For the majority of today’s consumers, firms must do more than simply offer their products.
Making your company stand out above the crowd is becoming increasingly important. Brand
storytelling is being used by some of the most successful firms in recent years to achieve their
objectives.
Ecommerce companies can no longer afford to be faceless. Deeper consumer interaction is
required in order to build a tale that communicates brand values and fosters a feeling of
community. Let’s take a look at why ecommerce businesses should promote stories rather
than products.
What is ecomm brand storytelling?
The concept behind what you sell is referred to as a brand story. Because clients buy
experiences rather than things, being more than a stock-mover is the surest way to set
yourself apart from the competitors.
The drive, the spark, the search, or a one-time accident that led to the creation of your items;
the values, the future vision, and the obstacles that your ecommerce business faces are all part
of your brand story and you should lean into it as much as you can. Try to focus on what
distinguishes your business and makes it memorable; why should the consumer choose you
and your product.
You don’t have to be Coca-Cola with their secret formula or Zara’s founder with his business
breakthrough. We all have great brand stories, and it’s the storytelling that converts them into
profit.
Why is it important?
Give your customers a reason to join together as a community and participate in your brand’s
story.
Feeling a part of a community of like-minded customers is vital to 54 percent of customers
when it comes to securing their loyalty. Furthermore, 55% of buyers feel they will be loyal to
a business if it has an emotional connection to them (and this is up 7 percent from when we
asked the same question last year).
Celebrate and reward your existing consumers to help you construct your brand story and
bring your community into it. Annmarie Skin Care, for example, provides members with
access to an online forum where they may share beauty secrets. Customers will notice that
they are at the center of the brand.
Brand storytelling done the right way
A compelling story can transform a dull brand into one that has meaning for its target
market—one whose image and values resonate with them. While sharing your brand’s
unique, personal story with the rest of the world is difficult, some of the most successful and
fastest-growing ecommerce shops in the previous five years have done so.
Here are some storytelling ideas to note:
- Visibility of manufacturing process – Dodocase offers a tour of the journey of how each product is made where you can witness just how much time and effort goes into the brand’s manufacturing process. This also allows customers to witness firsthand how important it is to the brand’s founders to produce a high-quality product.
- Promote a cause you believe in – Hiut tells visitors to its website how and why it was founded: to re-employ trained workers who had lost their employment when denim manufacturing collapsed. This crucial information not only outlines the brand’s basis, but also raises awareness of the cause. As a result, by supporting Hiut, shoppers are indirectly supporting all of these people who were on the verge of losing their employment, making each purchase that much better.
- Have a clear company ethos and vision – Alex and Ani communicates the fact that all of the materials it utilizes are sustainable and sourced from environmentally responsible practices through excellent storytelling. This is likely to appeal to the brand’s target market while also reinforcing its overall identity.
- Be socially conscious – Another example of a brand gaining respect and credibility by considering others rather than just itself. What’s even better is that Warby Parker is truly making a difference by donating millions of pairs of spectacles to people in need.
