Ready to stand out? A 7-step plan to write your brand story

Congratulations, you launched your new service business! Your website is up and running, you printed your business cards, and you’re attending your weekly networking meetings. You’re in business. So why does finding new clients feel like running through knee-deep mud? Most likely it’s because your primary offering isn't as clear as you think. Until your brand story is written and your key messages defined, you’re still in hiding.

This business clearly targets moms

Here’s the good news. Take the time now to present your offering in clear, concise terms and it will simplify every other new business task. When you’re clear:

• Your presentations let people know exactly what you do and why you do it. 
• Your forms present potential clients with clear options and well-defined costs.
• Your marketing efforts result in new contacts who want what you offer. 

Writing a brand story and defining key messages must be the first action you take to improve your visibility. I’m not a writer, you say. Or, I know my message, I don’t need to write it out. Here’s the thing. Even good writers, really good writers like Anne Lamott, end up writing lousy first drafts that bounce all around what they want to say before they can drain the sludge and find the gems. If your brand story isn’t down on paper, and you haven’t prioritized a written list of key messages, you won’t be able to reinforce those messages in your presentations, web copy, Facebook posts, blog entries and tweets. To craft these messages, follow the steps outlined below.

First, to get a grip on your brand story, make a list—a lengthy list—of what you do and the primary benefits your clients receive from working with you. You want at least 30–40 items on this list. Insert long pause here while you go write your list.

Second, scan your list and circle all the items that jump out as part of your primary offering. Sometimes you’ll find you’ve said the same thing in different ways. At other times, your statements may still seem disconnected. Don’t worry. Right now you’re simply identifying the most important items on your list.  For example, a professional organizer might have listed items such as:

•  I help people get their paperwork in order.
• My clients benefit from my technical expertise.
•  I learn new computer programs quickly and easily.
• I help my clients convert to a paperless office.

Third, experiment with umbrella statements that collapse your selected statements into a single encompassing message. In the above example, such an umbrella statement might be:

• I provide the technical expertise to walk clients through setting up and managing a primarily paperless office.

Fourth, once you’ve plucked your primary offering from obscurity, you can select another three or four items from your list that support this primary offering. A good way to ensure that these services truly do support your primary offering is to start each sentence with:

• In order to _______, I also _______.

In the case of our professional organizer, she might say: “In order to help clients set up and manage primarily paperless offices, I also provide hands-on training in new computer systems.”

Fifth, now that you have greater clarity as to what it is that you do, describe the person who would most benefit from your service. Our professional organizer might describe her ideal client as someone who “desires to increase personal productivity through implementing technology and systems that help her work smarter.”

Sixth, begin writing your brand story by speaking directly to your ideal client. You might say, “you value personal productivity and are ready to let go of organizing systems that no longer work.” You then tell that ideal client what it is about your business that will help her solve her problems. “You want someone to help you select and implement the technology and systems that can support your productivity and professional growth.” Continue writing to your ideal client, telling her how each of your support activities will ultimately help her reach her primary goal.

Lastly, identify both a rational benefit and an emotional benefit for choosing your business. This statement is written from the client's point of view. For our professional organizer, the rational benefit might be:

•  ____’s expertise will help me select the most robust productivity systems, and will provide the hands-on training I need to implement those systems successfully.

The emotional benefit for the same business might be:

• I feel relieved and able to implement new systems, since I know I will get the support I need to see this transition through.

If, once you start drafting your brand story, you decide you want additional support in moving through all seven steps, contact me at New Ink. I’ve written hundreds of brand stories and will help you craft yours in a way that lets you stand out, no matter how crowded your marketplace. Contact Sharon at info@newinkcopy.com.