Ep 94 Storytelling Techniques for Building a Successful Brand

Witness the magic of storytelling and its power to build deep, meaningful connections. Discover how weaving captivating narratives can help convey your brand's values, mission, and personality, establishing relationships with your audience that last. This episode unveils the importance of storytelling in everyday life, whether you're creating a social media post or engaging in a conversation with a friend.

As our journey unfolds, we study the importance of storytelling in branding. Picture yourself acing job interviews and commanding attention on social media platforms by crafting compelling narratives. We turn the spotlight on successful brands like Nike and Airbnb, dissecting their storytelling techniques and discussing how to employ creative visuals, captions, and dialogue. The episode also offers insights into crafting authentic and engaging brand stories, drawing on elements such as character transformation and visionary quests.

Finally, we touch on the emotional aspect of storytelling, underscoring the importance of authenticity and emotive language. Uncover the secrets to creating a cinematic experience for your audience, and understand the significance of staying true to who you are. As the episode ends, remember that everyone has a story to tell. We offer tips on how you can start crafting a story that resonates with your audience, regardless of whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an influencer, or someone longing for deeper connections.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I love storytelling because I love words, I love reading, I love connecting, I love getting to know people in a way that makes me feel more connected to others. I think we all, as humans, crave some type of emotional connection, and I feel like storytelling does that. Hey there, I'm Makita, a small town girl with dreams who started a podcast with an old headset and a laptop at my kitchen table and made my dreams come true. On my podcast, time for Tea with Makita, we chat about living life unapologetically on your term, from career advice, entrepreneurship, relationships and everything in between. This is your one-stop-shop for real conversations and inspiration. If you're looking for connection, then you've found it here. Join me every Tuesday as we dive into those sometimes hard to have conversations. So grab a cup of tea or coffee and get comfy, because this is Time for Tea with Makita, and the tea is definitely hot.

Speaker 1: 1:07

Ever feel like you need a super power boost of motivation with exclusive tips and tools with your goals in mind? Well, say hello to your new inspiration hotspot, the Tuesday Tea Newsletter. You're a weekly infusion of big thinking energy that will propel you to chase your wildest dreams and never shy away from using the power of your voice. Sign up for the Tuesday Tea Newsletter today at BeautifullyUnbalancedcom and elevate your goals to the next level. Welcome back. It is definitely time for some tea.

Speaker 1: 1:36

I am Makita. I want to thank you for sharing your time, space and energy with me today. Now before we dive into all the tea. I've been heavy on these affirmation cards and I love sharing these things with you guys because I feel like there is always a message for someone and we all need a gentle reminder to stay grounded and centered. So today's affirmation is I forgive those who have harmed me in my past and I peacefully detach from them. Now, I don't know about you, but that peacefully detach hit different Like. That was just a reminder that when we detach from something, that we do so in a way that makes you feel good and that you find peace with it as well. So I really like that one. Now, as we move into today's conversation, I'm going to be spilling some major tea on storytelling and why it's powerful and how anyone can use it. We all know someone who is a great storyteller. When they talk, they command the attention of everyone in the room. They always know the right words to use that spark emotion, curiosity and a familiarity that leaves you wanting to hear the story until the end.

Speaker 1: 3:00

Now, at its core, storytelling refers to the art of crafting narratives that capture the essence of your brand and appeal to your audience, but it also involves communicating those narratives in a way that is both relatable and, most of all, memorable. But it's more than just storytelling. We've all heard stories, we've all told stories, and in today's world we can get a little mixed up when it comes to storytelling. We start to think that storytelling is just for people in business, for themselves, or if you're trying to grow your brand, you need to use stories. But we use stories all the time. We use them when we write our cover letter to our resumes, but when we're meeting people for the first time, we use it as a way to connect and find common interests and as a way to relate to others, what our values are. We're giving them a glimpse into your personality. So if you've ever posted a picture on social media, you have told a story. That one photo says something about who you are, what you value, what you like, and then your caption completes that story in a way that you want it to be represented. So, before we start talking about the types of stories and how you can use them to connect with others, as well as with your audience, and attract brands that hold some of your same values. I want you to remember that your story is the heartbeat of human connection and engagement. So when you weave a captivating narrative into your brand, or when you're talking to someone and you create a bridge between you and the person that you're connecting with, that's when you are building that connection. That's when you start conveying your values, your mission and putting in a little personality that is relatable and memorable. People remember how you make them feel. They remember the words that you choose to use to convey emotions. So, remember, people are naturally drawn to narratives that resonates with their own experiences and emotions, so storytelling is a great way to tap into those emotions and create a lasting impact on others.

