It seems like everyone’s talking about brand story these days, me included. I’m so passionate about it I named my business Build Your Brand Story! But what on earth is a brand story?
Here’s my definition: your brand story is a framework you can use every time you speak and write about your business. It’s based on two essential elements that we often forget: people buy from people and each person is unique. You have a unique combination of experience and expertise to share with your potential clients, and a unique personality.
Creating a consistent story
Your brand story gives you a logical and consistent way to match your uniqueness with the clients you can best serve. It helps you strike a connection with them and to be memorable in their eyes. At the same time it turns away those that you’re less suited to working with.
I’ve used my 20 years’ strategic communications experience, including more than 8 years as an independent consultant, to create 7 simple steps to building your unique brand story.
My 7-stage brand story framework
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- Reconnect with your passion – Your passion for what you do and why you do it is at the heart of your brand story. There’s something irresistible about you when you clearly love what you do.
- Get clear what your business stands for – Your ideal clients are looking to work with people that share their values. Make it easy for them to see what’s important to you.
- Decide on your dream client – This means getting crystal clear who your ideal client is, so you can build your brand story with them in mind.
- Unleash the power of your personality – Your personality will influence the unique experience your clients have when they work with you. Expressing your personality clearly and consistently in your brand story will be powerful in attracting your dream clients.
- Share your back story – Your clients want to recognise themselves in you. They’re looking for someone they can identify with. The life events that have defined who you are today play an important part in your brand story.
- Share your clients’ stories – your brand story isn’t just about you. Your ideal clients want to recognise themselves. Use case studies and testimonials that feature clients who fit your ideal profile.
- Find your voice – We’re all natural storytellers but somehow we lose this when we start writing for business. What you write needs to be in your voice. If you speak one way, your writing should mirror that.
Use your brand story everyday
Your brand story will help you stand out from the crowd from all the other consultants in your industry. It will give your ideal clients a compelling reason to hire you. It will help you to become known as the go-to expert in your field and to charge what you’re worth.
Once you’ve created your story you’ll use it everyday. You can use your whole story to write your website, you can share it piece by piece to build a picture of you on social media. And you can distill it down to a 30-second intro for networking events.
Want to start creating your unique brand story? Sign up for my free 7 Day Brand Story Challenge and start building your story in five minutes a day.