Writing Content That Resonates with Brand Values

Branding is a first impression with a handshake When you first meet someone, if the conversation ends with your title and what you do, you won’t be remembered. You should share experiences and stories that show who you are. Here’s how I’d communicate your story 🧵 Start with your origin story Maybe it was a problem you faced that had no solution, or a passion that grew into a business. Remember those early days and the spark that started everything. Share the challenges and wins you faced along the way. When I started my agency, I wanted to help businesses navigate digital marketing. I remember working late nights, learning everything I could about the industry, and facing setbacks that made me question if I could pull it off. Each challenge only made me work harder. What are the principles that guide your business? These values should be in every aspect of your story. If customer service is your bread and butter, share stories of going above and beyond for clients. We believe in clear, honest communication with our clients. When a campaign didn’t perform as expected, we had an open conversation with the client and analyzed what went wrong. This honesty not only saved the relationship but also built deeper trust. Your story should highlight the impact you’ve had on your clients. Share specific examples of how your work has made a difference. These stories don’t just showcase your expertise—they show your commitment to your clients’ success. A great brand story connects on an emotional level. Go past facts and figures. You need to make your audience feel something. Whether it’s hope, excitement, or a sense of belonging, your story should create emotions that align with your brand. Your brand story should be consistently reflected in all your website communication and your social media. Look at this as an ongoing dialogue with your audience. We regularly share behind-the-scenes looks at our projects, client success stories, and personal reflections. Communicating your brand story is about living and sharing a narrative that connects with your audience. Start with your origin, highlight your values, showcase your impact, and always strive to connect emotionally. Be consistent and genuine, and your story will resonate. In the end, your brand story is what sets you apart. It’s the unique journey that only you can share. Take the time to craft it well and share it widely. Your audience is waiting to connect with the real, authentic you. Follow me at Kody Nordquist for more insights on business growth and storytelling.

B2B tech companies are addicted to getting you to subscribe to their corporate echo chamber newsletter graveyard, where they dump their latest self-love notes. It's a cesspool of "Look at us!" and "We're pleased to announce..." drivel that suffocates originality and murders interest. Each link, each event recap and each funding announcement is another shovel of dirt on the grave of what could have been engaging content. UNSUBSCRIBE What if, instead of serving up the same old reheated corporate leftovers, your content could slap your audience awake? Ego-stroking company updates are out. 1. The pain point deep dive: Start by mining the deepest anxieties, challenges and questions your audience faces. Use forums, social media, customer feedback and even direct interviews to uncover the raw nerve you're going to press. 2. The unconventional wisdom: Challenge the status quo of your industry. If everyone's zigging, you zag. This could mean debunking widely held beliefs, proposing counterintuitive strategies or sharing insights that only insiders know but don't talk about. Be the mythbuster of your domain. 3. The narrative hook: Every piece of content should tell a story, and every story needs a hook that grabs from the first sentence. Use vivid imagery, compelling questions or startling statements to make it impossible to scroll past. Your opening should be a rabbit hole inviting Alice to jump in. 4. The value payload: This is the core of your content. Each piece should deliver actionable insights, deep dives or transformative information. Give your audience something so valuable that they can't help but use, save and share it. Think tutorials, step-by-step guides or even entertaining content that delivers laughs or awe alongside insight. 5. The personal touch: Inject your personality or brand's voice into every piece. Share personal anecdotes, failures and successes. 6. The engagement spark: End with a call to action that encourages interaction. Ask a provocative question, encourage them to share their own stories or challenge them to apply what they've learned and share the results. Engagement breeds community, and community amplifies your reach. 7. The multi-platform siege: Repurpose your anchor content across platforms. Turn blog posts into podcast episodes, summaries into tweets or LinkedIn posts and key insights into Instagram stories. Each piece of content should work as a squad, covering different fronts but pushing the same message. Without impressive anchor content, you won't have anything worth a lick in your newsletter. 8. The audience dialogue: Engage directly with your audience's feedback. Respond to comments, ask for their input on future topics and even involve them in content creation through surveys or co-creation opportunities. Make your content worth spreading, and watch as your audience does the heavy lifting for you. And please stop with the corporate navel-gazing. #newsletters #b2btech #ThatAshleyAmber

