marketing

How to develop a brand story

It helps brands get and keep more customers

  • With so much going on in the world of marketing and market research, we curate the information you shouldn’t miss and present it in short, digestible tidbits. Sign up to receive these tidbits in your inbox: https://bureauwest.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Humans are inherently drawn to stories. They help us make sense of the world, evoke emotions, and build connections. When a company effectively tells its story, it doesn’t just sell a product, it builds a connection with the customer. That emotional engagement translates into increases in customer acquisition and customer loyalty.

Apple’s “Think Different” campaign is an iconic example of brand story. It positioned Apple not just as a tech company but as a brand for creative thinkers and innovators. Customers wanted to be part of that story.

Airbnb’s “Belong Anywhere” campaign is a great example of storytelling that focuses on experiences. Instead of just listing places to stay, Airbnb shares stories of hosts and guests, highlighting unique and personal experiences. The story emphasizes the sense of belonging and community that comes with staying in someone’s home rather than a hotel, making travel more personal and memorable.

How can you develop a story for your brand?

  • Start with the basics. What are your brand’s core values and purpose? The answer to this question might be found in the company’s inception story. What sparked the initial idea? What does the company want to achieve? Patagonia, for example, is not just about outdoor gear but about environmental sustainability. Their story revolves around a commitment to the planet, making their brand purpose clear and compelling.
  • Understanding your audience is crucial. Who are they? What are their dreams, challenges, and values? Dove’s Real Beauty campaign succeeded because it tapped into the audience’s desire for authentic beauty representation. Conducting market research and creating detailed buyer personas can help you align your story with what your audience cares about.
  • What sets you apart? Your unique value proposition should be the heart of your story. Warby Parker disrupted the eyewear industry by offering stylish glasses at affordable prices with a home try-on program. Their story is about accessibility and convenience, appealing directly to their target market.
  • Every great story has memorable characters. In your brand’s narrative, these characters could be your founders, employees, or customers. TOMS shares stories of individuals benefiting from their one-for-one giving model, highlighting real people and communities. This human element makes their brand story more relatable and impactful.
  • Emotion is the engine of a powerful story. Your brand story should evoke feelings—joy, empathy, inspiration. Nike’s storytelling often features athletes overcoming adversity, inspiring audiences to push their limits. These emotionally charged narratives create a deep bond between the brand and its customers.
  • Consistency is key. Your brand story should be reflected across all marketing channels, from your website to social media, advertisements, and customer service. Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign consistently promoted the idea of sharing happiness, making their brand message cohesive and memorable.
  • Make your audience a part of your story. Encourage user-generated content, social media interactions, and community events. Airbnb’s “Belong Anywhere” campaign invited users to share their travel experiences, creating a sense of community and belonging that extended their brand narrative.
  • Continuously evaluate the impact of your storytelling efforts. Use metrics like engagement rates, customer feedback, and sales data to understand what resonates. Be prepared to refine your story to keep it relevant and engaging.

Need help developing your company’s brand story? Email me at info at bureauwest.com and let’s discuss!

Sources: Bureau West research; “10 reasons why telling your brand’s story matters,” Fast Company, 5/1/24; “The Importance of Storytelling in Brand Marketing,” Denis Sinelnikov, 5/26/23; “How to Create an Authentic Brand Story that Actually Improves Trust,” Neil Patel

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

Hyper-personalization gives companies an edge

It’s not just for Amazon and Netflix anymore

Image by Freepik

Hyper-personalization means delivering highly relevant and individualized experiences to customers. It results in significantly higher customer engagement and loyalty. It’s an advanced marketing strategy that used to only be accessible to companies such as Amazon and Netflix, but with the advent of more accessible AI tools, it now has the potential to be a game-changer for businesses of all sizes.

How hyper-personalization works:

  • Hyper-personalization leverages data to dive deep into individual preferences. By analyzing purchase history, browsing behavior, and even social media activity, businesses can tailor their offerings to match the unique tastes and needs of each customer. This isn’t about segmenting markets; it’s about understanding the individual at a granular level.
  • One of the standout benefits of hyper-personalization is real-time relevance. When a customer interacts with a brand, hyper-personalized systems adjust the messaging and offers in real-time. For instance, a clothing retailer can use weather data to suggest raincoats on a gloomy day or sun hats during a heatwave. This level of responsiveness makes customers feel like the brand is genuinely attuned to their current situation.
  • Beyond the data and algorithms, hyper-personalization builds emotional connections. When customers feel recognized and valued, their loyalty deepens. Think of the joy of receiving a special offer on your birthday or a personalized thank-you note after a purchase. These touches create memorable moments that enhance brand loyalty.

