This interview is with Cari Kaufman, Brand Strategist/Chief Wordsmith at Storyteller Wordsmith.

Cari Kaufman, Brand Strategist/Chief Wordsmith, Storyteller Wordsmith

Welcome, Cari! Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an expert in brand story, storytelling, digital marketing, and user experience?

Sure! I had what one might call a winding journey to marketing. I started my professional career as a military officer, and after leaving the Army, have worked in various operational roles in a wide array of industries. But I have always been a writer and a storyteller. During the COVID lockdown, I put those skills to use as a copywriter and content strategist for a StoryBrand marketing agency. Narrative brand storytelling clicked with me and has become one of my favorite ways to help brands share their purpose, passion, and products with the world. Now, in my own agency, we use brand storytelling as the cornerstone of our marketing efforts, leveraging the SB-7 framework to help businesses share what makes them unique with their audience.

What pivotal moments or experiences in your career helped solidify your expertise and passion for these areas?

I've always been a storyteller. I started blogging— ahem—decades ago and take great joy in helping others share their stories. But my time working in a StoryBrand agency solidified the skills needed to connect brands to their unique tribe. The framework itself invites founders and executives into a conversation not just about their audience demographics but also about their audience's desires, dreams, and needs.

You've spoken before about the importance of a compelling brand story. Can you share an example of a brand story that particularly resonated with you and explain why it was so effective?

Oh man, I've had the chance to work with so many! I think the one that stands out the most to me was the messaging that we put together for a financial advisor. We do a ton of work in the financial-planning industry, but this particular advisor had a passion for working with the "everyday Joe" because he started as an "everyday Joe." Joe had an incredibly strong voice and unique turn of phrase that made emulating his voice and tone really easy, and his copy is some of my favorite copy we've written to date. His website has done extremely well, and his practice is booming with his ideal client. Ultimately, it's been so effective because he embraced what makes him unique rather than trying to meet the status quo, so his message stands out without trying too hard. He has a unique voice, and a unique approach to his practice which makes for a unique client experience—all of those ingredients make his brand easy to market.

How do you see the relationship between storytelling and user experience, particularly in a digital landscape?

I think they go hand in hand. At its core, storytelling is about guiding someone on a journey—it's meant to be emotional and engaging but also has a structure. User experience is the same—guiding users through an interface or platform, but in an intuitive and engaging way. They both are elements of storytelling and are equally necessary in digital marketing.

Many businesses struggle with translating their brand story into a cohesive digital marketing strategy. What advice would you give them to bridge that gap?

I think the key to bridging-the-gap is understanding that a brand story isn't a tactic or content—it's the heart of how a brand shows up in the world. So, step one is to get crystal clear on the brand's why. Why does the business exist, why does it operate the way it does, and what drives the user experience with that business? Once that core perspective is solidified, it should be the guideline for every aspect of the brand message and digital marketing strategy. It becomes the filter through which every marketing decision passes. The goal is to weave the story through every touchpoint, making it consistent and recognizable. Ultimately, my biggest piece of advice is to lean into authenticity. People can sniff out a marketing strategy built on the latest trend versus one built on a unique brand story. It's your uniqueness that the world is craving—and what will make you stand out.

From your experience, what are some common mistakes brands make when trying to connect with their target audience through digital marketing?

There are a few primary mistakes that we see over and over again. The first is simply not understanding their audience. Brands either make assumptions about their ideal customers that aren't accurate, or they fail to identify their ideal customers at all. They don't listen or engage enough with their audience to understand their real pain points or emotional drivers, and their messaging fails to connect. Lots of brands fall short because their messaging isn't cohesive across platforms. Consistency builds trust, and when it's not there, or the tone shifts too much between campaigns or platforms, it leaves the audience wondering about their credibility. Finally, I think brands often rush to selling before connecting with their audience—especially on social media. Brands should focus their efforts on connecting, engaging, and building relationships before pushing products.

You've advocated for the power of niching down. How can brands effectively identify and connect with their niche audience in a way that feels authentic and not forced?

We view niching a little differently. To us, your niche is determined not by your audience or product, but by the unique experience you provide. When your niche is based on your unique perspective, the connection to your audience is natural and authentic, and it doesn't feel forced. (Special thanks to the Grow a Niche Business framework for this insight.) This simple shift in how we viewed niching changed everything for us—and for our clients.

In a world saturated with digital content, how can brands create content that stands out and captures the attention of their target audience?

Hot take: Intentional and authentic content trumps trendy content. The brands that capture the right attention are the ones that don't just churn out content for the sake of it—they create content that is valuable and purposeful for their audience. Be yourself, be authentic, and be consistent.

Looking ahead, what emerging trends in brand storytelling, digital marketing, or user experience are you most excited about and why?

I'm really interested to see what happens with personalization. With advancements in AI, brands can create and curate hyper-personalized experiences for their audience, tailoring content and products to specific users. I'm super-excited to see how brands will capitalize on that capability. On the UX side, I'm particularly excited about the shift towards empathetic design and the focus on creating experiences that prioritize emotional and mental well-being. As a TBI survivor, user experiences that are calming and intuitive are really important to me, and I am excited to see more designers create in that way.