Speak like a human
Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2024 11:00 am
These stories humanise and breathe life into their brands and are central to their global successes. The story is just as crucial when it comes to content: our latest research finds that a clear and compelling narrative is one of the three most valued aspects of thought leadership. Yet just 7% of tech industry readers say that the content they read provides one.
There are a few key points to consider when developing your brand story. What is the story? Is it authentic, powerful and aligned with your organisation? How will the story be the star of the show?
So, you have something powerful to say; now, think about how you are going to say it.
Brands tend to fear that straying too far from the hard sales narrative will result in a meandering message, wasted space and lost time with the customer. Or, they worry that if the language is too straightforward, the reader will assume that the idea is unsophisticated.
This is a far cry from the reality, and start-ups know it. Many have list of argentina cell phone numbers successfully built a loyal and engaged follower base simply by speaking to their audience as people. While this approach isn’t difficult to master, the perception of sincerity is won through consistency: content should be clear, with actionable insights and the tone conversational and unpretentious.
Design-led business banking start-up, ANNA (which stands for “Absolutely No Nonsense Admin”) is a great example of this. Launched in 2018, this fast-growing B2B brand does exactly what it says on the tin: it reduces the hassle of admin for its small business customers.
The platform also boasts another quintessentially human trait: emotion. “Traditionally, there’s no place for emotion in finance,” says Nick Finney of NB Studio—the branding firm that designed ANNA’s visual identity—in a recent interview. Instead, ANNA’s highly visual, illustrated branding is designed to “make ANNA an approachable and relatable brand… [that] stands in sharp contrast to the traditional cold blues of banks, corporations and traditional fintech,” he explains.
This is not to say you need to change your entire approach to thought leadership content. But you should ensure you’ve considered what is the human element driving the story and how is the story relevant to your audience. Is it relatable, understandable and engaging?
There are a few key points to consider when developing your brand story. What is the story? Is it authentic, powerful and aligned with your organisation? How will the story be the star of the show?
So, you have something powerful to say; now, think about how you are going to say it.
Brands tend to fear that straying too far from the hard sales narrative will result in a meandering message, wasted space and lost time with the customer. Or, they worry that if the language is too straightforward, the reader will assume that the idea is unsophisticated.
This is a far cry from the reality, and start-ups know it. Many have list of argentina cell phone numbers successfully built a loyal and engaged follower base simply by speaking to their audience as people. While this approach isn’t difficult to master, the perception of sincerity is won through consistency: content should be clear, with actionable insights and the tone conversational and unpretentious.
Design-led business banking start-up, ANNA (which stands for “Absolutely No Nonsense Admin”) is a great example of this. Launched in 2018, this fast-growing B2B brand does exactly what it says on the tin: it reduces the hassle of admin for its small business customers.
The platform also boasts another quintessentially human trait: emotion. “Traditionally, there’s no place for emotion in finance,” says Nick Finney of NB Studio—the branding firm that designed ANNA’s visual identity—in a recent interview. Instead, ANNA’s highly visual, illustrated branding is designed to “make ANNA an approachable and relatable brand… [that] stands in sharp contrast to the traditional cold blues of banks, corporations and traditional fintech,” he explains.
This is not to say you need to change your entire approach to thought leadership content. But you should ensure you’ve considered what is the human element driving the story and how is the story relevant to your audience. Is it relatable, understandable and engaging?