Building a company is hard. Building a locally-known brand is very hard. Accept the Challenge!

More than a decade ago, Steve Jobs said that our only defense against a noisy world was to be clear about what we wanted people to know and remember about us. That’s what marketing is to me – formulating the story we want people to know about and then making it part of everything we do.

It’s about bleeding it.

How do you craft a memorable brand story?

1. Determine what you stand for and where you fit in. Who are you right now and who do you want to be? This is your culture. It’s your core.
2. Assess the traits that you have that best allow you to represent that core. This is where creating your character comes in – it’s the marketing persona inside of you that shows the best and most marketable version of yourself to your audience. Do not make up characteristics, but do highlight your best ones while removing the noise (the ones that don’t matter)
3. Piece together your brand story by finding the common thread between 1 and 2 and building from there. Use the characteristics and company stories that help you best convey what it is you’re trying to tell people.
4. Finalize your story until it looks, feels, smells, tastes and sounds like your core.
5. Work your story into everything you do, keeping 100 percent consistent.
6. Tell your story from every touch point.

Crafting a brand story allows you to communicate to your consumer exactly who you want to be so that they know how they are supposed to remember you. That’s how you break through the noise. By giving them something to remember. 

Here is an oldie but goodie.  Don't settle for just building a business, because a brand is worth much more.