we create for ourselves and the companies we partner with. At the heart of every successful brand story lies a narrative that transcends the mundane.
Rather than just recounting product and service attributes, you craft an experience that tugs at heartstrings and leaves an indelible mark. You create the type of story (and brand experience) that people will want to share with their friends, family, and business associates.
Stories That Convey Empathy – And a Clear Solution
At its core, every brand story should have compassion. Your messaging should reflect the perspective, concerns, and pains of your target market. At Spoke, we’ve identified these things in our V/TO®. Your brand should offer a solution that saves the day and makes your audience’s lives easier, more exciting, and greatly rewarding.
Appeal to emotions and do it in a way (when appropriate) that leaves a smile. Remember that ad from back in the day when a hitchhiker changed his luck simply by changing his sign that read “Need a ride” to “Going to Mom and Dad’s for Christmas”?
Yeah, convey that type of feeling. Concise, emotional, and appealing.
Your Story Will Change As Your Brand Evolves (That’s Good)
We’ve found that as our business continues to grow, we continually adapt our vision and goals to take steps toward achieving our company’s potential. At Spoke, the edits we make to our V/TO inform the way we narrate the evolution of our brand, from our humble beginnings to our most triumphant moments and all the ups and downs in between.
Challenges and obstacles aren’t stumbling blocks; they’re stepping stones in your brand’s saga. They add depth and authenticity to your story.
All the painful scars earned through the tough times of business can become beautiful tattoos of a brand that continues to endure. Use this as inspiration and thread this into the narrative and tone of your messaging. Customers love a compelling tale they can relate to.
Your Brand Story Should Meet Customers Where They Are
As you craft your brand story, remember it’s an invitation, an experience, and a connection waiting to be forged. At Spoke, we use our EOS learnings to infuse our story with authenticity, empathy, and purpose, making it a narrative that (hopefully) resonates, sticks, and spreads. The type of story that inspires and gives our audience everything they need to take action and make a positive connection with us during every step of their buyer journey.
In a world where brands struggle for attention amidst the noise, those who master the art of brand storytelling stand out as beacons of inspiration. We’ve learned that the experiences we’ve gained from Running on EOS serve as sustainable guideposts that help us. And they allow us to help the companies we partner with make the most of messaging opportunities.
Everyone loves a good story. I hope you create one that you, your team members, and, most importantly, your customers will always proudly tell.
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