INTRODUCTION
Since the very beginning human history we've used stories to communicate and share ideas. Storytelling was humankind's first form of expression. Around a fire, we would share our thoughts and ideas by telling stories. But without a written language, our ancient ancestors had to create hieroglyphics or "sacred carvings" to carry on meaning beyond oral traditions. Art became the first universal language. To this day, we've continued to use the sacred language of art to share stories that help connect and inspire the world.
Storytelling is the art of balancing both truth and imagination to create and share emotions.Through the power of art, character archetypes and storytelling to craft brand stories that speak directly to the human soul and illustrates the essence of what it means to be both alive and dying--both yin and yang.
|
At its very core, marketing is storytelling. The best advertising campaigns take us on an emotional journey -- appealing to our wants, needs, and desires -- while at the same time telling us about a product or service. - Melinda Partin |
"I think the best stories always end up being about the people rather than the event -- which is to say character driven. - Stephen King"
Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make but the story you tell. - Seth Godin |
BRAND STORIESGreat brand stories can have a profound impact on everyday life. They become a part of our culture, who we are, and what we aim to achieve. They offer humanity the opportunity to reflect on life itself and what it means to be human. Brand stories connect consumers with the products they consume in stronger meaningful ways.
Everyday, thousands of new brands are created. But despite the numerous books and resources on the subject of branding, few companies ever come close to developing iconic identities that tell captivating brand stories. These brands may look attractive and exciting, but more often than not, they fail to deliver real meaningful connections with their consumers. As a result they struggle to create brand recognition and consumer loyalty. Meanwhile, established brands begin to waiver from their identities as they attempt to respond to ever changing market trends or even worse, attempt to imbue meaning into their products in shallow and non-organic ways. As a result, millions or dollars are wasted every year to poor brand management.
The Marketer's Guide to Creating Enchanting Brand Stories and The Ultimate Annual Marketing Game Plan offers a clearly structured system that enables all business and marketing professionals to connect with their audience in powerful and meaningful ways. In this two part program, I'll demonstrate specific methods for implementing brand story concepts into real-world examples, including: how to understand the deep meaning of your offering and claim it for your brand, how to analyze the competitive market from an archetypal perspective, and how to create a differentiating marketing plan that builds and strengthens your brand over time. |
THE MARKETER'S GUIDE TO CREATING ENCHANTING BRAND STORIESCraft an enchanting brand story using the power of character archetypes and buyer's journey to engage your audience emotionally.
|
THE ULTIMATE ANNUAL MARKETING GAME PLANDesigned to bring brand clarity to your business and map your buyers journey from beginning to end. View the outline with absolutely no strings attached.
|
BASIC STORYTELLING (NSFW) |
A TALE OF THREE PARTSCrafting an effective brand story can be broken down in to three main acts--a beginning, middle, and end. If you ignore the amateur shaky footage, this short video demonstrates how something simple and mundane such as my brother enjoying his car can be told in a captivating three-part story.
These three acts are also the three main stages of brand marketing. In an ideal implementation, each stage is performed throughout a four-week sprint. This process is seasonal meaning every three months a beginning of a new story, much like each business quarter, or seasons or the year. |
THE BUYER'S JOURNEY
The buyer's journey is your audience's consumer lifecycle from being a stranger to becoming a satisfied customer. Like a three-part story, the buyer's journey takes your audience through an emotional experience that strengthens brand loyalty and drives more sales.
01. AWARENESSDuring this stage, your audience is expressing symptoms of a problem or opportunity. They're beginning to understand their problem or seeing an opportunity.
|
02. CONSIDERATIONHere, they're researching solutions and products to address their problems. During this stage your audience is considering all options.
|
03. DECISIONYour audience now has decided the solution strategy, method, or approach to solving their problem and is actively making a purchasing decision.
|
HANDCRAFTED BRANDS
|
|
|
ABOUT ANTHONY NGUYENI'm a creative, sales and marketing strategist. I've worked hands on in the digital marketing industry since 2005 practicing multiple disciplines including design, sales, marketing, video and photography. I work with small to medium sized businesses and start-ups, creating effective brand stories and marketing strategies on shoe-string budgets.
|