Whether you’re a freelancer looking to snag more clients, a professional looking to advance your career, or an entrepreneur working hard to get more customers, having a brand story that tells people who the fudge you are 😉 and how and why your brand came to be is essential. 

Brand stories give others a glimpse into who you are and take them on a journey that shows where you started and how you got to where you are today. 

This post will take a look at how brand stories work and how to craft them. 

Why Brand Stories Matter

Everyone loves a good story, and if you got swept up in the recent frenzy caused by TikTok sensation ReesaTeesa’s 50-part series, Who TF Did I Marry, you understand why. 

*Spoiler Alert*

In case you missed it, Tareasa Johnson, who goes by ReesaTeesa on TikTok, went viral for sharing her experience marrying and then divorcing a man she calls a “pathological liar.” 

The story told in 50 ten-minute segments, takes viewers on a wild ride as it chronicles Tareasa’s experience, revealing one jaw-dropping lie after another told by “Legion” her now ex-husband.

In it, a whirlwind romance leads to moving in together at the start of the pandemic just weeks after meeting. Legion quickly starts paying all of the bills, which is a breeze since he’s vice president of a condiment company and has a nest egg from his days as an arena football player.

Soon, the couple is pregnant, engaged and putting in offers on homes, but each falls through. Teresa miscarries, then senses something isn’t right with her relationship, and after investigating, she discovers her husband is broke and has lied to her about who he is and what he does for a living leaving her asking who TF did she marry. 

I didn’t intend to watch it, but after the first ten minutes, I was hooked. Every time one video ended, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next out of sheer curiosity. Drawn in by Tareasa’s natural storytelling ability and the incredible details of her story, I was completely captivated, and when I finished watching, I wanted to know even more.

Was she going to write a book? Would there be a TV show? A Lifetime movie? She had created a brand I was a huge fan of without even knowing it just by sharing her story. Today, Tareasa is doing podcasts, working with a management team and using the opportunities granted to her by telling her story to build a personal brand. Who TF did I Marry is indeed her brand story. 

Essential Elements of a Brand Story

Every brand story contains specific elements that help it strike the right chord with the people who read or hear it. Without them, it won’t have the desired effect and can even repel people entirely. Let’s look at the elements ReesaTeesa included in her brand story and see how you can use them to craft an effective brand story of your own.  

Target Audience

ReesaTeesa’s Story

In the very first video in the series, she explains that she’s sharing her story so that other women can know and recognize the signs of a narcissist or pathological liar while they’re on the dating scene. This statement immediately defines her target audience. 

Your Brand Story

Knowing your target audience is key because it helps you define who you’re talking to which allows you to craft a story in a tone and language they want to hear. If you don’t know your target audience, take a minute to think about who your brand serves and who would most likely benefit from the information you provide. Next, conduct research to figure out their needs and wants. A few quick ways to conduct this research are to hop into Facebook or LinkedIn groups, join the conversation and ask genuine questions, and run polls on social media. 

Core Values

ReesaTeesa’s Story

More than once ReesaTeesa tells viewers she was raised Christian and that her beliefs guided her decisions regarding her marriage. For example, she explains that she wasn’t comfortable living with her boyfriend while unmarried and that getting pregnant without having a husband weighed on her conscience so she chose to get married despite all of the red flags. As a viewer, her declaration of values helped make some of her decisions make more sense because it was clear where she was coming from

Your Brand Story

Just like ReesaTeesa’s viewers, your target audience will understand who you are and why you do what you do or gain a new perspective on the products or services you provide when they know your brand’s core values. Include core values like integrity, perseverance and transparency in your brand story to boost its authenticity, help people form a deeper connection to your brand and set you apart from the competition.

Transformation

ReesaTeesa’s Story

Near the end of the series ReesaTeesa tells viewers that she doesn’t even know what happened to the woman she was before she met her ex husband. This statement hints at the transformation she underwent throughout her ordeal. Before she met Legion she was open-hearted, a bit naive and looking for love and after she, I believe, had a more realistic view of the potential dangers of dating, was more cautious and saw the wisdom in listening to her intuition and paying attention to red flags. Each time a lighbulb went off moving her from oblivious girlfriend to Detective Colombo I became even more invested in her story.

Your Brand Story

Your brand story is more than just a summary of the details of your life or of how you built your business or nonprofit. It’s a story of triumph and you’re the main character. Good brand stories start with the events that set their brand in motion and like a roller coaster take readers on highs and lows as they explain the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. When done well, by the end of the story it will be clear how the person or brand transformed becoming wiser or stronger because of their experiences. Showing transformation makes a brand relatable and helps increase authenticity. Be sure to infuse your brand story with emotion to create deeper connections. 

When people are moved by your brand story they’ll want to learn more about who you are and what you have to offer. Making sure your brand story resonates with your target audience, explaining your core values and taking people on a journey from where you started to where you are today and showing how you fought to overcome every obstacle along the way makes your brand memorable and helps you capture the hearts of your audience. 

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