Brands add value with one thing. Stories. You have to tell stories, and sell stories.

In the old age of advertising, advertising agencies created the stories, and sold the stories to consumers. In this Mad Men advertising era, the old agencies would come up with a story line, make an ad, and the consumers would buy if they liked the story. The ads were simple; a housewife embarrassed, a husband who doesn’t listen, a toilet paper that was softer. And then, there would be a solution. If the solution made sense, the product sold. If not, they would try again.

Today, with the internet, the old stories of advertising are just as valid as ever. But what is unique about today is the ability of the web to allow consumers to make their own stories, and define YOUR brand the way THEY want.

Smart companies are realizing this, and figuring out ways to get the positive stories about their companies out and in front of the public. One of the easiest ways is the open source software WordPress. With WordPress, you and your customers can build a storybook.

The cost is cheap; a few thousand dollars. But the payoff is much larger.

This approach works for every type and sort of brand, though each format needs a slightly different approach. Some different approaches and ideas:

1. Consumer brands: If a brand has any history at all, it has fans. Some more than others. Yet companies do not take advantage of the stories that consumers tell about the brand. Solution: Build a brand history site that tells the complete story of the brand, and allow users to add their own recollections through comments and their own stories. Reward posts and input with free T-shirts and product samples.
2. Tourism brands: Hotels, resorts and destinations can provide a site where they tell stories about their brand. Then, visitors and fans can add to the story. Solution: Build an outwardly focused destination guide for your resort or attraction, that not only tells about your particular business, but also tells the story of the people who visit, and what is nearby. Remember, tourists don’t just visit you, they visit a place, and what’s good for everyone is good for you.
3. Service brands: Very often, a service company has negative information and stories about them on the web, yet the other positive stories are neglected as the company does not have a clue about how to harness this information. Strategy: Build a separate website or sub-domain that allows your customers to tell good stories about you, and give them discounts and freebies in return.
4. Education brands: Schools, universities and other institutions can use their history as a selling point. After all, while curriculum is important, what gets potential students and donors excited is the possibility of being a part of something greater and grander than themselves. Strategy: Build a history website that explores all the different aspects of the identity of the school or university, and encourages those who have experienced it to tell what they loved. Contributors can be invited for special parties and events.

Email us for our free report, Building Your Brand Through Web Content. Email Chief Content Editor Garland Pollard or call at (703) 745-8602. It’s free, and just might give you some ideas.