There's no question, storytelling is the most powerful communication mechanism known to man. But what makes a story so effective at communicating something? Here we reveal the formula for an engaging story.

1. LESSON 6

2. WHY STORIES BUILD BRANDS:
Telling an Unforgettable Story
CODE OF CONTENT

3. Before
computers.

4. Before the
printing
press.

5. Before quill
and paper.

6. Long ago,
humans had
a different
way of
recording
history and
sharing
information.

7. Our ancestors used stories for
everything. They were an integral part
of society and culture as a whole.

8. They were used to teach lessons, record history,
and spread traditions. Today, we’re just starting
to understand how powerful stories are.

9. When you’re focused on a story something
special happens. You start to put yourself in the
characters shoes. You start to see the things they
see. You even start to feel the things they feel.

10. Through your mirror neurons, you can literally
experience the same feelings and brain chemistry
as the characters in your books and movies.

11. There’s no question, stories are the
most powerful communication
mechanism known to man.

12. Why tell your
audience
something, when
you can make
them feel it with
a good story?

13. Take Ayn Rand, a
political activist
advocating for
her libertarian
philosophies.

14. She was passionate about her conservative ideology and
wanted it to spread. So as any logical human being would do,
she presented her views in compelling, fact-based arguments
and published them in a series of non-fiction books.

15. She set up her
distribution network
and waited for her
views to take hold. She
waited and waited…
but nothing happened.
Her books were quite
unpopular, produced
little change of opinion,
and inspired no one.

16. After a couple attempts of these fact-based arguments,
Rand reevaluated her strategy. She then thought of the
brilliant idea to use a story as a vehicle for her ideas.

17. She wrote a book and
ingrained her views
within the plot and
through the beliefs of
her characters. That
book was called Atlas
Shrugged and remains
one of the most
popular and influential
books in the world,
still inspiring people
to this day.

18. Rand inseminated
her views into a
story and was able
to inspire her
readers by evoking
strong emotional
responses to her
characters.

19. Stories are an extremely
powerful vessel for your ideas. If
you're trying to communicate
with a large group of people,
stories are the best way to do it.

20. So how do you create
a compelling brand
story? Here's 6
characteristics of an
effective brand story:

21. AUTHENTIC

22. Don’t try to be something you’re
not. If it’s not authentic people will
see right through it and you’ll lose
your audience’s trust before you
even have a chance to earn it.

23. Roma Boots: Founder Samuel
Bistrian grew up poor in
Romania, where winters are
severe and children don't
have proper footwear. His
mission? To give poverty the
boot by giving back to street
children and orphans. For
every pair of Roma Boots
sold, a brand new pair with
educational supplies is
donated to a child in need.

24. SIMPLE

25. Focus on the
problem you’re
solving and the
people you're
helping. If your
story can’t be
summed up in a
sentence, it’s too
complicated.

26. Warby Parker: Warby Parker
was founded after one of its
founders lost his glasses on
a backpacking trip and
couldn’t afford to replace
them as a grad student.
Their goal is dead simple:
provide designer quality
glasses at affordable prices.

27. UNIQUE

28. Your story should have your founders’
personality and brands’ essence infused into it.
It shouldn't sound like anything else and should
be completely different from your competition.

29. Burt’s Bees: Burt's bees got its
start when artist Roxanne
Quimby started using the
unused wax from Burt
Shavitz's beehives to make
candles. From those candles to
the iconic beeswax lip balm we
all know today, Burt's Bees has
stayed true to one simple
idea: what you put on your
body should be made from the
best that nature has to offer.

30. RELATABLE

31. Your target audience should
be the hero of your story,
overcoming a problem with
your product/service as
their secret weapon.

32. Spanx: Founder Sara Blakely
was getting ready for a party
when she realized she didn’t
have the right undergarment
to provide a smooth look
under white pants. She then
cut the feet off her pantyhose
and the Spanx revolution
began. Her mission: to help
women feel great about
themselves and help them
reach their potential.

33. MEMORABLE

34. You might think your
business is boring. But
if you use your
imagination you can
dream up a captivating
story about the forces
of good and evil for
even the dullest of
businesses.

35. Dollar Shave Club: Their story
starts by focusing on a
frustrating pain point: that
razors are really expensive and
frustrating to buy. Then founder,
Michael Dubin, infused his own
sense of humor into the brand.
Dollar Shave Club teaches us
that even the most boring
markets are ripe for disruption if
you use a little creativity.

36. SIGNIFICANT

37. Your brand should solve a
meaningful problem in a
powerful way. Focus on
how you provide a
remedy and improve the
quality of people's lives.

38. Tom’s Shoes: Founder Blake
Mycoskie was traveling in
Argentina when he witnessed the
hardships faced by children
forced to grow up without shoes.
Wanting to help, he created
Tom's Shoes, a company that
would donate a pair of shoes to a
child in need for every shoe
bought. To date, they've given
more than 50 million pairs of
shoes to those in need.

39. When was the last time a statistic
inspired you to action? Stories on
the other hand, move us.

40. Not only can a good
brand story drive
customer loyalty, it can
help spread the word
about your business
and drive more profits.
Take the time to shape
your narrative now,
and it'll pay dividends
down the line.

41. Now that we’ve covered how to build a relatable,
meaningful brand through storytelling, Lesson 7
will show you how to use content to find the
perfect channel for your brand.