Why Your Brand Story Matters in Ecommerce
Storytelling: It’s become a major buzzword in recent years when it comes to marketing brands. But not without good reason. Sharing the story behind your business is more important than ever, as customers have near-endless options for how they spend their money and who they’ll spend it with.
The already-crowded home furnishings space will only continue to get more competitive, which makes having a strong brand identity critical for manufacturers to break through the noise. Having a strong story will help showcase what your brand is about and make authentic connections with customers.
What exactly is a brand story?
In short, a brand story tells your end customer: why should they care about you?
But there’s plenty that goes into that. A brand story can include how your company came to be and how that story continues to influence who you are today. It’s the mission, vision, purpose and ethos behind why you do what you do.
Being able to tell this story not only shows how your brand is different and unique, but it also gives a customer something to connect to. In a recent consumer culture study, two-thirds of millennial consumers said they prefer brands that align with their personal values. Being able to share and showcase those values helps you build affinity for your brand, not just the want of a single product.
This quote from author Simon Sinek sums it up well: "People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it." It’s key to know what your customer thinks about your brand, then think of ways to strengthen and reinforce those feelings and help people discover what you’re all about.
A strong brand story strengthens your ecommerce business
While there is the romantic side of having a narrative that engages and intrigues a potential customer, there are also very tangible benefits that can boost your online retail business, such as:
1. Creating featured content for retail partners. Whether it’s through words, imagery or video, many retailers are hungry for ways to tell stories that will resonate with their customers. When there’s a call for content—whether it’s a rich product description or a feature about a problem your product solves—a story helps your brand deliver. That means there’s an opportunity for greater exposure and greater sales as a result.
2. Anchoring your brand in a purpose. A brand story doesn’t have to be overly deep. It may be as simple as wanting to make high-quality products at an affordable price point because your commitment is to serve first-time homeowners on a budget. Simply promoting that purpose can make your brand more memorable to not only the end customer but to buyers and retailers, too.
3. Building a connection with the customer. Maybe your story includes a commitment to sustainability, a mastery of artisan design or a promise for function at a great price. These are the elements that can connect with a customer, even if they are shopping for a commodity product.
4. Driving repeat purchases. From coffee to cars, we all have brands we return to again and again to because of our experience and understanding of the brand story. The same goes for home furnishings—if your brand and product resonate with a customer, they’ll be more likely to think of you when a need comes up again.
Making the most of your brand story
Writing your brand story isn’t quite as simple as, “If you build it, they will come.” You’ll want to have a consistent show-and-tell to communicate it to your partners and customers.
Tell your story across your owned channels, like your website, social media channels and imagery. Commit to a consistent look and feel across these that will help foster your brand’s narrative and allow people to see it and recognize it.
Think about your packaging. For branded products, is there collateral or another in-box item you can include that tells the end customer a little more about the brand, the product or the designer? Sharing that story creates something “sticky” for a customer, so when they are ready for another purchase, your brand comes to mind.
Let your retail partners know. Make sure you communicate your story to buyers and category managers so they understand how that identity shows up in the products. Put key features of your story in your product setup file so that they end up on your retailers’ product pages and create stronger, more impactful content. For premium and specialty retailers, these stories are meaningful ways to market your assortment.
If you haven’t documented your brand story, now is the time. Use it as a means to connect with your end customer, and you’ll reap the benefits of brand affinity all along the way.
