Hi Friends!

I am Hailey, CHAR co’s STORY director. We are a few weeks out from the launch of STORY and are so honored by all of your encouragement. We really do believe that brand storytelling has the power to change the way we do business as well as market our products and services.

As effective as it can be, storytelling may seem a little illusive and intangible at times, but fortunately there are practical steps we can take to build STORY into our business. Even the most organic brands need intention and care if they are going to reach the correct audience. Great brand stories do not just happen over night and it is completely normal to get a little overwhelmed thinking through all of the elements that will need to be created, corrected, or reworked to effectively communicate your brand message.

The key to overcoming this feeling of being drowned in a sea of branding and marketing “to do” lists, is simply taking baby steps and embracing the process. It is a little easier said than done, but with some mental determination and a clear plan, you will be on your way in no time!

I am excited to share a few practical steps that will help all of us begin our journey to telling a great brand story:

1. The first step is to simply take a step back. It may seem a ironic, but it is the best place to start. Sometimes we get so immersed in our craft and details of running a business that we don’t understand what our customers are experiencing. When we take a step back, we give ourselves the opportunity to see our brand with fresh eyes and a clear mind. As we do this, we understand what our customers think and feel as they interact with our business. By simply observing, asking questions, and surveying our market or audience we can get a quick read on what others may be experiencing.

2. Evaluate our current brand. After taking a step back and seeing our brand from a new perspective it is time to evaluate our brand and each of its touch points. This includes our social media, website, logo, culture, imagery, space design, packaging, etc. Ask ourself: What story am I telling with each of these touch points? What are my customers perceiving about my business? Am I telling the right story? Am I effectively communicating my brand message?

3. After evaluating our brand, make a list of each element that needs to change. The list can also include the reasons why we would like to change each element. Doing so, will help as we structure a plan of action later on.

4. Take our new “To Do” list and create a time line of what you will focus on and when. Sometimes it helps to work backwards, especially if you are preparing for a launch, opening a new store, or rolling out a new product line in the near future.

5. Now that we have evaluated our brand and scheduled out our timeline, it is time to clearly define our story. We know what story our brand is telling, but what story do we actually want it to tell? The only way to answer this question is by taking some time to get to know our business, our customer, our place in the market, and finally the reason we matter to our target audience. As we begin to know these elements, we will set ourself up to tell a beautiful and effective brand story.

Hoping to help many brands tell a great story, we are excited to launch a free STORY mini course explaining in more detail some of the first steps to building STORY into our brand!

“Five Ways to Tell Your Brand Story,” is a 5-day mini email course that will be delivered straight to your inbox. It is full of information created specifically to help you tell your brand story. We hope you find the information valuable and useful on your storytelling journey!