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6 Steps to Developing a Compelling Brand Story
(Multichannel Merchant Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) How does a
brand become compelling? The story branding process provides a
template to aid communications planning. The brand is substituted
for the main character that is described as having functional
capabilities and is infused with values and beliefs that resonate
with audiences. The brand’s ultimate goal, apart from
increasing sales and profits, is to influence a relationship with
the prospect.
As is the case with most stories, there are obstacles in the
brand’s path toward achieving its goal. These must be
identified and dealt with before the desired relationship is
achieved.
Here are six steps, known as the 6 C’s, that can help your
company tell a compelling brand story.Step 1: Collect the Back StoryThis provides
the background necessary to explain the problem that must be solved
for the brand. Every back story is
different but usually consists of any and all information relevant
to the story about to be written. This includes an assessment of
the brand’s culture as well as problems and opportunities it
faces in the marketplace.Step 2: Characterize the BrandOne of the key
challenges is to identify the brand’s persona. Specifically,
it starts with a thorough understanding of the brand’s value
and belief system. Since this is sometimes difficult for management
to articulate, we use a number of techniques, including archetypal
analysis, to help everyone see the brand more as a person than
a thing. It is important to determine if the brand is showing what
it stands for. Is there proof that what the brand wants to stand
for is authentic and not just lip service?Step 3: Characterize the ProspectOnce the
brand is fully explored, we can then characterize the most likely
prospects. Specifically, we look to see what functional and
emotional needs are being left unfulfilled. Then we set out to
discover the extent to which any of these needs present an
opportunity for the brand in question. This is referred to as the
dramatic issue and consists of the problem that propels the main
character’s journey. We look for something that will propel
the prospect’s movement toward a fulfilled relationship with
the brand.Step 4: Connect the CharactersAt this stage,
we start to play matchmaker. Now that we understand our two story
characters, the brand and the prospect, we look to connect them. We
are interested in knowing how the brand satisfies a functional need
through its product features and benefits. We need to know that
there is something that can spark a long-term relationship, one
that is founded on shared values and beliefs.Step 5: Confront the ObstaclesOur model
requires a definition of the communication obstacles standing in
the way of the brand/prospect relationship. Typically these fall
into four categories: awareness, comprehension, confidence and
affinity. The extent to which any of these obstacles must be
overcome sets up the plot, and we prioritize them by order of which
have to be moved first to achieve the brand’s ultimate
relationship goal.Step 6: Complete the Story BriefThe story
brief outlines the entire brand story in ways that promote an
empathetic understanding of the brand and prospect personas. The
aim here is to identify what we call the outer and inner layers of
both the brand and the prospect. Outer layers have to do with
functions performed by the brand and desired by the prospect. Inner
Layers have to do with values and beliefs that are subscribed to by
both of the characters. To help, we craft what we refer to as I AM
statements for each character. These take the form of first-person
autobiographical sketches as opposed to factual descriptions that
are common to most traditional briefs. These stimulate empathy and
identification which is something we believe is missing from most
traditional creative input documents.
Whether the brand is sold B-to-B or B-to-C, this
process can move a brand closer to connecting with its prospects on
an emotional level.Jim
Signorelli is the founder and CEO of ESW Partners, a
Chicago-based marketing firm and author of the new book,
StoryBranding: Creating Stand-Out Brands Through the Power of
Story.
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© 2012 Penton Media
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