In part one we uncovered the most common reason why marketing messages fail: they’re not communicated in a clear and simple way. Our brains are constantly scanning for ways to survive and thrive, and unless we captivate the imagination of our audience – using a storytelling technique – our message will be ignored. There’s simply too much noise in the world.
The problem with the idea of storytelling is that most of us think the story should be about ourselves, or our business. It’s not about about us at all. It’s about our customer. Our customer is always the hero of our brand story. Our challenge is to know who this customer is, identify their problem, and position ourselves or our business as the only answer to their problem.
Here’s how to construct a brand story, with our customer as the central character, in seven easy steps, inspired by Donald Miller’s book, Building a StoryBrand.
Define Your Hero
Like in any great story, the hero is the focal point. In our brand story, the customer is the central character. All human beings desire to transform, to be better. By defining our hero’s innermost desires, we lay the groundwork for our brand story. What’s standing in the way between your hero and their ultimate goal? If we can articulate this clearly, we’re halfway there.
Show You Understand
Next, we tell our hero how much we understand their pain. We put their pain into the kind of words they couldn’t even find themselves. Who or what is the cause of your customer’s problems? We have to make sure we understand their problems inside out. Our hero won’t need us if we don’t show how deeply we understand their problem.
Position Yourself as the Guide, not the Hero
Here, we express empathy. But not just that. We demonstrate authority on the subject of their problem, their discomfort. There’s no need to position ourselves as a hero. The story only needs one hero, that’s the customer. We’re merely the guide who will help the hero achieve their dream, and we have the knowledge to help our hero get there. We blend into the background, the hero of this story is still the customer.
Offer a Simple Plan
Complexity is not our friend. Whatever we offer should be simple for our customers to grasp. If we know them well enough, we’ll know exactly how to position this. The secret to this part is using the words “step-by-step plan” or “roadmap”. The by-product of presenting a simple plan to anyone with a problem is that it alleviates their fear, makes them relax and trust us.
Command to Action
We must be explicit in what we want our hero to do next. Make it easy for them to take this next step. There should be no barriers to entry. If they need to sign up for something, offer a free trial. If they need to order something, offer free delivery. If they need to book a meeting, make your calendar easily accessible. They should understand this is the required step, without taking this step, their problem will persist. At this point, they may want to explore offers from other guides. This is why our offer to help should be irresistible, impossible to refuse.
Define the Consequences
It’s important to tell our hero what comes next. What they can expect from engaging with our brand. And what they can expect from not engaging. Because they want to avoid further pain, we want to articulate the consequences—both positive and negative. What pitfalls can our customers avoid by choosing your product or service? By defining these outcomes, we motivate action and inspire confidence in our brand.
Paint their Future
Finally, we paint a vivid picture of the future for our hero. Show them what their lives could look like if they embrace our brand. Illustrate a vision of their success, where their problems are solved, and they experience newfound joy. By inspiring hope and aspiration, we create a powerful story that resonates deeply with them.
Crafting compelling brand story is both an art and a science. By following this simple framework we can create narratives that captivate our audience, inspire action, and ultimately, drive success for our brand.
In part three, I’ll dive deeper into practical examples of how these seven steps manifest in real life brand stories, using their websites as examples.
Need help with your brand? Talk to me.