EMAIL EXPERIENCE
Brand storytelling
A clear set of values and a guiding vision anchors a company and creates a platform for customer relationships
Stand out from the crowd by sharing your mission and vision
Connecting with customers on a deep level is an art. It takes creativity and skill to embed personality within a brand, which can become anonymous. Marketers must join the dots with a narrative that makes a brand relatable — they must become adept at brand storytelling. A clear set of values and a guiding vision anchors a company and creates a platform for customer relationships. Brands who shared their values, mission, and vision stood out from the others. Those that tied these values to causes or specialized products created valuable spaces for meaningful conversations with subscribers. They were able to use editorialized emails as powerful tools to differentiate their email content.
Explain and reinforce your values
Companies that did this successfully shared a brief brand description as part of a welcome email or series. This gave the brand a chance to communicate its values, often putting them in a historical context by discussing its roots and the mission of its founders. Subscribers got this information while their interaction with the brand was still fresh. These initial narratives set the scene for more meaningful relationships with customers, but it's easy for busy subscribers to forget. Some of the most successful brands reinforced this initial narrative by weaving their unique sales propositions into their product-driven emails well beyond the welcome series.
Brands who shared their values, a mission, and vision stood out from the others.
Retailer Patagonia has adopted a strong set of environmental values tied closely to its focus on outdoor pursuits. It activated these values by advancing specific causes and campaigns through its Patagonia Action Works initiative, which connects individuals with environmental action groups in their communities.
Sustainable clothing company Allbirds was unapologetic in sending a longer-than-usual email setting out its Sustainable Principles and Objectives Framework. This demonstrated its respect for customers' intelligence and values. The company also weaves in its commitment to health by providing valuable background research in editorial emails and restating its sustainability and health commitments in product-driven communications.
Vitamin retailer Ritual has a strong brand identity rooted in their values regarding health, science, and truth — and they sent out emails dedicated to conveying these values. They used a conversational tone to engage and connect with readers, and make information about their ingredients accessible to understand. The eye-catching design and brevity of the emails made it extra easy to consume.
