Whoever writes the (best) story stays.

Following the paradigm shift towards digitalization, the present brings new challenges: in the form of crises (climate change, Covid-19) and trends (gender shift, new work, etc.), they will change the hotelier’s profession forever. Moreover, digital progress has given rise to a new generation of networked and (over)informed people who have a great appetite for new things.

These people want new solutions that improve their lives and new experiences that enrich them—and that’s not something the umpteenth copy of an interchangeable hotel concept can deliver. Innovation, i.e., the ability to change and develop new things, is becoming the basis for survival — in the past, now, and forever.

Ten years ago, people were still wondering whether Wi-Fi in hotels should be subject to a charge, but today hoteliers have to decide whether they want to be a meeting place, a retail outlet, a co-working space, or a selfness oasis. Every area of a hotel is being put to the test of renewal. Traditional hotel concepts such as the bed and breakfast hotel have long since had their day. What is needed are strategies for a new, long-term way of thinking and acting that adapts to people’s individual lifestyles – and remains stoic only towards its own values.

But why do many businesses find it so difficult to initiate such innovation processes? There must be something fundamental that they are missing.

The headline says it all. The ability to tell good stories is evolving from a »nice to have« to a »must-have«. Innovative brands such as Airbnb and 25hours Hotels are leveraging this power across all areas of their business and touchpoints. Storytelling is no longer a marketing buzzword — it is a key skill. The story not only promotes your product, but also gives us a glimpse into your personal worldview.

It creates and conveys meaning. And companies with meaning are the ones that stand out from the crowd and inspire people. Every company needs such a purpose to win supporters for its own cause and build crisis-proof relationships. However, this purpose is not made tangible and relatable through abstract models or PowerPoint slides, but only through a lively and credible story.

Brand storytelling can be used at every stage of your business: when launching your new brand, repositioning your existing brand, or strengthening your established hotel brand. As a means of communication and a means of innovation, it represents two sides of the same coin.

The background noise out there is getting louder and louder. Never before has a brand message been as worthless as it is today. We live in a world of communication overload. Every day, we consciously or unconsciously perceive an average of over 6,000 brand contacts. New and existing brands compete for our attention. To do so, they produce tens of millions of messages every day. And even more of these are shared. Facebook posts, Instagram stories, podcasts, and campaigns individually »targeted« at us flood us day after day. We are oversaturated with information. It’s easy to join the noise, but not to stand out with a relevant and compelling message.

The brand story can offer a useful counter-model here. It is the essence of your brand in a tangible form. It conveys your message – both narratively and visually – in all its facets, vividly summarizing different levels such as product, people, history, performance, and vision as a narrative. The focus is on the topics that you want to address (in the future) as an authority in communication. The result is a memorable, profound, and authentic story with which all stakeholders — employees, guests, suppliers, partners — can identify equally.

A story that people want to share and that gives them a clear idea of what the hotel wants to tell them and what it stands for. In our work as brand builders, we are amazed at how many hotels lack such a clear message. It’s not that they don’t have ideas and visions—but when it comes to communicating these across their brand touchpoints and channels, the content is often confusing, inconsistent, and haphazard. This is the »killer« for any corporate communication that, without a clear message, leads to nothing at best.

As an innovation tool, the brand story drives the development of products and services in the hotel and organizes them. The brand story provides guidelines within which creativity and ingenuity can flourish collaboratively (everyone knows the »fear of the blank page«). It is a source of inspiration and an accelerator of ideas, leading to coherent and compelling guest experiences – a clear competitive advantage.

Once small businesses and start-ups such as Uber and Freelethics, they are now driving innovation that is rapidly becoming an established part of society. Uber, and Freelethics are showing us how it’s done by driving innovation that is rapidly establishing itself in society.

Apart from the hype surrounding the term »story«, the topic is by no means new. We have been telling stories since the dawn of humanity. Without this ability, Homo sapiens would not have prevailed over Neanderthals. It was only with the help of stories that they were able to organize themselves, their social structure, their food supply, and their safety. Storytelling is the oldest and most powerful tool for building connections and driving development.

