Best Storytelling Techniques to Present Your Brand

In today’s economy, human connections have become a high commodity. Businesses can no longer afford to be faceless ethereal corporations and expect automatic transactions without giving or connecting to their audience, at the risk of being forgotten in a sea of alternative options. Every brand must have a face to communicate & interact with its audience on a human level & become unforgettable and that’s where we hear a lot about Brand Storytelling, which is now becoming a need to have rather than a nice to have.  

Brand Storytelling can be a little vague. It’s not always easy to identify where to start. Especially if you are starting from scratch or if you are part of an enormous machine that seems far from any day-to-day consumer. I wanted to look at the basics of why it’s important and how to deploy any kind of communications based on this vital facet of marketing, by providing a few tricks on where to start. 

So where to start? 

First, put the Brand aside for a few seconds and remember that the consumer is in control here. You want to grab some attention, that is a good start, but ultimately you want to tell a story for people to remember and share. Now I am not talking about reading a book to them, telling a story can be very subtle. It can be an image of your company’s origins. Imagine if you started your company in a garage, a picture of that setting tells a long story from a brand point of view. If it is a family business that has been handed down from generations, communicate that through images or video. It becomes your job to understand how every detail and choice in design contributes to your story, all the way down to colors. To get a clear idea; it is important to define your brand DNA, not only what you do and the color of your logo. Ferraris are incredibly prestigious cars, but behind the red color, the race car drivers along the year, and the Italian workmanship, there is a story of one man building a great brand that people love to hear and share and that, I would bet, contributed to the success of the brand.  

Think of Different Formats  

A story translates very well into video formats, whether it is a product demo, a teaser, or a case study, but as mentioned earlier, it is not the only format you can leverage to tell your story. Every piece of content you put out there is an opportunity to tell a little bit about yourself. Some logos, for instance, are quite emblematic and symbolize a significant aspect of a brand. These simple images, in themselves, will tell a story and make people think about your brand. Be clever enough there, and people will share it. It can be as simple as that. The challenge is to be creative and consistent about your messaging. 

Recent years have seen the rise of many different mediums to explore your storytelling. At SKYE studio we specialize in not only video formats but also, 3D animation and immersive, virtual environments. Depending on your products and services, there can be many innovative ways to explore your strategy and riff on those mediums to wow your audience and leave a memorable experience. A virtual factory tour, for instance, can give you the opportunity to reach your audience easily, and immerse them in your day-to-day, opening a window into your process and an opportunity to explain to them who you are and what you do. We have built many 3D maquettes as well where complex processes can be easily illustrated and communicated. These little nuggets of precious content can be reformatted to live on different platforms and mediums such as social media, your website, or the show floor.  

How to find your Story? 

There is a couple of question that can serve as a great starting point and will help you become a real presence on a human scale, independently of the size of the organization you are working for or if you are starting your own adventure as an entrepreneur.  

1. Who you are? (On a human scale)
2. Where are you from? (Location but also origins) 
3. How are you different? (Key differentiators with competition) 

Answering these will help you get a grasp of what to highlight as a foundation for every communication you get out there, but most importantly, they will form an important basis of your story. People need to understand these details if you want to take them on a journey.  They will also help you polish or create your visual brand guide as it is a storytelling tool.  

Find the Story in your organization 

You want to think of important moments, milestones, and transformations your organization went through. When did the company acquire its first office space? When did it become a recognizable community player, got an international contract, and hit its first million? etc. You want to create a bit of a storyline through time and evolution. That is a precious tool to have in order to create a tangible connection with people.  

Find the Story Behind the Scenes 

Giving access to areas that people don’t often see or hear about is a great way to expand on your story. The audience will have a feeling they are being told privileged information and that some mysterious mechanism is revealed and explained to them. These become little jewels and great conversation starters as well as shareable moments.   

Let Your Team Tell Your Story 

You will find engaging stories with your own people. Why they are here, working with you on this adventure? Be careful to play the game and listen, rather than writing a script for them to abide by. You will be surprised and find precious stories there! Highlight dedication and passion, these are important values to demonstrate as they usually translate to your audience. Your employees are a reliable source of your story because they lived it all with you & your audience can easily connect to!  

Speak to Your Customer 

In a similar fashion to that of your employee, you want to tap into your trusted consumers. They are your most powerful voice and advocate and are proof that your product or service is valuable. Why are they partnering up with you? How did your company help them when they were in need. 

If you want to discuss more techniques about Storytelling and explore creative ways to illustrate your journey, contact us at SKYE studio! It’s our favorite thing to do!