TAKEAWAYS
In a recent nine-hour livestream, Taiwanese songstress Annie Yi generated nearly RMB6.8 million (approximately US$945,000) in expensive skincare products from over one million viewers. She adopted a unique approach known as “quiet selling” – a slower-paced, storytelling-oriented style of live streaming.
Instead of peddling products, she shared intimate stories of her turbulent childhood along with life advice as she showcased the different items.
While her success provided a captivating lead-in, the heart of the matter lay in the transformative power of brand storytelling and its pivotal role in cultivating a thriving community.
BANI stands for brittle, anxious, non-linear, and incomprehensible. In an era marked by constant change and uncertainty, brand storytelling has become more than just recounting a brand’s history or values, it is a strategic imperative.
Compelling narratives foster emotional connections, authenticity and trust, setting brands apart in a saturated market. This storytelling approach goes beyond transactions, focusing on building relationships and a sense of community.
Humans are wired to connect through stories, analogies, and experiences. Stories provide context, engage listeners, build trust, and stimulate imagination.
When stories include vulnerable aspects of imperfect lives, they resonate authentically, activating emotional appeal and forging connections. This psychological impact is the foundation for why brand stories are integral to community building.
In the BANI dance, cultivating a community isn’t just a choice, it’s a strategic imperative for businesses seeking stability, longevity, and a robust foundation for sustained success.
Amid uncertainty, a devoted community becomes a stabilising force, fostering brand resilience. These engaged individuals not only provide consistent revenue, they serve as brand advocates, amplifying influence in a volatile market.
Building a community-centric brand story requires more than showcasing a brand’s history or values. It involves crafting a narrative that engages the target audience, building emotional connections, loyalty, and a sense of community.
The key to finding good brand stories is to look for the sweet spot where the brand values overlap with the customers’ values. This narrative should permeate various channels, ensuring a consistent and immersive storytelling experience across websites, social media, product packaging, and retail spaces.
In Annie Yi’s live stream, she urged her audience with advice like, “Don’t empty yourself to love or be loved. All your efforts are to fill yourself up and enjoy your life.” These pieces of advice resonated well with her audience, who claimed they felt “healed” and that she was selling “hope”.
In a dynamic market, brand narratives should be open and adaptable, engaging in dialogue with customers, co-creators, and stakeholders. It is important to ensure that the brand’s story remains relevant and resonant in an ever-evolving landscape.
As such, brands need to listen, learn, and adapt their stories to meet the evolving needs and expectations of their audience.
To uncover hidden gems within a brand, it is essential to harvest stories from various perspectives, personal experiences, and ideas.
Whether you are a startup founder or a business leader, humanising your brand involves finding the sweet spot where brand values overlap with customer experiences. Success stories of customers can also become powerful narratives, uniting and building believers among internal stakeholders.
To build a community aligned with your brand, start by developing brand narratives. You would need to engage your executive leadership teams, board members, and advisors to gather perspectives on where your brand is currently, and aspirations for its future. Then communicate your value proposition authentically, making it personal, relatable, and meaningful. This lays the foundation for building a community that not only aligns with your brand but also becomes devoted customers.
To unearth compelling brand stories that resonate with your audience, consider these key steps.
By focusing on these steps, you will craft a brand story that not only builds a community aligned with your values but also drives meaningful engagement and lasting connections.
Christina Lim is Founder and Chief Strategist of advisory firm Chrisspeak Pte Ltd. She is the author of Not A Marketing Textbook: Practical building blocks to launch and grow your business, available on Amazon.com.
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