Let’s get all neuroscience for a second here. ????
When we see things like the baby picture above, our brain releases a hormone called oxytocin. Commonly referred to as “the love hormone” it gets released during skin-to-skin contact between couples and parents and their kids. Holding hands, cuddling, it all works the same. It is also produced when we are trusted or shown kindness.
Oxytocin motivates cooperation with others, and it does this by enhancing our sense of empathy, our ability to experience others’ emotions.
Pretty powerful stuff, designed to create bonds between humans that have supported our survival as a species all the way from our early cave-dwelling days.
It turns out that exposure to hero-driven stories is another trigger for oxytocin release. These stories’ triggers range from ancient classics like the Spartans to today’s James Bond and, you guessed it, your own founder story.
Sharing how you overcame difficulty and launched your food or drinks brand creates strong emotional connections between yourself and the consumer.
People are far more driven by an organization’s transcendent purpose, how it benefits lives than by its transactional goal, or how it sells goods and services.
And transcendent purpose is best communicated through stories, such as revealing how your product has helped yourself and other people overcome their difficulties.
An example:
One of my clients, Ancient Bakers, started their company because her young child was severely allergic to most ingredients found in baked goods. Since then, the focus on sharing this powerful origin story has helped the company thrive.
Sharing your own origin story is a powerful method to communicate transcending purpose.
- What compelled you to launch your product?
- What made it so crucial for you to succeed?
- What obstacles did you have to overcome?
When told often, these are the stories that become ingrained in your brand’s DNA and help your market connect with you on an emotional level.
Start with a story of human struggle and final triumph if you want to motivate, persuade, or be remembered. It will win the hearts of the people and lead to higher sales.
Three next steps to consider:
- Make sure your “About” page on your website is up to date.
- Make space in your social media content to tell your authentic founder story
- See if your packaging allows sharing your story – consider the use of a QR code leading to digital content if space is tight.
