Put Your Brand Story on Repeat

When I was in college, my friend and neighbor was choreographing the musical A Chorus Line. The walls were thin and I could hear every single time he stopped and restarted at the beginning to perfect a dance move. The intro to “I Hope I Get It” is burned in my brain and will be until the day I die.

At the time, I was so sick of it I wanted to strangle him. But the result was amazing. The choreography was perfect, the dancers had it down pat, and the audience enjoyed a rousing first number to the musical.

If you want to learn a song, memorize a script, or perform a dance you have to repeat it again and again and again. This also holds true for educating your customers about your brand story. You have to repeat it as many times as you can in as many ways as you can for it to be unforgettable. As soon as you are getting sick of it, they are just starting to notice and more importantly, connect emotionally.

Here are some ways you can incorporate your brand story into your daily marketing efforts.

Website

This is often your customer’s first encounter with your brand. Let them know your bigger purpose and why it should matter to them as well as the nuts and bolts of your offerings. Tell them why you exist right up front.

Social media

Social media allows you to tell parts of your story daily (or weekly or whatever schedule you can keep). Show the different ways your customers feel your brand story. Show how your employees are living the brand. This is an opportunity to build the story over time so less is more and visuals are key.

Letters and emails

Including your brand story in personal correspondence is a great way to remind the receiver why they decided to do business with you and why they should continue. It can be as simple as a phrase added to the beginning of your note. For example, “Because we believe in xyz, we want to offer you abc.”

Events

Events allow you to get a bit more creative with your story. Tying event themes and graphics to your bigger purpose helps solidify your unique offerings in the marketplace and in your customers’ minds. If you are all about education, host a lunch and learn. If your bigger purpose is about connections, make it a networking event.

Office environment

When you invite people into your space, they should get a sense of who you are and what you value. Create an environment where visitors and employees alike feel welcome and united in your common goals. Furniture, wall graphics, lighting, and the flow of your space all contribute to telling your story.

Onboarding

When you hire new employees, make sure they know your bigger purpose and feel connected to it. Give them the tools to be able to tell the story in their own words and even try some role playing to help them feel more comfortable.

Employee events and communications

Make sure you are communicating your brand story to your employees regularly. Highlight and praise employees who are living the brand. Encourage feedback on how to better incorporate your brand values into their everyday jobs.

Employee get-togethers can also be themed around your bigger purpose. If your brand is all about reaching new heights, have a kite flying contest. If you value innovation above all else host trainings on how to germinate and foster great ideas.

There are hundreds of other ways to live and communicate your brand every day. But above all else, stay consistent. You may be sick of the chorus but your customers are just beginning to learn the steps.