Brand Storytelling: This Is How To Tell Your Hero’s Journey

Your brand can be an invaluable sales partner, effectively selling your products while emphasizing your unique value proposition through brand storytelling. Indeed, this technique is incredibly potent. Psychologist Jerome Bruner found that people are 22 times more likely to recall details when messages are conveyed through stories rather than facts and figures alone. In this article, we delve into crafting your brand’s hero’s journey. Specifically, I’ll explore with you about developing a compelling narrative. Additionally, I’ll share with you a simple 3-step process for establishing your own brand storytelling. Also, there are additional tips for creating engaging brand narratives.

Tell The Hero’s Journey: The Plot Of Brand Storytelling.

Every story has a plot and a hero. Indeed, the plot chronicles the hero’s journey.  Unquestionably, the same holds true with brand storytelling. Now, with brand storytelling the hero can be your brand or something else. Other brand “heroes” can include your founder’s story, the customer, a celebrity, or a lifestyle. See TripleWhale’s Brand Storytelling for more on types of branding heroes.  So you have a lot of choices on who or what can be the hero of your brand’s plot. Additionally, it is important to know the five elements of the plot for your hero’s journey as follows:

The 5 Elements Of The Plot

1. Exposition, The Introduction Of The Brand and the Hero.
2. Rising Action, How The Hero Has Faced Challenges.
3. Climax Of The Story. The Hero’s Successes That Sets Your Brand Apart From Its Competitors.
4. Falling Action, How The Brand’s Hero Keeps Improving Its Products and Services.
5. Resolution Ending The Story, Highlight The Positive Experience The Brand Brings To Its Customers Today and Tomorrow.

For a more detailed explanation of a brand’s plot in storytelling, see Unvarnished Facts’ 5 Elements Of Plot: How To Make Your Brand’s Story Come Alive.

5 Elements Of Plot: How To Make Your Brand’s Story Come Alive

Now, the hero’s journey is a powerful narrative structure. Indeed, you can create a compelling story that resonates with your audience and positions your brand as the guide to their success. Further, this time-tested storytelling method takes us through the hero’s trials and tribulations as they seek to overcome obstacles, conquer fears, and emerge transformed. So tapping into this emotional and transformative process can help you craft your brand story in a way that captivates consumers and speaks to their needs.

 “You can have a great product, but a compelling story puts the company into motion. If you don’t have a great story it’s hard to get people motivated to join you, to work on the product, and to get people to invest in the product.”

Ben Harowitz

A 3-Step Process To Start Building Your Brand Storytelling Narratives.

Developing a captivating brand story requires a solid framework that guides your audience through their journey. Now, this framework is the starting point in brand storytelling. Also, it is the framework you use as a baseline for any story that you create for your brand. Lastly, Marshall Ganz who teaches storytelling courses at Harvard’s Kennedy School Of Government recommends a 3-step framework brand baseline for businesses and organizations. Basically, the 3 steps of this process are “Self”, “Us”, and “Now”. By following these 3 steps, you will be able to develop compelling, purpose-driven narratives for your brand. These 3 steps are described below.

1. Start With The “Self”: Convey Your Brand’s Purpose And Relatable Values.

To develop a compelling brand story, begin by focusing on the essence of your brand – its purpose and values. This allows you to establish an emotional connection with your audience by sharing what makes your brand unique and authentic. When it comes to your brand’s story you are really telling your audience “why” your brands has certain values. Further, you are telling about the events that were key to “how” your brand developed its purpose and values it has today.  By communicating these values effectively, your audience will not only understand your brand better but also relate to it at a deeper level.

2. Create The “Us”: Connect The Values Of Your “Self” To Your Audience’s Values.

Now, it’s time to bridge the gap between yourself and your target audience by connecting your brand’s values to your audience’s own beliefs and aspirations. So by weaving personal stories into the experiences, values, and passions of others, you create a common narrative with your audience. This connection will make them feel like they are part of something bigger – part of the narrative.

