How Important Is Your Story When Building Your Brand? A Storytelling Expert Explains

I recently interviewed Celinne Da Costa, a Brand Story coach who helps visionary leaders and entrepreneurs master the art of storytelling.

Celinne has worked with leaders and entrepreneurs all over the world, including Fortune 500 companies, to create content that deeply connects with their audience, build unforgettable brands that sell, and scale their business with impact.

There are countless brands out there competing for consumers’ attention. To stand out in this sea of sameness, you need to capture people’s attention by differentiating yourself with what no one else can copy… your story.

Celinne shares how you can leverage your story to create a brand that resonates (and sells!) today:

Understand your hero’s journey

If you want your audience to stick around and remember who you are, you need to take them through a compelling journey full of insights, lessons, and emotions.

That’s where your hero’s journey comes in — it is the narrative that shows your audience who you once were, what drove you to a point where you realized you had to change, the breakdown/breakthrough that caused you end up where you are today, what obstacles you had to overcome to succeed, what you achieved as a result, and how you can guide others through a similar transformation.

Your hero’s journey is the foundation for your brand so make sure you understand it. Most importantly, know how to explain it to your audience in a way that keeps them engaged and invested in your brand.

Get crystal clear on your vision

You may spend a lot of time doing things — running a business, paying bills, creating content, marketing your products or offers, and so on — but how much time are you spending connecting with your reason “why”?

I’ve seen so many entrepreneurs get incredibly stuck because they disconnect with why they started their business in the first place. They stop attracting clients, making as much profit, and get snuffed out by their competition because they’ve lost touch of what makes them unique.

Your vision is your compass. Get clear on why you do what you do, who you’re doing it for, and what the transformation that you’re providing for your audience is. Once you do, then you can wrap that vision around a story that captures your audience’s hearts, connects them to you, and moves them to action.

Find the connection between your journey and your business goals

It’s not enough to know how to tell a story. If you want to build a brand that people remember for years to come, you need to be strategic about how you tell that story.

Once you’re clear on your hero’s journey and your vision, it’s time to put that into practice by aligning your brand’s story with your business goals. For example, if you’re a business coach and you’re selling a program about problem-solving, then you need to share stories (in both your personal life and career) about the many times where you were able to a find solution where others thought there was none. Something like that.

This will help reinforce your credibility and expertise with your audience while also making you relatable and memorable.

Tell stories that give value

Whenever you share a story, your audience should walk away with value. Your brand story is not meant to be a sob story or a long narrative that people get lost in. Be clear on what you stand for, your values, your ideal audience, and what you can offer them, and make sure that your content communicates that.

When storytelling, respect your audience’s time by giving back to them: this could come in the form of inspiration, an opening for connection, a fresh insight, or a list of tips they can apply to solve their problem. This will train your audience to always look out for and consume your content, and become loyal to your brand as a result.

Share your story with the world

Now that you understand your story and how to use it to grow your brand and business, it’s time to get it out there in the world. Your brand is as powerful as it is known, and that’s why publicity is your friend.

Your story will take you far when it comes to getting featured on publications, interviewed for podcasts, growing your following, etc. The better you learn to package and market your story, the more attention your brand will get.

To build a powerful brand, you’ll need to be remembered and admired for what you do, as well as how you make people feel and the transformation you bring into their lives. That begins with the story you choose to tell.

Celinne’s bio:

Celinne Da Costa is a brand story & life design coach for visionary leaders who want to master the art of storytelling so they can deeply connect with their audience, create a captivating brand that sells, and scale their business with impact.

Since leaving corporate America to design life on her own terms, Celinne has helped her 6 and 7 figure clients become confident leaders with powerful stories, influential brands, international media coverage, and thousands of raving followers.

Celinne graduated from University of Pennsylvania, is a master NLP Communication practitioner, and a certified Life, Social and Emotional Intelligence, and Motivational coach. She has visited 50+ countries and now travels full-time while running her business.

Celinne has been featured in major publications around the world, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider, and has a loyal community of 50,000+ dreamers following her adventures around the world. Follow her epic story on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @CelinneDaCosta.