With accessible AI tools and customer data platforms (CDPs), even small businesses can implement sophisticated personalization strategies. Companies like HubSpot and Segment offer solutions that allow businesses to gather and analyze customer data effectively, enabling hyper-personalization without breaking the bank.

Hyper-personalization requires a shift in how we conduct market research. Rather than looking for demographic or psychographic segments, companies need to consider the parameters on which to personalize. We need to look for what makes customers differ from one another and then use digital tools to cater to those differences.

Want to learn how to hyper-personalize your marketing? Let’s talk to your customers and find out! Email me at info bureauwest.com and we can discuss the best approach.

Sources: “Taking Hyper-Personalization to the Next Level,” CMS Newswire, 4/16/24; “Driving Performance With Content Hyper-Personalization Through AI And LLMs,” Forbes, 2/23/24, “Why Brands Need to Embrace Hyper-Personalization to Stay Relevant,” The Branding Journal, 2/5/24

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

Marketing Shouldn’t Cost You Money. It Should Make You Money.

There’s an old quote from around a hundred years ago:

  • “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, but the trouble is I don’t know which half.”

The good news is that’s no longer true.  With digital marketing, we can tell exactly what’s working and what isn’t.  And that brings me to the point of this article: marketing shouldn’t cost you money.  It should make you money.

Small businesses that are getting started with marketing can start by spending small amounts – as low as $500 per month – and then take a share of the resulting revenue to ramp up their marketing and increase their income even further.

How does that work?  For example, let’s say a small solar energy company came to us for marketing.  We would start by looking at two things:

  • Who are their most likely customers?  (The target market)
  • What’s the best message to get their interest?  (Marketing content)

Based on discussions with the company, we might narrow the target down to people who live in a certain area, own their own home, and are at a certain income level.

Then we might brainstorm several different potential messages.  For example, we might focus on saving money. Or on the benefit to the environment.  We could then put content about each of those topics on the company’s website and social media pages and see which gets the most views.  And we would develop a few different ads with those different messages, run all of them, and see which get the most clicks.  We would then focus our advertising on the most successful messages.

Once the advertising results in increased revenue, the company can use that revenue to run the ads more often, creating a virtuous cycle that increases business.  This can work so well that some companies find they need to pause their marketing so they can keep up with the business generated.  That’s a good problem to have!

Would you like a “marketing machine” for your business?   Just answer some questions about your business below, and we will develop a marketing plan for your business at no cost to you.

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Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

How will AI impact your organization?

Image: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1449225

The news about artificial intelligence has been coming fast and furious over the past six months.  The list of things AI can do is reason for excitement as well as some worry.  But either way, it’s coming.  Organizations that learn how to utilize AI will benefit, but those who don’t risk falling behind.

  • Shameless plug: I’m offering a 60-minute webinar, “Intro to AI for Business” and a full-day workshop, “How Your Company Can Benefit from AI.”  Details at the end of this email.

How can organizations benefit from AI?

  • Encourage employees to familiarize themselves with AI.  Learn the basics of what AI is and how it works.  Use AI chat bots such as Chat GPT and Bard.  Find out what platforms are offering AI-powered services for your industry and get demos.
  • One caveat to the above: have a policy about acceptable ways for employees to use AI, and in particular, what data may and may not be shared on an AI platform.  Be aware of data confidentiality considerations – these differ by platform.  For example, information shared with ChatGPT is used to train it further.  However, OpenAI announced it will soon launch ChatGPT Business which will enable organizations to keep their data confidential.
  • Customer experience: the fact that AI can analyze vast amounts of data with ease can provide opportunities for organizations to serve their customers faster, better or in a more customized fashion.  For example, could your organization use AI to handle customer questions more quickly?   Or anticipate their needs with tailored recommendations? 
  • Innovation: organizations can use AI to analyze the behavior and needs of customers and prospects and come up with new products and services.
  • Marketing: AI can help organizations target their marketing more effectively, as well as help reduce the time needed to create marketing materials.
  • Productivity: AI sharply decreases the time to accomplish knowledge work tasks.  This raises concerns about layoffs, but the benefit could also be used to increase productivity and to enable employees to have the work-life balance so many organizations say they aspire to.

Of course, the above is just a partial list, and each organization will have their own specific opportunities and challenges when it comes to AI.  I’m here to help with the following options:

  • Intro to AI for Business: 60-minute webinar that explains what AI is and how organizations can benefit from AI, as well potential pitfalls to be aware of.  Includes time for Q&A.
  • How Your Company Can Benefit from AI: A full-day, in-person facilitated workshop to brainstorm ways your organization can best utilize AI, including a review of the relevant AI-powered platforms currently available.

Email me at info at bureauwest.com and let’s discuss how I can help!

Sources: Bureau West research; “OpenAI previews business plan for ChatGPT, launches new privacy controls,” TechCrunch, 4/25/23

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman