The 7 Elements to Effective Brand Storytelling
We’ve listed The 7 Elements to Effective Brand Storytelling. Use the Legend included in this post along with the corresponding numbers to define the narrative.
John was upset he failed his midterm exam, and embarrassed because he was benched from sporting competitions. In order to participate, he must improve his grades by the end of the semester.
John improved his study habits and earned the highest grade by the end of the semester. He was so elated with his classroom success, he no longer wanted to focus on athletics, but instead academics.
The narrative here is (5)simple. While we could be more specific regarding John’s GPA or his athletic win-loss record, it’s not important. While numbers don’t lie, they appeal more to logic than emotion. It’s best to keep numbers-talk to your industry audience and in the case of your target audience, keep the language simple and understandable.
Duly noted, the story is (7)relatable. Abstract messages or stories missing any piece of the three-act structure are half-baked, and allow for greater subjectivity in their meaning. In other words, make sure your storytelling includes three acts: beginning, middle, and end.
We’ve all (1)failed a task (John’s midterm) before, and we know how it feels to be (2)upset. Even further, we can relate to punishment for our (3)behavior/performance (athletic suspension). Whether or not we had the opportunity to redeem ourselves (improved grades) doesn’t matter. The first act of our story has been set, and all to emotions we’ve experienced.
The end to John’s story might not be what was (4)expected, in that he gave up the very task he was chasing, in discovering a new side to himself. Take it from TalenAlexander’s own, Jason Ramsey — ‘We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel… Just trying to have a little more fun with it.’
Oh, and this (6)picture of John is our visual element.
Use the Legend below to connect the terms to their corresponding numbers in the paragraph above.
1. Honest
Your storytelling should be rooted in reality and align with your brand — Remember, consistency.
2. Human
You’re dealing with people, not corporations — Be careful of how much technical jargon and statistical data you include.
3. Personality/Character
Brand stories are not marketing materials — If your storytelling is using sales techniques, go back to the drawing board. Great stories tell themselves, and great characters make your story.
4. Original
Storytelling isn’t confined to text alone, so give your audience multiple ways to share your voice — It’s your story, and noone else can tell it like you can!
5. Simple
Stories follow a structure: beginning, middle, and end — Your brand story should follow this structure.
6. Visual
Give your audience something to look at — You don’t need the most expensive equipment. A camera phone will do just fine to tell your story.
7. Relatable
Create characters — Not a mascot, but a protagonist with whom the audience can connect.
