🧠 How to Sell Something REAL

Welcome back to the 52nd edition of Nord Media

Imagine this: you’re browsing online and stumble across a brand you’ve never seen before. 

It’s not just the product that catches your eye—it’s the aura. 

The way they talk, the stories they share, the jokes they crack—it feels like they’re speaking directly to you. 

Suddenly, you’re not just shopping. 

You’re nodding along, laughing, and maybe even scrolling through their Instagram at 2 a.m., thinking, 

Wow, this is so me.

Take dBrand, for example. 

They sell phone skins, but what pulls you in is their unapologetic tone, their witty, in-your-face marketing, and the way they challenge industry norms. 

They make you feel like you’re in on the joke. 

Or consider Dad Gang. 

What started as a simple idea—a celebration of modern fatherhood—became a movement because they tapped into something raw and real. 

It’s a badge of pride for anyone embracing the chaotic beauty of being a dad.

These brands thrive because they’re relatable. 

They sell belonging. 

They create spaces where their audiences feel seen, understood, and even celebrated. 

And when people relate to your brand, your product becomes more than something they buy—it becomes a part of their story.

So, how do you build a brand that connects on this level? 

Today, we’re breaking down exactly how to shift everyday products into cultural touchstones. 

Let’s get into it:

What Is a Brand Story?

A brand story is a narrative that defines who you are and answers the big questions: 

Why do you exist? 

What do you stand for? 

It highlights the values, purpose, and perspective that make your brand different.

It’s the deeper “why” behind everything you do. 

Maybe it’s a commitment to sustainable practices, a mission to give back, or a bold move to shake up the status quo. 

Whatever it is, your story is what connects people to your brand on a human level.

To get it right, your brand story should include three essential elements:

1. Brand values: What do you believe in?

2. Brand purpose: What’s your reason for existing?

3. Unique selling proposition (USP): What makes you, you?

These 3 elements create a narrative that flows through everything—your marketing, messaging, and even customer interactions. 

It keeps your brand consistent, clear, and impossible to ignore.

Here’s how to get started building your brand story:

Know Your Audience

The first step in crafting a brand story that truly resonates is simple: you need to know your audience. What makes them tick? What are they passionate about? Without understanding their interests, needs, and values, you’re just guessing—and guessing doesn’t build connections.

Knowing your audience means two things:

1. Defining who your target audience is.

2. Understanding what they expect from the brands they support.

It’s not enough to know basic demographics. 

You need to dig deeper. 

What are their goals? What drives them? What problems do they need to solve? 

And what do they want to feel when interacting with a brand like yours?

The good news is, there are plenty of ways to figure this out. 

Here’s how to get started:

• Conduct Customer Interviews
  Talk directly to your customers. Ask them about their experiences, needs, and what drew them to your brand in the first place.

• Run Customer Surveys
  Surveys are a quick way to gather insights at scale. Keep them focused, and ask about preferences, challenges, and values.

• Monitor Social Media Engagement
  Pay attention to how your audience interacts with your brand online. What posts are they sharing? What are they commenting on? Their behavior tells you what matters to them.

• Build Buyer Personas
  Create detailed profiles of your ideal customers, outlining their goals, motivations, and pain points. These personas help you craft stories that feel personal and relatable.

• Segment Your Audience
  Not everyone fits into one box. Break your audience into groups based on shared traits or interests to deliver more targeted messaging.

• Determine Preferred Channels
  Find out where your audience spends their time—social media, email, forums—and tailor your storytelling to meet them where they are.

Understanding your audience is the foundation for building a brand story that feels personal and authentic. 

When your story aligns with their values and aspirations, it resonates and sticks.

Be Authentic

In today’s world, authenticity is everything. 

Consumers can spot a fake story from a mile away, and nothing kills trust faster than inauthenticity.

Your brand story doesn’t need to be dramatic or overly polished—it just needs to be real. 

Share the genuine moments, the challenges you’ve faced, and the passion that drives your brand. 

People connect with truth.

Here’s what makes authenticity work:

• Stay True to Your Roots: If your brand was born from a garage startup or a late-night idea scribbled on a napkin, own it. These moments give your story depth.

• Align with Your Values: Your story should reflect your brand’s mission and values. If sustainability, creativity, or innovation drives you, weave that into your narrative.

• Use Real Experiences: Highlight actual anecdotes, milestones, or customer success stories. The more human your story, the more relatable it becomes.

Remember, authenticity isn’t about making your brand look perfect—it’s about making it feel real.

Keep It Simple

A powerful brand story doesn’t need a bunch of theatrics. 

In fact, overcomplicating your message can dilute its impact. 

Keep it clean, focused, and easy for your audience to understand.

Here’s how to streamline your storytelling:

• Avoid Jargon: Your audience doesn’t want to sift through corporate speak. Use clear, everyday language that connects, not confuses.

• Stick to Your Brand Voice: Consistency matters. Whether your voice is witty, professional, or warm, make sure it shines through in your story.

• Focus on the Key Message: What’s the one takeaway you want your audience to remember? Keep your story centered on that point.

Your brand story doesn’t have to be long or complex. 

It just needs to reflect your values, highlight your USP, and connect authentically with your audience.

Emotion

Emotion is the secret sauce of storytelling. 

It’s what makes your audience feel something—and when they feel, they remember. 

Whether it’s inspiration, joy, or even a laugh, emotion creates an instant connection.

Here’s how to tap into emotion:

• Create a Hero Story: Share how your brand was born to solve a problem and the journey it took to get there.

• Be Inspiring: Highlight challenges your brand has faced and how you overcame them. People love a good underdog story.

• Relate to Your Audience: Use characters or scenarios that mirror the challenges your customers face.

• Use Humor: A little humor can spark joy and make your story more memorable.

• Pair with Visuals and Sounds: Bring your story to life with imagery and music that amplify the emotional impact.

Emotion is what transforms your brand story from words on a page to something your audience feels.

Relatability

To resonate, your story needs to feel real. Your audience should see themselves in it, and that means making your brand human.

Here’s how to make it relatable:

• Highlight Shared Values: If your brand stands for family, sustainability, or social causes, let it shine. Consumers connect with brands that care about the same things they do.

• Include Relatable Characters: Whether it’s your founder, your team, or a customer, showcase people with challenges and stories that mirror your audience’s experiences.

• Collaborate with Trusted Voices: Use influencers or celebrities who align with your audience’s values to help tell your story.

• Embrace Imperfection: Perfect is boring. Show the real, messy journey—flaws, struggles, and all. Vulnerability builds trust far more than perfection ever could.

Relatability doesn’t mean casting the widest net—it’s about striking a chord with the right people.

Closing Thoughts

As we kick off the New Year, it’s a good time to take a closer look at your brand story. 

Is it hitting the right notes? Does it feel real, relatable, and uniquely yours? 

This isn’t about reinventing everything overnight—it’s about making sure your story connects with the people who matter most to your brand.

Your audience doesn’t need perfection. 

They want something they can see themselves in, something that feels human. 

So, as you move forward, think about what your brand is saying and, more importantly, how it’s making people feel.

Here’s to finding new ways to connect, resonate, and keep things real in 2025.

Happy New Year 🫡 

Special Partner of the Week:

Learn What Fortune 500 Marketers Know

• Marketing strategies from industry leaders like the NBA, Liquid Death & Oatly.

• Behind-the-scenes stories of campaigns that crushed it.

• Actionable tips to boost your results today.

Subscribe Today

Connect with me on social 👇
LinkedIn • Instagram • Twitter 

Thank you for reading! I appreciate you.

Sincerely,
Kody