How to Tell an Impact Story that Aligns With Your Brand — and Stands Out From the Noise!
Photo: USGS aerial photo of Keping Shan thrust belt in China. This mountain belt was created when land masses collided, and pressure from the collisions caused the rocks to fold and break. Each break is known as a “fault” and forms the layered ridges you can see throughout the photo. I chose an earth image full of reds and pinks because it stands out. I bet you were expecting something full of cool blues and greens, like everyone’s favorite planet emoji. But as our climate changes and temperatures increase, we’re going to see more dusty, desert-y reds, less water, and a lot less green.
If Earth Day (or Women’s History Month, Veteran’s Day, Mother’s Day, or any number of other holidays) looms on your editorial calendar, you’re not alone. Maybe you don’t even have an editorial calendar, but you feel the social pressure to post something for these internet-defined, “important” days. Maybe your competitor came up with a cool email campaign, your favorite brand announced a sale, or an employee asked what you plan to do for X holiday. Regardless, maintaining a cohesive brand feel while staying focused on what matters requires planning ahead, keeping your content strategy airtight, and always asking why.
I work with lots of companies in your position. The week before a “marketing holiday” they rush to pull something together, putting stress on employees and ending up with something good, not great. But there is another way. Rather than scramble to keep up, what if you felt ahead of the game? Here are six tips for sharing impactful stories that align with your brand, and stand out from the social noise!
Put your audience first. Who are you speaking to? What would they like to learn/discover/watch? How can you provide value beyond the product or service you sell? Don’t try to create for everyone, instead narrow in on the audience that matters most.
Tell the truth. Always, no matter what. Especially when it comes to measures of impact. Hold yourself and your team accountable, own where you’re falling short, and be clear about the meaning behind your metrics. It takes a lot of time to build trust with your customers or audiences, and it only takes one mistake to destroy it.
Ask yourself why. Arguably you should ask why any time you post, but when it comes to impact, intention is essential. Why are you choosing to share right now? Why does your story matter? Why are you the right ones to tell it? Why will your audience care? Revisit your mission, vision, and values to help tie your story back to your overarching company ethos.
Find the format that fits your vibe. Writing essays and written guides (like this one) is true to Watterson Creative because we deal in the written word. Maybe video is better aligned with your brand. Or maybe a series of photos or a product roundup will resonate best with your ideal customer.
Sometimes you’ll have to accept good enough. Do you have metrics that you’re proud of, but no time to publish a full report? Write a thoughtful letter or email and share the numbers there. You can always create a shiny report later on. Treat this year as an experiment, try a few simple posts or stories, note what lands, and use those learnings to do even better next year.
Normalize doing nothing. Not every brand needs to post for every calendar event. In fact, insensitive or sporadic posting could erode your audience’s perception of you and be counterproductive to your goals. So get comfortable sitting one out, and explain to your team why posting on Labor Day weekend doesn’t align with your snow sports brand (you get the picture)!
Remember: Powerful content should extend your brand and help your clients or customers feel like they’re part of something. Have fun creating campaigns that celebrate your impact and share your story, and then see what resonates!
Stuck on what to say or how to say it? Reach out. I’m always happy to spend an hour consulting on your story strategy, helping you plan a full editorial calendar, or taking the writing off your plate. Becca@wattersoncreative.com.
Photo credit: Simon Lee
