Branding Toolkit Part 1: Brand Story

Branding Toolkit Part 1: Brand Story

Branding Toolkit Part 1: Brand Story


Every brand has a story—what's yours?

The first step to any branding or rebranding project is to know your brand’s story. What is your brand’s history? What small anecdotes about your brand do you carry in your back pocket? What makes your brand unique?

 

Whether you know it or not, every brand (including yours!) has a great story that tells the world what it is all about. Having a solid handle on your brand’s story is instrumental in creating a branding guide; knowing your brand is the hardest part!

 

Your brand’s story should include your organization’s mission and vision, plus your core values if you have them defined. These should all be written in a way that speaks to your target audience. Grab a pen and sheet of paper, then let's get to work!

 

1. Mission Statement


Your mission statement should state why your brand exists and what you do. It can be big or small, but it should let someone know who you are and what you stand for in just a few short sentences. Think of your mission statement as your elevator pitch. Start off by writing a rough draft of your mission statement. Just a few sentences should do it!

2. Vision Statement


Your vision statement should add on to your mission statement, but instead of answering why your brand exists, it should answer where your brand wants to go. Where do you see your brand five years from now? Ten? Fifteen? Brainstorm with your team then turn your ideas into one or two sentences.

3. Core Values


Your core values should already be mentioned in your mission and vision statements—maybe not explicitly, but they're definitely there. Core values are statements that your organization and its employees are guided by in order to stick by your mission and achieve your vision. Look over your newly written mission and vision statements and jot down the common values you see in both of them. No need to be wordy, a list of three to five values is just enough!

 

Feel yourself getting stuck? Your mission statement, vision statement, and core values should all complement each other. Although they are separate elements, they should each use similar language to the other. If you find it difficult to write down strong statements, focus on putting down the bare-bones of each element; you can always come back to them for necessary edits! Our next post will focus on putting each of these elements together to best tell your brand story. Remember, STS Brand is here to help if you need it!

 

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