Think about your culture. How did it originate? What were the traditions, values and rhythms that make up your culture?
For me, it was going to church, after-church fish fries, hand-clapping, foot-stomping, heart-transforming music that stayed in your soul.
I’m churchy.
My family often brings up scripture in our conversations. Our jokes come from the “churchiness” of my upbringing.
And here’s the thing – I’m not alone. There are many of you out there who grew up in church, clap on beat, know what to say, when I say, “God is good…”
(For those of you who didn’t grow up in a black church, you say, ‘all the time’)
Culture has a smell to it. It has a sound. It has an emotion. So as I build culture as a storyteller, as a business owner, as a community builder, it’s critical that I incorporate the beautiful elements of my personal identity and infuse them into my brand.
When I bring aspects of my culture, values and beliefs into my story – I access the power of something that is bigger than just me alone. I gain the power…of community.
Today we are talking about brand stories that MOVE MOUNTAINS. What else moves mountains? Faith.
When you believe in something, your actions change. So how do I create brand experiences that change people’s behaviors How do I get them to not only engage with my brand, but to build with my brand?
As a storyteller, I have written about Ben’s Chili Bowl, that surpassed the traditional expectations of serving food, but overcame the construction of the Washington, D.C. metro and become a trusted icon for communities of color in the midst of gentrification and regional change.
I’ve seen companies that chose to pivot in the midst of a pandemic to abandon business as usual to answer the call to serve their community. These are the brands whose stories can move mountains.
These businesses impacted their community, not because of their product or service, but because of their stories. It was because of their willingness to go beyond the call of duty to serve their community in their greatest moment of need. Decades later, these businesses are strong and thriving.
Strong businesses are produced from strong people. So while we might have the best product or service, even as business owners, it is our culture, our values and our beliefs that attract customers that will become raving ambassadors of our brands.
Your business should not only come from your skills, but it should come from your story. It should come from a passion to serve, a part of who you are and a calling to fulfill a mission.
Your brand story is part of that calling.
Action: Write down your “why” in one sentence. Who are you here to serve, and what do you stand for?
What You Stand For: Defining Your Brand’s Values
Dig beyond the daily rhythms of what you do – and remember why you do it. Remember why you started. For Amanda Stephenson, of Fresh Food Factory, it was a father who received a terminal diagnosis.
As she served her father daily, preparing his meals and caring for him, she realized the power of food to heal. When she later moved to Washington, D.C., she saw a familiar connection. She realized that the ethnic communities did not have access to the foods that kept them healthy, so they struggled with illness.
Amanda’s story and her mission to serve, drove her to take her business to the next dimension by providing access to fresh foods – but also by making her facility accessible to ethnic food retailers to serve their communities.
Her passion to serve began on that Virginia farm with her father, but it grew into a movement of food equity in the District.
How can you start a movement?
Start from the beginning. Remember why you first got in business. Remember your struggle, your pain. Write out the core values that sparked the need for change. Now think of others who may struggle in the same vein.
Your past challenges and pain points are the connection point for your future community.
The values that inspired you to begin – such as justice, wellness, service, truth, empathy – should be the same values that drive the day to day of your business. These core values should show up in the way that you conduct a discovery call, how you deliver your services, how you address challenges and every aspect of your business.
When the leader of the organization embodies the core values, the employees or workers will follow suit.
When and Where to Share: Finding Your Authentic Tribe
As you develop your brand story, it’s important that you share it with the right people at the right place and the right time.
So when and where does your audience need to hear your story? EVERYWHERE.
I am a big believer of omnichannel marketing. If people need seven touches or more in order to make a connection with a brand, it’s important that your brand is showing up consistently and frequently across all channels.
Your goals should determine the best channels to build community. If you have a professional brand, you may turn to LinkedIn, email marketing and your website blog.
If you have a brick-and-mortar, you may want to host regular gatherings where your target audience can find community with you.
Since the pandemic, one thing I have realized is that people have never stopped being lonely. People are looking for the right communities that meet their physical needs, as well as their soul’s desire to connect with others who understand their journey.
Create an experience that challenges the mind, as well as connects emotionally. Create an experience that takes them on a journey to a better, more authentic version of themselves. Create culture.
You can create culture online or in-person – through the words and euphemisms you share, through showing up consistently, create an experience as though you were in person that people can rely on. And just like people show up for Scandal or This is Us or the latest TV series, they will show up for you.
Connect on key holidays and seasons in the way that feels authentic to your brand and your community. Create new memories that inspire your community to build something new with you.
How do you remain consistent?
Action: Develop a content calendar, aligning your storytelling with key dates and events relevant to your audience.
How to Move Mountains: Turning Stories into Action
So, how can you transform your story into a movement that impacts culture? Here are a few practical steps you can take:
- Begin by developing a storytelling strategy – determine your mission, values and audience needs and develop content themes and messaging around this strategy.
- Engage your audience through calls to action. As you publish and promote your content, ensure that you have a destination in mind for your end users. Without a vision, the people perish. This biblical principle applies in business. Cast the vision to your community, so they will not fizzle out.
- Develop an immersive experience for your community. Use visual and audio storytelling techniques to appeal to your community’s senses – from sight to sound. Try to create three sensory layers in each communication – be it through music, video, text, smell, taste. Think of creative ways that you can paint a picture, develop a memory and engage your tribe.
Remember that moving mountains isn’t about instant results. It’s about persistent faith and action over time.
Action: Using these three principles, outline your next three storytelling initiatives for this year.
As you write the next chapter of your movement, remember to leverage the power of your experiences and your passions. Use your unique identity as a leader and as a community builder to inspire your tribe. This is your opportunity to not only build a business, but to make a difference in the world around us.
Shine your light brightly. Be faithful over a few things and God promises to make us ruler over many. (Matthew 25:23)
Every story no matter how great, or how meek, when you tell your story with power, it has the power to change a life. Remember that you began your business for a purpose, you have a mission, a passion and a why that drives you every single day. Begin telling your story, connecting with your tribe, and moving mountains one step at a time.