Mise-en-place
Before getting started, make sure you have the following sorted out:
- Location: A quiet meeting room where you won’t be disturbed, or a virtual whiteboard
- Participants: 2 to 10 participants (open-minded and with different profiles)
- Duration: At least 2 hours for the workshop, more for the refinements
- Material: Post-its, coloured markers, tape
1. Map the narrative elements
Using the canvas, go through each section one by one. It is recommended to follow a specific order (Context, Resources, Trigger, Ideal, Hero, Plot, Themes), and to list as many ideas as possible at first.
2. Simplify
Once you have gone over the whole canvas, come back to each section and start grouping your ideas in clusters. You can use this time to make sure nothing important has been left out and that every participant agrees with the idea grouping.
3. Build a flow
As you look over the key ideas in each section, start arranging them so they form a narrative: starting from the context and working your way to the ideal. You don’t need to worry about wording at this point. Focus on the coherency and impact of the story you’re building.
4. Refine the brand ideal
The brand ideal is a critical component of your brand story. As such, it is worth taking the time to find a formulation that everyone connects with. If a clear consensus cannot be reached during the workshop, take some time to sift back through the best proposals (maybe including other decision-makers) until you find the perfect ideal.
5. Iron out the details
This step usually takes place after the session. Draw up a synthesis of the ideas on the canvas, and make sure the key decision-makers in your organisation all agree with your conclusion.
6. Write the story
Once you’ve prepared all the building blocks for your story, it’s time to put pen to paper. Writing a brand story should be an iterative process: don’t hesitate to have each draft reviewed and critiqued until you have at last concocted the perfect text. And if you don’t have the internal resources to handle the writing, you can call upon a professional copywriter to help turn your ideas into a flowing and impactful text.