Speaker 1: 5:30

Now I want you to apply these same principles, even if it's at a job interview, because by using storytelling techniques as a candidate, you can paint a vivid picture of your past experiences and how these experiences have shaped your skills and your expertise. Sharing specific anecdotes that illustrate your personal growth through stories makes you more memorable and gives that potential employee a better understanding of your abilities. We've all had those questions. So tell me a time when you dealt with a situation that was required you to multitask or you had to do something unexpected, like those questions that leave you sitting there. There was a time. But remember, you're not just telling them about your experiences, you're telling them a story and you want to pull them into your story. You want them to see not only do you have the critical thinking skills, but that you can communicate in a way that's effective, that tells the story from the very beginning, the middle and the end, that they can see that you've grown where you were at before and you have the experience and the capacity to continue to grow in this new role that you are applying for.

Speaker 1: 7:01

So storytelling is great for anything, and the visual plays a crucial role in storytelling, especially in the context of social media. When you're trying to brand yourself or get more followers, to get yourself out there for visibility Platforms like Instagram, facebook, they rely heavily on visual content to engage audiences. And when you have compelling visuals and videos and you use infographics, these things can capture people's intention and evoke emotions. And when you start evoking people's emotions, you get them curious. They want to know more about who you are, what you stand for, and when you combine that with short captions that can tell a story or convey a quick message, it becomes more powerful.

Speaker 1: 7:52

Now there are a lot of successful brands out there that leverage storytelling. One of those is Nike. We've all seen it Nike has a very powerful storytelling. They have positioned themselves as a brand that celebrates athletes, not just NFL superstars. They are celebrating everyone through determination, perseverance and triumphs. Their capings often feature captivating narratives about overcoming an obstacle. That inspires viewers and creates an emotional connection with that brand.

Speaker 1: 8:33

Another great one is Airbnb. So they use storytelling to showcase the unique experience and adventure with their platform and by sharing the personal stories from hosts and guests. It creates this sense of I can have the ability to create my own wonderment and fulfillment. So they do a great job at capturing all of that, and a lot of times you don't have a lot of time to tell the story, especially on social media. It has to be quick, brief and to the point in some ways, but you're going to weave the story in using pictures, a short caption and then maybe you might have some dialogue going underneath it to give it a little bit more context and use creative words to get people emotionally drawn in it, but it all boils down to understanding how to tell your story in a way that resonates with the people that needs to hear the story.

Speaker 1: 9:40

So right now, we're just going to start diving into the different types of stories. So we're going to first start with behind the scenes, the origin saga. So, like I said, this is the behind the scenes tale of how your brand came to life and this is where you start sharing your challenges, your wins and the vital moments that shaped your journey. Now, when you're in this origin story, I want you to think about this, because some times we have a hard time with when did my story start? Or getting to the point of the story.

Speaker 1: 10:22

Each and every person, including you, you, can think of three pivotal moments in your life that has shaped you, that has made you who you are. There are three moments that you have faced an obstacle, that you have grown from it. But as you're standing here today listening without the story, without this ever happening, whether sometimes we're like man, I wish I could have skipped that part and just got to this part right here of this growth, but I did have to overcome that. I did have to go through this and but it's made me more self-aware, it's made me more intentional. So when you think about your origin story, I want you to first start with those pivotal moments, the three most pivotal moments, and I'm telling you it's better to write this out because, as much as sometimes we're thinking about things we're like, oh yeah, I feel like this, when you start actually writing it down, you realize sometimes that first thought or idea is not what you put on that paper by far. The first time that I had to do my origin story and think of the three pivotal moments in my life that had shaped me, I had this grand idea of what I thought it was, but when I actually had to put pen to paper, I realized that wasn't my story. It was a part of my story, but it's not the things that shaped me or made me who I am today.

