102. Are you inviting people into a brand story or sharing brand history?

Have you thought about the difference between brand story and brand history? While your brand history can certainly be a part of your brand story, the history is about the past and the story is about the future, and what you’re inviting people to be a part of.

Today on episode 102 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva shares her guidance on writing a brand story and sharing brand history for your food business, plus 3 tips to make your brand story more compelling to create a lasting connection with your audience.

1. Assess the Current State of Your Brand

What kind of language do you use to tell people about your brand? While it is definitely ok, and necessary, to talk about your brand history, how and why you started your business, and what you offer – but that is a starting point and not the end of the story. Your brand story goes far beyond that!

One thing you can do prior to even thinking about revising your brand story is to look at the copy on your website, social media, packaging, etc. How often are you using “I/we offer” statements versus “you get” statements that highlight why these points matter.

We need to help people see themselves in the story and copy is typically more engaging when you help people see the WIIFM: What’s In It For Me? Another way to say it is that you’re evolving from sharing just the “what” to also sharing the “so what.” When you write in terms of what consumers get instead of only what you offer, it helps people see your brand as something that could be part of their routine because it makes their lives based on the benefit.

Katie has talked about this before as finding a way to talk about the benefits of your product instead of just the features. Before you start revising copy though, just take the time to observe what kind of language you’re using right now. Is there a story you’re inviting people into and talking about the benefits to them, or are you primarily sharing what products you offer and your brand history? If you do see some obvious place to flip the way the sentence is written go ahead and make a few copy updates right away, and save the rest of the updates for once you’ve been able to give your brand positioning and brand story additional thought.

2. What’s the Transformation?

While your brand story is about your brand, the main character is your ideal consumer. THEY are the hero in the story and you are an empathetic and expert guide, helping them get the result they want to transform their lives for the better.

Not every brand is going to be talking about an earth-shaking transformation and benefit, but every strong brand does need to serve a purpose and position itself well in order to stand out. Here are some general examples of positive outcomes:

Improved health in a specific area
Increased happiness and mental well-being
A better sense of connection
A new skill that achieves a goal
Catching a moment of calm to melt away the rest of the day
Feeling like a kid again
Being able to feed your kids healthy meals on the go
Consistently getting in better workouts and feeling stronger
…the list goes on. What is the transformation your food brand provides?

3. A Starting Framework

While there are a lot of brand story frameworks out there, Katie recommends the following brand story framework because it goes beneath the surface and recognizes your unique consumer and brand position, but does not overcomplicate the process.

Problem
Why it matters
The solution
The outcome

The problem can be something that they are facing that is more obvious, and then you ask why does that matter on an emotional level. Then you present a solution your brand offers to solve that. Finally, make sure you share what the outcome is because of it to show they made a good choice and reinforce that transformation they will get – again, it could be major or it could be just a bit more <insert emotion your brand offers> in their day. Remember though, they are the hero in their own story…you are the empathetic and expert guide that’s there to help make it happen.

Just like with everything related to your brand, getting it down on paper is key to crafting a message that makes sense for you. Try several versions out and don’t be afraid to experiment—test different language variations and see what resonates with your ideal consumers, buyers, team members, and other partners.

If you want to get more in-depth on these topics to build your food business brand, the Brand Strategy Streamlined™ program is a good place to start because you can go at your own pace. And Katie still works with a few 1:1 clients each month for those of you looking for additional guidance and accountability. You can contact Katie here to email a question, or to set up a free 30-minute call if you are interested in talking through ways she can help you set your brand apart through brand positioning and brand story.

Now, let’s go shake up shopping carts!

Quotes:

“As we think of shifting from just the history you’re sharing to the brand story you’re inviting people into for the future, you can expand and build on where you’ve been to think about where you’re going” – Katie Mleziva

“Your story, rooted in your brand strategy, is more likely to catch your team’s attention if you’re painting a picture of where you’re going, and what the benefit of joining you will be.” – Katie Mleziva

“Can you think of three brands you feel connected to beyond just a rational and interchangeable commodity purchase?” – Katie Mleziva

“Every brand has the ability make an impact and transform a person’s day, whether in big or small ways.” – Katie Mleziva

In This Episode:

The difference between a brand history and a brand story.
Why most brands start with a brand history.
Why you need to communicate WIIFM.
How to assess the current state of your brand story.
Why you need to find the transformation your brand offers a consumer, whether big or small.
A starting framework for telling your brand story.
Why it’s so important to start putting things down on paper.
How to get more help with your brand positioning and brand story.

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