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So you need to write a brand story.
First off, congratulations! It takes a special person to start a business.
Second, let’s make sure your brand story quickly tells people about how it happened plus what you can offer them.
Typically, you write a brand story by educating the reader about what your company offers and how the company started. Brand stories need to be relatively short, easy to read, interesting, and full of the most relevant details. They straddle the line between professional and personable.
In this article, I’ll share examples and include a checklist of everything you need to remember when writing your own brand story.
Be Yourself
The vibe of your brand story is very important.
A toy company is going to have a very different brand story than a doctor’s office.
At Toyz 4 All, we believe that every child deserves a little bit of magic and a whole lot of playtime fun!
VS
Dr. Rubinstein was called to medicine at a young age after disease struck her own family.
Before you write your brand story, think about your branding.
Are you fun? Eco-friendly? Family oriented? Elegant?
Reflect your brand’s values in the tone and structure of your brand story.
State Your Unique Value
I’ve reviewed hundreds of brand stories, and this is the #1 mistake.
While this is a great time to be personal, never forget that you are still trying to sell!
The reader needs to almost immediately understand: what the company is, what it does, and who should be buying from it.
Here is an example of what NEVER to do:
I started Mix & Match because I was a stay at home mom who needed something to do. My kids are named Emily and Eric, and Eric is almost 8! We live in a beautiful home in the country where we love watching the sunset.
So… what exactly does Mix & Match do? I’ll never know because after this completely non-educational brand story, I clicked away never to return.
Even though it’s probably not the case, assume this is the first contact your reader is having with your company.
At the very least you need to explain what to do, and you also need to explain why your company is different than the competitors.
Here’s a better version:
We’ve all been there: you’re folding laundry and the sock gremlin stikes again! That’s why I started Mix & Match, colorful mismatching socks that kids love. When my twins Emily and Eric started school, I couldn’t keep up with buying new socks every time they lost one. So I made socks that never matched in the first place. Now as we watch the sun set in our beautiful home in Topeka Kansas, I’m never stressing about laundry.
Mix Personal and Business Details
Just how you don’t want to only include personal details, you also don’t want to keep it all business.
If the customer didn’t care about you at all, they’d go straight to buying.
But they scrolled to the brand story for a reason.
I can’t tell you how many brand stories I’ve read like this that completely missed the mark:
Pop Fresh is a premiere sunglasses brand. Our frames are made of a fortified polymer alloy that prevents staining, scratching, and tearing. Contact us for specifics on wholesale orders.
Uh… ok? Is it owned by robots? People that don’t have emotions?
Do you care that you own this company, or are you just a cold hearted business that just cares about the bottom line?
I totally understand that not every company is going to be lovey dovey and tender.
But there’s some founder behind every company.
Some reason you picked sunglasses over anything else.
Here’s how I’d rewrite that brand story to give it a more personal touch without changing the brand values
At Pop Fresh, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best sunglasses possible. Do you hate a beach trip or even just putting your glasses down results in scratches? Us too. That’s why we searched long and hard to find the best fortified polymer alloy that prevents staining, scratching, and tearing for our frames.
See how we don’t reveal anything about anyone in the company, but it’s still way more personable?
Keep The Customer In Mind
Why is the customer here?
Where are they reading your brand story?
Just like the rest of the parts of your business, the customer comes first.
Try to guess why the customer may be reading your brand story, and preemptively answer some questions they may have.
Here are some reasons someone may be reading your brand story:
- They’re on the edge of making a purchase
- They’re not exactly sure what you offer
- They already like you and want to learn more
- They’re trying to see if they can trust you or if they relate to you
- They’re trying to decide between you and another brand
Depending on the format of the brand story, you may have enough time to mention best sellers and the products you’re really known for, your exact personal connection to the products, and your unique offerings.
If you have any personal connection to the products, now’s the time to mention it.
But don’t stop there.
Think of your most common customer service questions.
Are there things you can clarify? Do you need to explain why your price point is higher?
If you can anticipate and answer questions now, you’ll be that much closer to getting a sale.
Include A CTA
Remember, attention spans are a thing of the past!
Even if you have CTAs all over the page with your brand story, it never hurts to include one directly in there.
I’m personally a fan of an email address right at the end.
It’s short, sweet, and if anyone needs to contact you, they’ll know how.
Check Spelling And Grammar
This one should be obvious, but I’d say about 40% of the brand stories I’ve read have had pretty glaring and obvious formatting errors and/or typos.
Double check everything!
Run it through a spell check! See if it looks weird in any way!