The ability to tell a story is a fundamental skill that all good brand communicators should possess. Storytelling not only shares information, it makes that information relatable to the audience, humanizing complex ideas and offering fresh perspectives.
Christopher Hammond, senior vice president of corporate communications for Wells Fargo, shares some tips here on how to enhance your brand’s message through storytelling.
- Take it to your audience. Ask yourself why your audience should care and what impression you want to leave with them. Also, you improve your chances of reaching your audience by narrowing your focus. Localize the story or take it directly to trade publications.
- Incorporate timeless story elements. Virtually every memorable story includes these basic elements: setting, character, plot, conflict, resolution. You too can use these elements to demonstrate how your brand can help the target audience achieve a solution to a particular problem.
- Humanize it. Go beyond the numbers and the gadgets and get down to the parts that are relatable. Demonstrate how your brand is making a tangible difference in peoples’ lives. And don’t pass up an opportunity to invoke emotion.
- Be genuine. Avoid pushing your brand for the sake of the brand itself. Be authentic, not sensationalistic. One way to do this is invite your customers to help tell your story through testimonials, interviews and social media.
- Make it visual. Add pictures, videos and infographics to your content and your social media posts. This will make a big difference in terms of the exposure your story receives.
Follow Chris Hammond: @ChrisHammondWF
Follow Richard Brownell: @RickBrownell
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