The Art Of The Brand Story: How To Share Your Truth

We’ve talked about it again again, but the single element at the core of every business is always the same: human connection. As much as you see people using computers and automation for their business, without humans, nothing sells. No one views, clicks, or buys from a company that they don’t relate to at some level — whether that be a personal choice, value-based or a split second decision. And more often than not, establishing those relationships and connections come from your brand story. It’s the reason that even though some online retailers make it so simple to buy or return products instantly, working with small businesses is typically a much more enjoyable experience. They have a story to tell. They feel more relatable. You feel like your money is going to somewhere that stands for something instead of just another billion dollar corporation. Did you know that companies who prioritize connections grow 5x more than companies who aren’t? But at the heart of all great client relationships is trust. So the question on a lot of marketers’ minds is: How do I establish it? One of the most effective ways to establish trust is through a brand story video. Especially if your business relies on returning customers, creating an engaging brand narrative is essential to fostering a sense of community. We work on brand story videos quite a bit here at Digital Brew, and we’ve picked up a knack for knowing what makes a great one.

Finding Your Brand’s Personality

When building a relationship with your audience, you’ll want to have a personality they can remember you by. In today’s social media landscape, brands are constantly finding new ways to connect through their distinct voice. So the key objective to a good brand story is to convey that personality to your viewer. It can be done in a variety of ways, but first you need to know what you want that personality to be. So first, you’ll want to ask yourself when conceptualizing your brand story video: How do I want to be perceived? Like we said before, obviously trust is something that you want your customer to take away from it. But we all have people in our lives that we trust but they don’t all have the same personality. So you want to think beyond just “trust.” Do you want to be seen as… Professional? Quirky? Laid-back? Aggressive? Philanthropic?

Your Brand Story in Animation

Now that you’ve landed on your personality, if you’re doing an animated brand story video, you’re going to want to figure out the animation style that best suits you. Having the wrong style can send the wrong message. We often get the comment, “I don’t want something too cartoony.” Which is a perfectly valid request if you’re looking for something more serious. But that all comes down to your brand story and the personality you want to convey. We completely understand that it can be a little overwhelming. But part of our job is to help guide you if you’re not sure what kind of animation you want to use. And thankfully, we can do any kind of video you need. 3D? Got it! 2D? Got it! 2D with characters? Got it! A mix of styles? Well we can do that too! Choosing the right animation style is crucial for the project’s success and to properly telling your brand story.

Your Brand Story in Live Action

Another type of video we make for clients is where the point is to actually cover the story of your company through interviews and footage of your offices. These are much more direct videos where instead of using animation to showcase your personality, you get to have people from your company tell your audience about it and why your company is so great. But just like choosing the right animation style, it’s important to find people in your company that best represent are able to compellingly tell your story. But just like choosing an animation style, saying “find someone compelling” can be difficult, especially if you’re a larger company. What one or two employees among so many can fully represent you? If you have a designated PR spokesperson, they may be the most obvious choice – but to get a more human perspective, everyday employees are going to feel more authentic. Take a few moments to think of your workplace: is there someone who consistently has the brightest personality, first thing in the morning? Anyone who’s recently celebrated a huge milestone? If you’re having a hard time thinking of someone, the easiest solution is to simply ask. Ask both upper-level management and your hard-working custodial staff who their favorite person in the workplace is, then approach that person about their interest in the video. Odds are, if they’re consistently pleasant to be around at work, they probably have some nice things to say about your workplace.

The 2 A’s: Elements Your Brand Story Won’t Survive Without

Authenticity

When telling your brand story, it’s important that you’re authentic for your audience. Consumers are smarter than ever these days. They’re constantly bombarded with advertisements so you always want to be able to connect with them. Maybe it’s just how you appeal to their senses. Maybe it’s how your company is doing good to help the environment. Or maybe it’s just that they can really see themselves in your explainer video and how your service can help them. No matter how you show it, being authentic is the most important part.  And it doesn’t just stop with the video. You’ll want to keep up that personality and authenticity every step after they see that video. Wherever they sign up or whatever landing page they go to, they’ll ultimately want to talk to a real person. Your amazing video is going to help get new customers interested and your foot in the door. But at the end of the day, no matter how amazing your video is, you’ll want to keep a personal touch.

Authority

It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, every business seeking to be profitable should be seen as an authority in their market. Even if you’re a startup, even if you have no clue what you’re doing – your customers should be able to see your expertise from a mile away. So how do you project authority? The same way anyone does: through quality, informational content. If you’ve been in business a long time, use those numbers to your advantage — but don’t rely on them. Your customers are wondering, “What can they offer me that no one else can?” The simplest way to show them is, well, to show them. Give them facts on a silver platter. Use authoritative tones when speaking about structural elements of your business.

Brewing Your Brand’s Story

Those are just a few of the things you should keep in mind when telling the story of your brand. There’s a lot that goes into it and we know that it can be daunting. But that’s what Digital Brew is for. Not only do we find simple and compelling ways to tell your complex story, but we also want to make the process as streamlined as possible for you. If you’re ready for us to tell your brand’s story, or just want to know more about our process, you can always reach out to us here. Let’s Brew This!