How do we tell our story?

In many respects, marketing communications is storytelling.  Every brand, service, and company has a story to tell and core values to communicate.  And we can tell that story through a variety of media.  I’ve written before about the importance of using social media strategically in dental product marketing.  The various social platforms available can be powerful outlets for telling your brand’s story if used purposefully in a coordinated, integrated way with the other media you employ.  Here are a few tips for telling your brand’s story via social media:

1.  Create content:  Content is king.  Sharing others’ content is fine, and it is a good tactic to help mobilize people to share your story in return.  However, remember that you are telling your own story. So, you have to ensure a steady diet of your original content is being fed to your audience.  Content can take the form of pictures, articles, testimonials, case studies, videos, infographics, etc.  Just make sure the message is consistent with your core values, and you’ll be well on your way to a story told powerfully.

2.  Be consistent:  If content is king, then consistency is a prince.  Be consistent in frequency of posting, and be consistent with the message, branding, and values you convey via your other media outlets (website, print advertising, trade shows, etc.).  Once you decide to tell your story via social media, you’ve made a commitment to consistency.  If you find you can’t keep up or are running out of ideas, then you may need to seek some outside help.

3.  Avoid offers:  You likely feel some pressure to prove an ROI on the time and money spent on your social storytelling.  You may feel the inclination to try to tie posting to units sold.  Avoid that temptation.  Use offers in your social story strategically and sparingly.  A big part of your brand’s story is its personality.  Use that personality to engage your audience rather than always trying to sell to them.  Social media are two-way streets, and your audience will quickly realize if you’re using them only to push out sales offers in a one-way fashion.

4.  Have fun:  This is fairly self-explanatory.  Social media outlets are like cocktail parties for your brand.  You can have serious conversations with members of your audience, and you can also share some laughs.  Having a little fun here and there can become a great part of your brand’s story and set it apart from others.

Starting with these tips can help you to jump-start your efforts to tell your brand’s story through social media.  Remember that social media do not stand alone from the other outlets you use in your marketing communications.  Integrate them into your complete communications strategy.  Be creative, consistent, and fun.  Tell your story.

How are you using various media to tell your brand’s story?  Please leave a reply below or contact me directly to share.