Is Your Brand Speaking the Right Language? Here’s How to Create a Voice That Truly Resonates (Hint: It’s more than just words—it’s how you make your audience feel) In today’s market, your brand’s voice is everything. It’s not just about the tone; it’s about the emotional connection you create with your audience. But how do you craft a voice that doesn’t just sound good, but feels right? Here’s a framework to help you build a voice that speaks to your audience on a deeper level: 1. Tap Into Your Audience’s Emotions Before you can speak their language, you need to understand their feelings. What keeps them up at night? What excites them? Your voice should align with these emotions. Pro Tip: Conduct surveys, read reviews, and join conversations where your audience hangs out to uncover their emotional triggers. 2. Anchor Your Voice in Core Values Your voice should echo your brand’s core values. Are you innovative? Trustworthy? Empowering? Let these values shape every word. Try This: List your top 3-5 values and brainstorm how they translate into your brand’s tone and style. 3. Personify Your Brand Think of your brand as a person. What traits define them? Are they friendly, authoritative, witty, or compassionate? These traits will help you maintain a consistent voice. Hack: Create a brand persona that embodies these traits. Use it as a guide for all your communication. 4. Meet (and Exceed) Audience Expectations Your audience has specific expectations. Are they looking for expert advice or a more casual chat? Align your voice with these expectations without losing your brand’s unique identity. Example: If your audience values expertise, an authoritative tone might be your best bet. 5. Test, Learn, Refine Start using your voice across all channels and listen closely to the response. Watch for engagement, feedback, and shifts in perception. Remember: Your brand voice isn’t static. Be open to tweaking it as you learn more about what resonates with your audience. Creating a brand voice that emotionally connects isn’t about following a formula—it’s about knowing your audience and communicating with authenticity. Start with this framework, and you’ll be on your way to building connections that matter. Question: What’s one word that best describes your brand voice? Drop it in the comments—I’m curious to see what you come up with! ♻️ Repost this if you found it valuable—let’s help more brands find their voice!

“I’m a founder w/ all this interesting life experience, but I have NO idea how to turn any of it into a story that resonates w/ my audience.” ^ if this sounds like you: a) You’re not alone b) I’ve got you. Keep reading. I've spent the last 4 years obsessively studying & dissecting viral social media content to figure out what resonates & why - helping my clients to generate close to $1mil now. But if I didn’t have this background (& weird obsession 🙃 ) & wanted to build a brand that brings in clients who are attracted to my authenticity & align w/ my values - Here’s what I’d do to craft “personal story” content: 1. Start w/ the MOMENT Reflect on those “standout” experiences Why? a) Our brains hold onto emotional experiences b) Emotional experiences make great stories Here's a few ideas: - You met someone who changed your life / perspective - You got laid off, pivoted, left a job - You relocated to a new place  - Something you meticulously planned went sideways - Something unexpected turned out amazing - Someone gave you advice that stopped you in your tracks (my most viral, money-making piece of content was a blog about this btw) 2. Fast-forward to the takeaway Don’t overthink the middle yet. Focus on what the experience taught you & why it matters to someone else. Ex: The Moment: You met someone who has your dream job & you realized you were on the wrong path.  Takeaway: Sometimes one person can change your life. Be open to what the universe is presenting to you. Another: The Moment: You burnt out at a job that didn’t make you happy & on vacation you slept through precious family time. Takeaway: Overworking impacts more than just you. The takeaway will become the final, impactful lines of your story. 3. Fill in the details This is where your story comes to life. Get specific. When did it happen? (Year, season, month) Where were you? (Location, environment)  Who was there? (Characters)  What were people saying? (Dialogue, quotes)  How did you feel—anxious, excited, scared? The more sensory, the more vivid & engaging the story 4. Tie it together You have your moment, takeaway & details. Start at the very beginning & let the story unfold. Ex: “In the summer of 2017, I flew from LA to NYC to start a new career” Advanced tip: Highlight moments of tension or struggle, where you felt X because of Y. End w/ your takeaway to leave your audience w/ a clear, emotional resolution. 5. Let it sit, then post Give yourself a day to review & edit. You might remember more details or refine your takeaway. -- Seems simple when laid out like this, right? But in reality, there’s a lot that goes into sharing your personal stories in a way that feels genuine to you AND strategically grows your business. Storytelling is the most powerful way to connect. It’s how you build trust & stand out from AI. If this is where you struggle w/ your LinkedIn strategy. This is exactly what I guide my clients to do - send me a DM to connect.

My content strategy framework👇 Your content strategy (as a brand or an individual) is ideally the intersection of ⭐️ Your brand positioning → How you want to show up in the world → What you want people to remember you by and know you for → What type of emotional connection you want to bridge with people ⭐️ What your community/customers want → Why people come to you and trust you → What kind of questions they ask you most often → What they want to see more of from you ⭐️ What’s going on in the competitive landscape → What’s trending → What are people searching for → Across what’s popular at the moment, where are other brands missing the mark? → How can you hit on what’s relevant while also filling a gap other players haven’t nailed yet? ——— How this shows up in practice👇 1️⃣ You need to have foundational “base hits,” but with a distinct POV These typically aren’t “home runs,” aka content that gets crazy high engagement, but it’s the glue that holds it all together. It’s what makes your brand make sense to a new consumer when they come to your page or website for the first time. ………. These ^ foundational pieces are what enable you to take more content risks as a brand too. Cause you’ll always have those basics to ground you. ………. Every category you want to take a stance in as a brand, you need to cover the primary topics that fall in that category well, but with a unique POV. You have to stand for something different amongst competitors. ——— 2️⃣ Every trend or cultural moment you hit on needs to be filtered through your brand and community 1st You have to ask, “Does this feel true to who we are and what our community will resonate with?” If not, it’s a pass. Regardless of how “hot” it is at the moment. ……….. My favorite ways of sticking true to this → ✨Take trends and content you see out in the open, then put your own spin on it ✨Combine multiple relevant ideas into a whole, then wrap it up with your own bow (Using your brand’s ethos as the guiding force, of course) ——— 3️⃣ Steal ideas from your community on the reg When in doubt, listen to your customers. They consistently have the answer. Look at comments on social, customer service tickets and transcripts, Reddit threads, Facebook group commentary, etc. ………. Then turn those ^ questions and interesting discussion points into content. When done thoughtfully, I’ve rarely seen this fail. ——— What’s your content strategy playbook? #contentstrategy #contentmarketing #contentcreation