This process of creating the “Us”is also called an Emotional Mirror Experience within brand storytelling. The first stage of this “Us” experience is that the target audience starts to recognize that they share values with your brand. They start to identify with your brand. Next as they experience your brand’s story, a subconscious switch occurs. Your audience feels that your story is “their” story. Subconsciously, when they are rooting for your story’s main character, they are actually rooting for themselves. Lastly, your audience is now motivated to act. They desire to relive the positive feeling of your brand’s story.

3. “Now” Is The Call For Action: Have Your Audience Join In Your Purpose.

After building a connection based on shared values and beliefs, the brand’s story inspires action among your audience. Here you are presenting them with opportunities to join you in fulfilling the purpose you’ve defined for your brand. Also, every story you create around your brand provides an engaging call-to-action that encourages participation in initiatives or campaigns that further your brand’s mission. So by involving them in this journey, you create a sense of ownership and foster long-lasting relationships rooted in trust and loyalty.

For more information on this 3-part branding framework baseline, see MarketingInsiderGroup’s Brand Storytelling Defined.

Brand Storytelling: Tips To Put It All Together.

Crafting an engaging and impactful brand story requires careful consideration of several key factors. Indeed, I have already touched on some of these factors as part of building a 3-step framework baseline. Namely, you need to create your “Self”, your brand’s personality that includes your purpose and values. Also, the “Us” that ideally is the emotional mirror experience where your story becomes your audience’s story. Lastly, your story is a call to action that inspires your audience to keep coming back and reliving the story of your brand. Besides these recommendations, here are more tips to help you craft engaging and impactful brand stories.

1. Attention-Grabbing.

First, you need to be able to capture and hold the audience’s attention. Specifically, this includes using powerful visuals, creating a hook, or incorporating suspense into the brand story. Indeed, having a dramatic plot and exciting climax is key to keeping your audience’s attention.

2. Be Authentic, Create Authentic Content.

Of course it is critical for you to be true to your brand values and identity. Unquestionably, you need to communicate authenticity through your storytelling. For more on being authentic, see Unvarnished Facts’ 5 Traits Of An Authentic Person. Also, another way to be authentic is to have authentic content. For example, you can get authentic content from many sources including user-generated content (UGC), influencer marketing, ratings &  reviews, and from employees.

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3. Create Empathy.

Here you need to build an emotional connection with your audience by tapping into their values, beliefs, and experiences, and telling a relatable story. Also, the audience needs to see themselves in your brand story. For more on empathy, see Unvarnished Facts’ Why Is Empathy Important?

4. Build Trust And Consistency.

You build trust and credibility through consistent messaging and brand image. Indeed, the role of storytelling reinforces both trust and consistency in relaying your company’s key values and purpose.

5. Be Readable And Keep It Simple.

Following a storyline will emensively make your message more readable. Avoid using industry-specific or technical jargon.

6. Learn The Techniques Of Storytelling.

Storytelling is more than just a main character and a plot. There are also many other elements of effective storytelling, such as character development, plot, setting, conflict, and theme to name a few. For a more detailed discussion of the elements of storytelling, see Unvarnished Facts’ Think Storytelling Elements – How To Make Your Brand A Sensational Experience.

7. Tailor Your Story To The Media You Use, Go Viral.

You need to adapt your brand’s story to different mediums, such as social media, video, or print, to maximize engagement and impact. Again, people love stories so using brand storytelling content will more likely go viral than traditional marketing. Also, Shopify‘s blog has some great examples of ways to tailor your story to the media. See below for types of media you can use for brand storytelling with examples.

• Social media bios and posts (examples: BLK MKT Vintage, Henning)
• Website About page (example: Tipu’s Chai) 
• Website homepage (examples: Pearl Morissette, Mission Mercantile)
• Product page (example: Sweet Treats Duo)
• Product packaging (example: Oatly)
• Email communications (email examples)
• Blog or publication (examples: Wealthsimple, The Klog by Soko Glam)
• Podcasts (example: April Coffee)
• Video (example: Nike) 
• Shipping materials or package inserts
• Internal brand guides
• Staff hiring and training (job descriptions, internal learning resources)
• Interviews and press materials

For more on brand storytelling and how to tell your hero’s journey, see Semrush’s Definitive Guide To Brand Storytelling.

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For more information from Unvarnished Facts, see articles on creativity and innovation