This issue we’re going to build on the topic started by this issue From the Book article and help you apply the principles of StoryBranding™ to your brand. The following will help you in creating a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

Step 1: Collecting the Backstory

This step is all about understanding the brand’s history, mission, and values. You need to have a good grasp of this information in order to craft a compelling and on-target brand story.

Brand Audit

Looking back from the founding of the practice, list all historical milestones. One good way of doing this is to ask yourself “What are the significant events in your brand’s history?” Consider product launches, key hires, major successes, and challenges.

Create a timeline of these events.

Mission Statement Review

We want to ensure your mission statement reflects your brand’s purpose and vision. If it doesn’t, it may be time for a rewrite. Review the following questions to determine if your mission statement is still on point:

Does your mission statement clearly articulate why your brand exists and what it aims to achieve? Is it realistic? Is it motivating and inspiring employee commitment? Is it based on the practice’s core competency?

Additionally, consider whether it is short, specific, and focused. Is it memorable? Is it easy to understand? Does it say what the practice wants to be remembered for?

If you find your mission statement lacking in any of these areas, it might be time for a refresh to ensure it truly represents your brand’s core values and goals.

Write down your current mission statement. Identify any gaps or areas for improvement.

Values Alignment

Write down the top five values that your brand embodies.

How do these values influence your brand’s decisions and actions?

Provide examples of how these values are evident in your brand’s operations.

Step 2: Characterizing the Brand

Inner Layer Identification: Start by listing the beliefs and values that your brand stands for. Consider what emotional benefits your brand offers. This inner layer is crucial in defining the essence of your brand and what it represents to your customers. To help visualize these beliefs and values, create a chart that outlines and organizes them clearly.

Outer Layer Analysis: Next, identify the physical features and functional benefits of your product or service. Examine how these features and benefits align with your brand’s inner values. This alignment ensures that your product not only meets functional needs but also resonates emotionally with your customers.

Write a detailed description of your product’s features and benefits, highlighting how they support and reflect the core values of your brand.

Archetype Selection

Determine which archetypal persona best represents your brand. Consider whether your brand embodies the qualities of a Hero, always striving to overcome challenges and inspire others, or a Sage, dedicated to seeking truth and sharing wisdom.

Perhaps your brand aligns more with the Caregiver, focusing on nurturing and supporting those in need. Identifying the right archetype helps in crafting a consistent and compelling brand narrative that resonates with your audience and reflects your core values.

Research brand archetypes and select one that fits. Explain your choice in a short paragraph.

Step 3: Characterizing the Prospect

Understand the audience’s needs, desires, and challenges.

Persona Development

To effectively understand your ideal customers, begin by creating detailed personas that encompass their demographics, psychographics, and behavior patterns. Use a template to fill out the details for at least three customer personas. This process will help you gain a comprehensive view of who your customers are and what drives their behavior.

Empathy Mapping

Once the personas are developed, create an empathy map for each, considering what they think, feel, say, and do in relation to your brand. Draw and fill in an empathy map for each persona to gain deeper insights into their perspectives. This step is crucial for understanding the emotional and psychological landscape of your customers, allowing you to tailor your messaging and approach to better meet their needs.

Customer Journey Mapping

Map out the customer journey from awareness to purchase and post-purchase, identifying the key touchpoints where your brand engages with customers. By creating a customer journey map you can highlight these touchpoints and identify potential areas for improvement. This comprehensive mapping will enable you to enhance the customer experience at every stage, ensuring a smoother and more satisfying journey for your customers.

Step 4: Connecting the Characters

To build a narrative that connects your brand and its audience on a deeper level, start by crafting a story where your brand is the guide and your customer is the hero. Identify the customer’s problem, the brand’s solution, and the transformation that results. Use this structure to create a simple story outline that highlights the journey and the role your brand plays in facilitating change.

Story Outline

Begin by outlining a story where your brand serves as the mentor or guide, and your customer is the central hero. Identify the core problem your customer faces, describe how your brand provides a solution, and illustrate the transformation that follows. Writing a brief story outline using this structure will help clarify the narrative and ensure it resonates with your audience.

Storytelling Elements

Incorporate classic storytelling elements such as character, conflict, and resolution into your brand narrative. How do these elements manifest in your brand’s story? Draft a narrative that includes these components to create a compelling and engaging story. This will not only captivate your audience but also solidify the emotional connection between your brand and its customers.

Narrative Consistency

Ensure that all brand communications consistently reflect the brand story. Is your brand story evident in your marketing materials, website, and customer interactions? Conduct a brand audit to check for narrative consistency and identify areas for alignment. This will help maintain a cohesive and unified brand presence across all platforms and touchpoints.

Step 5: Confronting the Obstacles

To effectively connect with your audience, it is essential to identify and address any barriers that may be preventing this connection.

Obstacle Identification

Start by listing potential obstacles that might hinder the relationship between your brand and your audience. Consider both internal obstacles, such as misaligned messaging or inadequate resources, and external obstacles, such as market competition or changing customer preferences. Creating a table to categorize and describe these obstacles can provide a clear overview of the challenges that need to be addressed.

Strategy Development

Develop strategies to overcome each identified obstacle. What specific actions can you take to address these barriers? Writing an action plan for each obstacle, complete with specific steps and timelines, will help ensure that these challenges are systematically and effectively tackled. This strategic approach will facilitate better connections with your audience and enhance overall engagement.

Feedback Loop

Establish a feedback loop to continuously gather customer insights and refine your strategies. Consider how you will collect and analyze feedback, using methods such as surveys, focus groups, and social listening tools. Designing a comprehensive feedback system will enable you to stay attuned to your audience’s needs and preferences, allowing for ongoing improvement and stronger, more meaningful connections.

Step 6: Completing the StoryBrief™

Craft a concise and compelling story brief that encapsulates the brand’s narrative.

StoryBrief™ Creation

Summarize your brand story in a one-page document, highlighting the key elements of character, conflict, and resolution. Ensure that the StoryBrief™ is clear and compelling. This will serve as the foundation for all brand communications, providing a consistent narrative that resonates with your audience.

Review and Refine

Share the StoryBrief™ with your team and key stakeholders to gather feedback. Identify any areas that need clarification or improvement and refine the StoryBrief™ accordingly. Finalizing this document based on collective input ensures that it accurately represents the brand and aligns with the vision of all stakeholders

Implementation Plan

Develop an implementation plan to integrate the StoryBrief™ into all brand communications. Determine how the StoryBrief™ will guide marketing campaigns and content creation. Create a detailed plan outlining how the StoryBrief™ will be used across different channels, ensuring that the brand’s narrative remains consistent and impactful in all interactions.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can effectively implement the StoryBranding™ process and create a powerful, cohesive brand story that resonates with your audience. Use this workbook as a guide to transform your brand from a product or service into a compelling narrative that your customers can relate to and believe in.