4 Ways to Leverage Your Story and Create Buzz for a Brand Take advantage of this brilliant PR strategy.
By Ruth Agbaji Edited by Matt Scanlon
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
As a business owner, you already have so much on your plate, and the prospect of adding a whole new level of marketing might feel like just too much work. Where to even begin? Luckily, in this world of booming digital content and with so many platforms for sharing stories readily available, you have a myriad of options for telling yours.
1. Be the face of your business
I've found that the simplest way to leverage your story is to become the face of your enterprise. As a black woman in STEM, this was a tough one for me. I had been told that I should find someone who looked different to be the face of my brand, but knew that my ideal audience would love the idea of supporting a young immigrant mom in her journey to create a better world.
Stepping into the spotlight can be a hurdle for many entrepreneurs, to be sure, but your story is one of the things that differentiates your business and makes you stand out, and so not showing up as its face would be a lost opportunity. By publicly sharing my story of hardships while growing up in Nigeria, teaching myself to code and how those skills took me out of poverty and brought me to the U.S., I have been able to attract partners and allies willing and able to help me build Code Wiz into a household name.
Related: What Kind of Business Should You Start?
2. Utilize social media
Becoming the face of your brand means showing up regularly and yes, filming videos for social media. (These platforms can actually be used for more than cute cat videos!) Use them to establish authority in your industry and to connect with clients, customers, investors and partners. You can also establish yourself as a business professional by updating your bio, profile photos and cover images with information about your brand. (Remember that there's always the option of creating a secondary, private account for close friends and family.) Shifting main accounts to be a representation of your brand and journey as an entrepreneur will create new opportunities and connections.
If running social media as a business owner feels daunting, create a virtual team of digital marketing professionals or assistants to help you share your story. Outsourcing is a brilliant solution if you are not sure where to start.
Related: Why Emerging Franchisors Need a Virtual (Assistant) Army for Growth
3. Share your voice through podcasting
Starting a podcast is a cost-efficient and straightforward way of connecting with an audience, and there are excellent and low-cost tools available to do so, such as Anchor or Podbean; you can even record them on your phone!
If starting your own podcast feels like too much, find one you'd like to be a guest on and reach out. Most producers are constantly seeking new guests with fascinating narratives and expertise. When you share yours, including challenges overcome, you open windows of opportunity for those listening — lift and empower them to tackle their own goals and challenges.
4. Try guest writing
The practice of submitting articles and posts for established blogs or other online publications, guest writing (or hiring a writer to do so) can be a terrifically effective storytelling tool, not least because they build you up as an expert in your industry. As a franchisor, I love sharing experience and tips with fellow business owners seeking information on turning their brand into a franchise system. By sharing this kind of expertise, you attract people who appreciate these experiences.
Related: 10-Step Roadmap to Franchising Success
You might think people will get tired of the same story, but the audience is different every time — whether accessed via social media, podcasts, videos, blog posts or articles. Sharing the same story will continue to reach and inspire others, as well as build your personal brand and attract clients.