Speaker 1: 11:57

So the purpose of the behind the scenes is to give your audience and help them learn about your beginnings, because they're not just buying a product or just not following you or listening to you for nothing. They're becoming a part of your story, especially when you think about if you're someone that is working on gaining Instagram followers or you're building an email list or whatever it is that you may be working on. You have people that are with you from the very beginning, and when people continue to follow you or if you've ever followed someone else at their beginning story and you get to see them actually reach all of those pivotal wins and triumphs, it's like you are now becoming a part of the story, a part of their journey. So it matters, it means something. Now the next one is the hero's transformation, and this is classic because this takes your audience on an adventure by showing how you can transform their lives, how your story can help them. What can they learn from it?

Speaker 1: 13:11

A lot of time, our experiences teaches us so much, and when we share what we've learned with others, it's so impactful. And you can do this in the way of sharing testimonials from other people, success stories or just your own heartfelt experiences with tips and things that you've learned, giving other people an option to take those ideas or at least, even if they don't actually take the tip or idea that you gave them, it will trigger something, a little switch, and be like, oh, this is something that I can do or oh, I just had a light bulb moment, which is what you want, because, as they see themselves as the hero, then your brand and what you stand for becomes a sense of empowerment. You are empowering them to take charge of their life. You are empowering them to make their own decisions in a way that makes them feel like they're in control, because they are, and sometimes we all just need that reminder. Now.

Speaker 1: 14:18

The third example is the relatables. And let's face it, we're all humans. We make mistakes. This is the time to embrace the vulnerability by sharing funny mishaps, learning moments that you're like oh my gosh. And when you own up to the imperfections, when you stop showcasing all the perfect moments, you become more authentic. People can relate to you more. I don't think there has ever been a moment when I've met someone and I heard them use the first curse word and I automatically just relax and I'm like okay, I'm with my people. Or if I go out with someone, they're like hey, you want to actually get a real drink? And I'm like of course I want a real drink, I love one. But these are the moments that when you share these things with other people and you have this moment of vulnerability, when you have this opportunity to just be authentic and say I'm not perfect, I make so many mistakes, so many things have went wrong. You just don't know. And just to give you an example and then be like, okay, here's one, have fun, like being able to laugh at yourself Even maybe at the time it's not really that laughable, but you can find humor that you can not take life so seriously, just other people, the opportunities say you know what my life, you know what is not so bad? After all, it's not just me and we need that reminder sometimes that it's not just us All.

Speaker 1: 15:51

Right, the next example is the visionary quest. So in your storytelling, using the visionary quest is a great way to craft a compelling vision of the future that really resonates with your audience's aspirations, what they're trying to achieve, what their goals are. So this is when you both you take a shared common goal and you become their partner in the adventure and you're going to use your story to propel them forward, to make the impact, because now it's not just about your goal, it's about you being a part of their goal, helping them take it to the next level. And there are some brains that does this in a way, and I think Nike does a really good job in that too, because they really talking about being triumphant, overcoming the obstacles, and they're there with you to make sure you just do it right. So I think they really do a good job in that.

Speaker 1: 17:01

All right, let's start spilling a little tea on some practical tips that can help you take your storytelling to the next level. All right, we talked about some examples, but now we're going to spill a little tea on what that looks like when it comes to how you can integrate the storytelling. So we're going to first start with crafting a character eccentric narrative. Now what that just means is creating a relatable character that represent or embodies your brain's values and mission. People do this all the time. If their brain is all about family photo, shops of their family photo of their child, they're showing outings. They make that a part of their center focus. They may talk about other things and post other things, but it always comes back to family. And if it's someone who love pets and their brand is all about animals and cruelty free, you always going to see a picture of their dog. They're going to show that inside glimpse and look into that part of their life. So it centers around that and you can use this. It could be a team member, somebody on your team, maybe even be your spouse or your kids, or maybe it's just you reading a book, doing something that you love, but these characters are there to add depth and emotional connection to your story. They are characters. So whatever that may look like for you as you're weaving in your story and you want to showcase, for me I don't really showcase necessarily my family, but I do love showcasing the idea of travel and being free and having this redefinition of what it means to you to redefine self care on your own terms, and that may look like going to a winery, having a glass of wine, it may look like having that great family fun time or just being myself enjoying life, whatever that looks like. But I'm always making sure that it's all about redefining who you want to be and how you want to show up and how you want to show up, and being completely unapologetic about that.

