"If people will just work with us they will understand."

I have had this said to me numerous times. It comes after I deliver the outcome of a brand assessment, confirming that the brand has a weak story.

It's a wonderful thing that people will discover that your brand really surprises and delights them. Unfortunately, waiting for them to wander into your customer ranks is a pretty lousy new customer acquisition strategy.

A great brand story helps your prospects experience a little bit of that delight before they become your customers. It magnetically pulls them toward your customer ranks. It can be that powerful. If you understand what makes it so.

A great brand story begins with a Big Audacious Meaning

When you clarify your purpose (Big Audacious Meaning), you give your story something more powerful than the functional attributes of your brand. You even go beyond the benefits that those functional attributes may deliver. You give prospects a reason to feel connected to you. The very simple reason is this: today, people don't just want to buy your products and services. They want to buy into what your organization stands for. When you clarify that thing that they are buying into, you create customers. Loyal customers.

It's a differentiator. On steroids.

Another great aspect of clarifying a purpose is that it separates you from all the other offerings out there. If you truly want to be unique in the minds of your prospect, this is the ticket. This isn't some gimmick that fades after the newness wears off. Because it connects so deeply with prospects, it is memorable and enduring. Imagine having that power your brand story.

It makes your brand story exceptionally shareable

People love to share things that have real meaning. Things that are making a real difference in our world. This fundamental truth powers Facebook, Twitter, and all the other social channels. When you clarify a Big Audacious Meaning, your story is no longer something you push at people. It becomes something that they willingly embrace and want to share with others.

People are waiting to buy into your purpose-driven brand story. They want something with meaning. Something uniquely enduring. When they find it, they will celebrate and share it. Because they have found something that makes them feel like their dollars are doing more than buying goods and services. They have found something that makes them feel like they are helping to make a difference. And that is simply irresistible.