We tell stories as a powerful way to instill belief and build trust. The story your company tells should be the focus of your content strategy, and how you communicate, educate and entertain customers about your company’s products and services. This will increase the visibility of your business, generate trust, steer traffic to your organization and more.

The marketplace is crowded and noisy, and everyone is claiming the same things. To be truly competitive, you need to create an experience that is unique to your business and keeps your customers coming back for more. You need to get to the core of what you’re about and why that matters. Your brand story should demonstrate that your company is part of something bigger.

Be genuine. Make it true. And make it epic.

To write a compelling story you need to understand your “why, how and what.“ Try asking your customers who purchase your product or service why they keep coming back for more. And ask your staff, employees, customers, stakeholders, vendors, and peers and listen to what they say about your company. And take a look at how you stand out in your industry.

If you’re having trouble identifying your brand’s story, here are some basic go-to questions:

• Why is your business unique?
• Why is your business inspired to do what it does?
• What is interesting about how it was founded? About the founder?
• What problem is your company trying to solve?
• Why does that matter?
• How do you know?
• How are you working to change the industry?
• What are the values your customers care about deeply?
• What do your employees value most? What do they like best about working at your company?
• What “aha” moments have you had?
• How has your business evolved?

Evaluate your answers to the questions and take an approach that is unique to your market. While you communicate your story, think about what kind of experience the design, copy, and photos on your website should express about your message? A carefully created communication strategy easily connects your customer’s with your brand story.

Then bring your story to life across all communication channels:

• Weave your story within your “about” page.
• Intertwine your story into your blog posts.
• Share your story with videos. Everything from the style, music and script can set the tone and story.
• Include your story in your social media bios, profiles and interaction.
• Make sure any presentations during speeches include elements of your story. This will help the audience better connect with you.

Every brand has a story. Make yours worth telling and take your customers on a memorable journey.

Image: Write in Journal by Walt Stoneburner