Since then, stories have constantly evolved: from paintings on the walls of Stone Age caves to the clay tablets of Mesopotamia to the digital present. Stories have become increasingly extensive and complex. They can evoke emotions and stimulate discussion. Then as now, they are an important part of our daily communication. According to anthropologists, 70% of everything humans ever learn (cultural techniques, social behavior, values, etc.) is acquired through stories.

Stories are much more than just entertainment or information. They are the medium that connects us with others from an early age and helps us understand the world. The mechanisms of storytelling, namely the ability to link context, characters, and plot, have remained the same. What worked then still works today.

Your first question in the brand story process is not »Who am I?« or »What do I offer?«, but »Who is my audience? Who am I here for? Who am I helping?« Your audience has a significant influence on your story, for example in terms of tone of voice, key topics, or the use of humor. So the first question is: Who am I talking to, and what story will reach and touch this person? When people are captivated by a good story — one that is relevant to them — they no longer see themselves as mere consumers of your communication, but as protagonists in a story in which they play an active role.

By the way, a brand story does not have an ending, like a novel. Its themes are not set in stone, but grow over time and with your requirements. Your guests, your team, and your partners want to be inspired and invited to interact. As a hotel brand, you need to ensure that the love story with your brand remains alive. You can do this by adding new brand-relevant themes to your story and dropping themes that no longer reflect the spirit of your brand.

We see a brand story as a living organism that drives the evolution of your company, and we like to compare it to a tree: Every year, it produces new branches, buds, blossoms, and fruits — and sheds the parts it no longer needs or that threaten its survival.

If you want your brand to be future-proof, you should follow its example. Let the brand story mature over time – with changing social currents and trends, and with your growing connections to your audience. Develop it further and reap the rewards.

If you dismiss brand stories as emotional nonsense for right-brainers, you may be right. Rational arguments for your product may be powerful, but the decision for or against a hotel is made subconsciously — on an emotional, not a rational level. According to current brain research, this applies to over 80% of decisions.

• Who is your audience and what language do they speak?
• What message do you want to convey?
• What topics do you want to address as an authority?
• Is there a unifying idea at the heart of your innovation process?
• Are all aspects of the guest experience aligned with your brand story (common thread)?
• How do you present your hotel to applicants, partners, and journalists? Do you only talk about your product?
• What do you want to be remembered for?

The most successful companies have profound stories that are often directly linked to the people behind the brand. You may not be striving to be the next Apple or Tesla, but it’s still worth asking the question: Does your hotel want to be just a product and service? Or perhaps it wants to tell a story? About origins and the future, people and myths, searching and finding. A story that we will listen to attentively and pass on?

And don’t forget, we are genetically programmed to love stories and respond to them. Then as now. Take advantage of this.

Differentiation

Millions of brands are launched every year. This makes it difficult to stand out. The brand story helps to attract the attention of your stakeholders and appeal to them on an emotional level.

Identification

Guests, staff, and partners experience a brand through its story and can draw parallels to their own personalities and challenges. The brand story becomes a means of identification and enables a shared vision, values, brand promise, and core themes.

Resilience

Digitalization and the COVID-19 pandemic are prompting companies in all industries to rethink or reinvent their business models and processes. In times of organizational or systemic change, storytelling acts as a “stabilizer” because everyone understands what these companies stand for.

Alignment

A key challenge in brand communication is ensuring that your message is not diluted or distorted. Brand stories are far more effective than mere guidelines because they are easy to convey and easy to remember.

War for talent

Brands with purpose and a clear message are demonstrably more successful in recruiting. Conveying a sense of purpose attracts, engages, and retains employees—especially millennials.

Innovation

The brand story offers (all) employees an opportunity to participate in the innovation process within the company. It allows you to easily develop ideas and products together in line with the brand.

Simplification

The brand story simplifies the complexity of brand strategy. Content and topics are organized and presented in a way that your audience understands. This leads to a reduction in PR and marketing costs. A consistent brand story is inherently easier to communicate and provides a rich pool of content and topics. And because great stories lead to free press and word of mouth, they are a real opportunity, especially for companies with limited resources.

Copy protection

Every company can tell its own unique story. Unlike products and services, for example, no two are alike. This is the best copy protection for your brand.

One for all

Brand stories can be used at every stage of a company’s life cycle: at launch, during repositioning, or when strengthening an established company.