Storytelling is the oldest form of communication with groups and masses. Learning to promote cooking classes through brand storytelling is the best way to convey and message your company’s history, uniqueness, qualifications and value.

Brand Storytelling Is More than Marketing Collateral

Business Consultant and Brand Story Strategist Bernadette Jiwa advises clients that brand storytelling isn’t just about what you say on your website. In fact, she states, “Your story isn’t just what you tell people it’s also what they believe about you based on the signals your brand sends.”

Jiwa’s snapshot of brand storytelling includes everything related to your company, such as colors and graphics used in your collateral, business cards, logo, staff and other nuances that make up your brand. When building your brand, you want to appeal to customers in a way that inspires loyalty to your brand.

Ways to Build Brand through Storytelling

Your brand needs to connect with people on several levels and should not just gain their attention but retain it long enough so they explore your company. You can make this discovery a true adventure by presenting what you have to offer in a warm, entertaining and authentic way. There should be something within your brand that people can relate to and generates a bond between your company and your customers.

If your business offers cooking classes, then you have a natural gateway to storytelling. There are three major areas you want to address in your brand storytelling. These include making an emotional connection with customers, standing out from the competition and creating brand awareness.

Establish an Emotional Connection with Customers

One thing that storytellers know how to do is connect with others on that emotional level. This is the first thing you want to accomplish when building your brand. i-scoop reminds that, “When you tell a story that embodies human challenges, you create an experience that resonates with your customers.”

The Hero’s Journey

Storytellers form their tales around a hero or heroine who must face what appears to be insurmountable challenges, but overcomes them and inspires the reader. Marketing experts advise that your brand storytelling should follow this journey of the hero; however, it should be authentic. You don’t want to make up stories, but tell your personal story of success. This will give customers a pathway to connect with your brand on an emotional level.

Share Your Journey

You can achieve this emotional connection when you share how your company came into being. What inspired you? Which challenges did you overcome? What failures did you have and how did you rise above them? Let people know who you are. Also, introduce your staff by letting them share a little about themselves in an engaging authentic manner.

Tips for Brand Storytelling

This type of storytelling makes you more than a company, it gives potential and existing customers a glimpse into your organization and the lives of those working there.

  • Share your company story told in your voice the way you would tell a friend.
  • Share your passion and your vision for what students in your cooking class will gain that is unique to your company and can’t be obtained through competitors.
  • Allow staff personalities to shine in a natural and non-gimmicky way.
  • Showcase your cooking classes, use photos of past classes with students having fun and learning.
  • Share details in a lively way about your class instructor(s) and her/his experience by offering a human interest story of each instructor’s journey.
  • Appeal to potential students’ aspirations and how your classes will fulfill their needs/desires and goals. Will your classes make their dreams come true or serve as the next step to actualizing their dreams?

Make Your Cooking Classes Stand Out From Others

What makes your cooking classes different from others? Take this opportunity to inform people about your company’s expertise and how your classes offer greater value.

  • Capitalize on your company’s story.
  • Credentials will make your classes stand out.
  • Awards garnered make your classes unique and valued.
  • Community involvement can further define your brand with emotional appeal.
  • Play up your cooking classes and why they’re unique and different from the competition.
  • Share success stories of previous students with monthly features.
  • Create effective loyalty program(s) to build repeat customers.

First Impression Is Vital to Brand Awareness

You want to capture visitors to your website much the same way a storyteller hooks readers with the first opening lines. Your website is the first impression for many online visitors. Some tips for hooking website visitors include:

  • Make your website design easy to navigate, attractive and enticing.
  • Add a dedicated page featuring your company story, provide photos.
  • Post an easy to understand class schedule and registration link.
  • Include an intriguing and concise syllabus of classes offered.
  • Add student reviews and testimonies.
  • Highlight classes with lots of photos.
  • Offer online freebies, such as recipes and online videos of specific cooking techniques.
  • Have an active social media that includes Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
  • YouTube your story by setting up your channel with various videos of guest chefs, star students, competitions, conferences, events, cooking techniques, demonstrations of specific tools and reviews of products.

Make Your Brand Storytelling Effective

People have a natural desire to join your story and learn why they should fall in love with your brand. Make this easy for them. Offer these first three components to establishing your brand and you’ll find your brand storytelling to be effective in promoting your cooking classes and beyond.