In my local Hy-Vee store earlier this week, I passed a small display of brownies and bars in the bakery section. The pumpkin bars looked amazing, and I was charmed by the brand, “Kate & Nola’s Confections.” I noticed a placard at the back of the display that described the history behind the brand name, noting Kate and Nola as the wives of the founders of Hy-Vee.
The brand is openly and entirely devoted to these two women, their fondness for baked goods, and the compelling roles they played in the history of Hy-Vee, Inc. I’m a sucker for a good story, and needless to say, I bought both the “Spectacular Pumpkin” and the “Chunky Chocolate Fudge” bars.
With social media, your company’s story is already being told, regardless of your participation. Consumers are sharing their experiences about your brand, products, and services with each other online. As we’ve said before, it’s how you interact with and work to shape that story, along with your consumers, that will define your success in this space (and win customers).
Talk About Your People
Sometimes, that’s all it takes. Reminding consumers about the human elements of your brand is an easy way to immediately connect with them.
Hyundai’s “Body Pass” Super Bowl commercial was a perfect example of this. Here, Hyundai is not telling the story of its cars, but of its people—3,300 quality experts in Montgomery, Alabama, to be exact. This commercial elicits a sense of community, trust, and appreciation, which all trump (hands down) the impression of a fast car.
The story that backed “Kate & Nola’s Confections” was full with nostalgia, admiration, and respect for two women dear to the Hy-Vee brand. These companies succeeded in capturing my attention because they sought to connect with me at a deeper level—past the product or service, directly with their history and people.
Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve
Both of the companies above pulled at some heart strings to achieve a memorable experience. Don’t be afraid to get a little excited or sentimental in telling your story. Your passion will only add to the ultimately deep, emotional connection your brand is making with the consumer.
Being honest, up front, and setting clear expectations are no-fail ways to ensure consumers your company is trustworthy. Consumers expect transparency and immediacy on the web—from finding company contact information quickly and easily on your site, to knowing what kind of response they might get (and when) from posting a question to your company’s Facebook Page.
What’s your favorite example of a company presence online and why? What stories do they share about their company that you find compelling?
{ 1 trackback }
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post Katie~I’ll be working to expose my company’s core in the near future…people like to know who they’re dealing with.
Katie,
“People like to know who they’re dealing with,” – absolutely. Ensuring customers know that there are hardworking, caring people behind the scenes goes so much farther than a product or service can on its own. It’s great to see how you’re working to do this at TimberPine. Thanks for your comment!
Reminds me of the time I heard Scott Bush of Templeton Rye tell their story. I hadn’t ever had whiskey, but it made me really want some TR.
Justin,
Great example of the power storytelling holds for businesses. Thanks for sharing.