How to Effectively Tell Your Brand’s Story

Knowing how to tell a brand’s story is essential to creating strong connections with consumers. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start when telling a brand’s story. We met with personal branding expert Robin Fisher Roofer to find out how she helps professionals in corporations tell their brand stories and apply that to storytelling for brands.

When working with teams from some of the world’s largest companies, Roofer introduces 10 story archetypes to help people “Honor their accomplishments and help them set their next triumph.” We would like to share 5 of these storytelling techniques with you adapted for entrepreneurs and their businesses:

1. Woe to Win

Being able turn a negative situation into a positive outcome can be incredibly inspirational. This “woe to win” paradigm gives entrepreneurs the opportunity show how they were able to build up a company from a negative situation, and grow it into an empire. Everyone can relate to this situation, and hearing stories like these inspires support from listeners.

2. David vs. Goliath

In high-competition industries, starting a new business can be a David vs. Goliath experience. Showcasing the company’s victories, especially in the face of adversity, not only shows the founder’s tenacity as an executive, but also shows the company’s ability to make space in the market. When David conquers Goliath, we all celebrate.

3. The Tough Choice

Having to decide between taking the easy road or the harder road showcases decision-making skills and strong work ethic. Choosing the tougher journey in order to create a better the world, product, or service, shows that you’re willing to make strategic moves that will have lasting effects.

4. Switch from Self-Absorbed to Service Minded

Realizing a personal need to focus on service rather than profits can be a huge transformation to focus on when telling your company’s brand story. For any person who has started a non-profit or transitioned their business into one, this technique of explaining the switch can be extremely impactful.

5. The Turnaround

Changing fields of work to pursue what you truly love can be a powerful story to tell. Explaining how your passion overrode your previous work and led you to start the business that you have shows your dedication to the industry and the business’s authenticity.

Robin Fisher Roofer makes sure to tell her clients to always remember: “How are you telling your story can you shape it into one of these tried and true ways in order for it to connect with who you need to influence.” To learn about the other 5 storytelling archetypes and how they can transform the way you tell your brand’s story, pick up a copy Robin’s book, The No-Fear Career: 12 Steps to Becoming a Courageous Leader in the Face of Uncertainty.