Bernadette Jiwa recently wrote for David Airy’s design/branding blog on “framing your brand story.” As The Story of Telling prompts, “Get your message believed, not just noticed.” Your brand story makes a difference.
It’s sometimes hard to successfully communicate a brand message, as there are so many elements to consider. As Jiwa points out, “Where do you start? What’s the story you want your own brand to communicate? Who is your audience?… How will you stand out? Is it better to fit in?” Luckily, Jiwa suggests 10 key areas to consider when developing your brand story:
- Mission
What are you doing right now, today? What happens because you exist?- Vision
What are or will be the results and effects of what you do in the future?- Core values
What are the attitudes and beliefs that shape your business culture?- Unique selling point
What’s your edge, the thing that makes you stand out?- Emotional selling point
What’s the intangible or aspiration that you sell? Think feelings not facts. Connection, freedom, ego, belonging.…- Brand essence
The core of what you do, the image it portrays and the signals it sends.- Tagline
One line that communicates everything.- Identity
How the consumer perceives your brand.- Name
The verbal hook on which all of the above hangs and is communicated, the icing on your cake. Comes in all the way down here at number nine!- Logo
Last but not least the visual hook that represents your brand, the cherry on the top.
