Small business marketing is both a subtle art and an analysis-informed science. Data tells you how you’ve performed, and ongoing strategy drives growth in the future. Your small business’ name, logo, marketing materials, and the language you use to describe yourself to potential customers make up the foundation.
Maybe you have a concise and effective tagline, and you’ve created some content targeted for your ideal customers or clients. Or, maybe you are just starting to figure out how to articulate your small business’ unique vision. Either way, developing a strong brand story, or brand narrative, will help grow your business.
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Communicating the Right Message to Your Audience
We can think of branding as a way to make the right impression, or series of impressions. Good branding inspires trust, stands out against your competition, and sticks in your ideal customers’ minds. That means we have to communicate the precise value you offer potential customers. Your potential customers should feel secure, trust your expertise and professionalism, and be able to see the enthusiasm that you have for your work.
While marketing materials like business cards, flyers, brochures, or your website will have a consistent logo, color scheme, and tagline, a compelling brand story is essential if you want to bring in new customers to your small business.
Building Strong Small Business Marketing With Brand Stories
Storytelling can help build your brand and bring in new customers or clients. Your brand narrative is a short story that tells the world how your business is fine-tuned to offer specific solutions for specific problems. This is the story of how your business started, what defines your unique vision, and where your business is going in the future.
First, communicate your brand story to yourself. Write it down. Talk these points through in detail with a friend or business partner. Try again and again. As you decide on a specific story, go with what feels closest to your individual style and focus. Stick with specific details about your business path, think about big goals, and how those goals will add value for your customers or clients.
Your brand narrative should be simple and easy to communicate. Are you exciting? Easy-going & calming? Creative? Are you bringing together a unique combination of backgrounds or products? Let your audience know, and you will attract new customers.
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When you have a cohesive story, make a concerted effort to tell it to your potential clients and customers through your marketing outlets.
Post a quick write-up on your website’s About page that details your brand story. Try making a short video or a graphic guide that illustrates your journey and where your business is headed. Don’t be afraid to tell your story in the first person perspective. Make it personal.
Reinforce your brand story through your newsletter and blog posts by highlighting relevant details. Announce your new bio, your new video, and any other ways you can get your story out. Reference the principles and goals you highlight in your brand narrative as you communicate with repeat customers and email lists. Show how your successes exemplify your brand goals, and how those goals translate to better value for your customers. This way, past customers and clients will feel like they are part of the story as well.
Expert Advice: Leadership consultant Simon Sinek summed it up in his TED Talk: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”
Don’t forget to share your new brand story content on social media, too. Share your blog posts, videos, and website updates to get the word out. Use posts to speak directly to your ideal clients, engaging them where they browse online. This can generate word of mouth referrals by addressing specific problems and showing how you can educate potential customers about their concerns and guide them toward a solution.
Thank you for reading our advice on how to build your small business with a compelling brand story!
Are you excited to work on your small business marketing strategy? Get in touch today!
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