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THE TAKE-AWAY
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EVERYONE’S GOT A STORY to tell, so the adage goes. But a story is only as good as the way it is told. The best brands invest considerable time and effort into making sure that their stories are consistent, memorable and emotional – the three things any story needs to succeed.
The most important part about brand storytelling is to be consistent about it. That means:
The more often people hear your story being told and retold, the more likely it is that they will remember it and the brand it stands for. And yet frequency is not everything – according to Jude Mohan, Chief Operating Officer at Scicom, consistency is infinitely more important.
“You have to be sure to always tell the same story,” says Mr Mohan. “If your story changes from one press clipping to the next, there will be no consistency. That makes it hard for people to remember your brand.”
One of the responsibilities of Scicom’s marketing department is to tell “The Scicom Story” in exactly the same way each time someone asks about it. All press enquiries are routed to the department, so that the company appears to have a single, unananimous voice. SMI businesses could do worse than to follow that example: put someone in charge of coordinating the company’s story and brand. If there is no one suitably qualified in the company to do it, then hire a consultant – some of the best brands started off using brand consultants.
To help in your quest for consistency, the best advice is this: write down your story and commit to paper. That way, you’ll always know what you’ve said before, and what you have to continue saying.
While having an exotic history and unlikely background certainly helps people remember your story, not all companies are lucky enough to be helmed by college dropouts and playboy billionaires. In fact, most company stories are pretty mundane.
But that doesn’t mean they can’t be good.
“To be memorable, a story must resonate,” says Hanafiah Hassan, Chief Operating Officer of Softbox Sdn Bhd. “You have to make a connection with your audience.”
Softbox actually treks through the deepest, darkest jungles of rural Malaysia looking for remote populations, and then sets up digital hubs in the villages that are connected to the world via satellite. The company’s vision is to improve the wellbeing of the rural population in Malaysia by exposing their unique village produce to the world
“Whenever we tell the story of our vision, people cannot help but to sit up and take notice,” says Mr Hassan. “Our vision resonates with our audience, and that helps them remember us.”
If you want your story to be remembered, find a way to make it resonate with your audience. Then, capitalise upon that resonance.
Another trick to good storytelling it to make sure you strike an emotional chord among your customers. Humans possess an incredibly wide range of emotions – the challenge for you is to tap the emotion that positively motivates them into action.
Henry Goh & Co., Malaysia’s leading Intellectual Property management firm, prides itself on its strong family values and traditions. Over a third of the company’s 60-something workforce has been with the firm for more than ten years – a remarkable achievement in today’s job-hopping society. Ms Oon Yen Yen, Business Development Manager at Henry Goh, explains:
“Our founder believed that our success is a ‘testament to the hard work, sacrifice and perseverance of this firm’s greatest assets: its people’ – those were his words,” says Ms Oon. “For Mr Goh, it was always about the people.”
In fact, Henry Goh & Co.’s corporate song is titled, We Are The People Of Henry Goh. The firm’s customers like the solid, steady feel of the firm’s background: Family values. Loyalty. Tradition. Trust – things not easily bought.
Tell your story in a positive light, and you will be remembered for evoking positive feelings. That makes for great storytelling.