Speaker 1: 19:30

Now the next tip is unleashing the power of emotions. So you have to stir those heart strings and fuse your story with emotions that resonate. You want to resonate joy, empathy, nostalgia, and when your audience feels deeply, they're more likely to remember and share your brand's story. Now Blue Bill has a commercial and it's on the radio and it starts off and it kind of reminds me of another commercial that I heard like a couple years ago, but when I was young. But it has the nostalgia feel. It reminds me of Sunday mornings sitting on the porch with my mom and my siblings, just doing nothing, just enjoying each other's company, and I actually envision myself eating ice cream when I hear this commercial, with my mom, with my brothers, and it's just a lazy Sunday. That's what you want to bring to your story emotion. Whatever that emotion is that you want your audience to feel and maybe it's not an audience, maybe it's an emotion that you want your future employers to feel. Whoever your target audience is, you wanna make sure that emotion is one that they can feel and remember and share.

Speaker 1: 21:08

Now the next one is show, don't just tell. You wanna paint vivid scenes with your words and people that can use these beautiful words and you feel like you can just picture or imagine the scenes. I have a author that I'd really love to read my gosh, just because I said it. Okay, noah Roberts. If you are a fan, you've read some of her books. She uses emotional words and paint scenes with her words in a way that I can always feel myself there and I can see myself in the towns, and they're always sometimes like small towns and I can connect with that Because I'm from a small town, so I can picture what that scene would look like and the words just fill me, cuz you want the person that's listening, the person that you're trying to connect with, to step into the shoes of the experience that you're telling and you want them to experience it firsthand. So you're gonna show them the transformation, the challenges and the victories. You're gonna make it like a cinematic experience for their imaginations, so not only do they feel it, but they can see it visually and they can see themselves as being a part of the story, having the transformation and if it's for a job or something that you want, they can see you taking on the role and leading the company to the next level. And that's what you want.

Speaker 1: 22:52

And I love storytelling because I love words, I love reading, I love connecting, I love getting to know people in a way that makes me feel more connected to others. I think we all, as humans, crave some type of emotional connection and I feel like storytelling does that. I had an uncle growing up that could tell us a story and he could tell a story and even though I was scared of scary stories, I would never leave the room Because I was so entranced. I wanted to know. I had to know what happened next.

Speaker 1: 23:33

And I feel like when we are connecting with others, when we're painting that picture of who we are, what we stand for, what our beliefs are, the words that we use matter. We wanna make sure that we are being true and authentic to who we are. We won't wanna paint a picture one way and then show up totally different. You don't wanna show pictures of your kids and family and then when people start acting like, yeah, my family's off limits, if that is your off limit point, don't feel obligated or pressured to share parts of your life that just don't sit right with you. Share the things that are authentic, that can tell the story in a way that you're okay with. That lets people in, to let them know who you are. And remember you wanna spark some joy, some happiness.

Speaker 1: 24:23

Now I think people want to feel inspired. Who doesn't want to hear someone insane inspiring them, giving them the motivation to go forward and then actually not just having someone tell a story about something that you can do to transform your life and you could help you get to the next level, but actually show you that you can get to the next level. What would that look like? And then sometimes think about some people that you look up to and the stories and how they present themselves and what words they use that resonate with you, and maybe keep a little notebook on some of the words that you hear that really stand out to you. That really that when you're listening or looking or just reading something or connecting with someone on social media, look at the words, write them down, because there's something about what they said and the way that they said it that resonated with you, that made you stop and actually read it. What was it about that post? What was it about the picture that got your attention, what emotion did it invoke? And you can use that and then use that as a way to craft your story.

Speaker 1: 25:37

I truly believe that brand storytelling is for anyone and everyone, and I truly believe that everyone has a story, including you. Now, I know that was a lot of tea, but to help you out, you can download the storytelling guide at beautifullyunbalancedcom, so that you can start crafting a story that connects. Now, that is all the tea that I have to spill today, but if you love this episode as much as I did recording it, please take a quick minute, leave a review and, while you're at it, sign up for the Tuesday Tea newsletter and remember to join me each and every Tuesday for more delicious hot tea. Until next time, namaste.