I used to think "write like you talk" was the holy grail of copywriting. The result? Boring copy that sounded just like everybody else. ❌ Copy that was "professional, but relatable." ❌ Copy that I thought sounded good. ❌ Copy that felt natural – to me. Then I realized: My audience isn't me. They're: 👉 CFOs in growing financial firms 👉 IT leaders in healthcare organizations 👉 COOs at logistics and transportation companies 👉 CMOs at eCommerce companies with $50M+ revenue 👉 Information security officers at growing tech companies They don't talk the way I do. And they respond to copy that sounds like them. (Not like a snarky college professor.) So how do you create messaging that actually stands out? Capture how your audience actually talks. And reflect it right back to them. Here's how I do it: ✅️ Talk to your customers Nothing can touch live conversations for getting insight into your buyers' needs, challenges and goals. They're the best way to learn how your audience is talking about your product. ✅️ Creep on their online convos There are so many places you can go message mining: G2 reviews, podcasts, Slack communities, subreddits. Go find out how your audience communicates when no one's watching. ✅️ Define your brand messaging guidelines Distill your findings into a clear brand messaging strategy – so every piece of copy sounds like you're one of them. Make it easy for everyone on your team to get on the same page. With data-driven brand messaging, you're not just writing like you anymore. You're writing like them. And that's how you get readers thinking, "this is exactly what I've been looking for." So don't write like you talk – write like they talk.

When I started LMB Group years ago, I quickly realized that while having a great service was essential, our commitment to our core values truly set us apart. Integrity, sustainability, and community weren't just buzzwords; they were the foundation of everything we did and still do. This just reminds me of an impactful experience during the early days of LMB Group. We had a choice to take on a lucrative project that didn't align with our values or stick to our principles and risk significant financial gains. We chose the latter, and it was a defining moment. It reinforced the importance of staying true to our values, no matter the cost. There's an art and science to developing products, services, and a business. But what if you applied that same art and science to working in alignment with your values? Hear me out, this will get clearer. In business, the art lies in crafting unique ideas, designing appealing products, and telling compelling stories that connect with our audience. The science involves leveraging data, optimizing processes, and continuous improvement through research and development. Right? Right. Why am I giving you this backstory? Marrying the art and science of business development with our core values helps us create a cohesive and authentic approach that builds trust and loyalty among our stakeholders. For 14-plus years, we have waxed stronger because our business practices are not only effective but also meaningful and sustainable in the long term. Here's what you can take away from this for your brand or business: Applying the art and science of these values means: - Crafting a vision and mission statement that reflects your core values and guides your business practices. - Designing your brand to visually and conceptually represent these values. - Creating marketing and communication strategies that resonate with your values and connect authentically with your audience. It also involves: - Implementing policies and procedures that ensure ethical behavior and decision-making. - Using data to track and improve the environmental and social impact of your business. - Regularly reviewing and adjusting your strategies to stay aligned with your values, using feedback and analytics. It is a new week to integrate your values into every aspect of your business, so you can foster trust and loyalty among your stakeholders, and ensure long-term success and sustainability. This path isn't always the easiest, but it's the most rewarding. Staying true to your values will help your business flourish in ways you never imagined. #PurposeDriven #CEO #Marketing #Impact #SuccessStrategy #BrandBuilding #Partnerships #ThePathRedefined

Listen up, writing content in a brand's voice can take time to figure out. But there's a shortcut that makes it a little easier. Step 1: Figure out the movie and TV characters that embody your brand. For example, if I'm a brand that wants to be a millennial's quirky bestie, I may look at characters like: -Abed and Troy from Community, a little out there but always up for helping -Phoebe from Friends, a little wild, but always supportive and kind -Darryl from Crazy Ex Girlfriend, over the top loving, but also weird Step 2: Find a few clips that do a great job showing how they talk and react to different situations. If a friend did something amazing, how do they congratulate? If someone they know needs help, what's their response? If they are making an announcement, how do they frame it? Step 3: When writing, ask yourself "would that character say this?" It makes it more natural than trying to make something out of stale brand guidelines. Speaking of which... Step 4: Once you get more comfortable with it and develop the tone, update the brand guidelines (with approval) so they feel super realistic. We've got a social media writing guide that not only includes the characters and approved reference clips, but also a list of things they do and don't write. What character would your brand be?