Do you find customer messaging hard?
Communicating well with target customers is often one of the most challenging and overwhelming aspects for businesses.
This is why we have put together this introduction to StoryBrand. An amazing framework developed by Donald Miller, which helps you clarify your message to customers.
What is StoryBrand
There are 7 elements in the StoryBrand framework. Apply the 7 elements to your message, and the effects can be totally transformative. It’s an invaluable tool that be used throughout everything that you do, and it really works, regardless of your industry!
We just love the concept of this life-changing tool and had to share it with you!
StoryBrand is built off the back of storytelling techniques. It is easy to get your head around, and once you spend a bit of time clarifying your message, it makes communicating with your audience a whole lot easier.
The overarching concept of storytelling
A character has a problem and meets a guide who gives them a plan and calls them to action that helps them avoid failure and ends in success.
What you need to do:
Clarify your brand message and make your customer the ‘hero’.
Think about your product or service offering, think about your target market or customer, and clarify your message by making your customer the ‘hero’ and centre piece of what you do.
Let’s jump into each of the steps in the StoryBrand framework;
1. A character;
The customer is the hero, not your brand – and all stories start with a hero.
Someone in need of help or rescuing – that’s your business.
Keep your customer as your focus or hero, and define your message on what they need and how to communicate that to them. As said by StoryBrand founder himself “People don’t buy the best products; they buy the products they can understand the fastest”. Make your message clear and concise.
2. Has A Problem;
The problem is the ‘hook’ of any story, and now that you’re creating the story for your customer, how can your brand be the solution to their problem?
3. And Meets A Guide;
Customers aren’t looking for another hero and your brand doesn’t need to be the hero. Heroes are looking for a guide or someone to rescue them. This is where you come in, your brand needs to be the guide, the solution to their problem.
4. Who Gives Them A plan;
Once we’ve identified the problem, and positioned ourselves as the guide, we need to make a plan. In almost any story, the guide provides the hero with a plan, and being the guide, your customer will trust a guide who has a plan.
5. And Calls Them To Action;
Once the plan is in place, our customers need a call to action. 9 times out of 10, customers will not hit ‘Purchase’ or ‘Contact Us’ without you challenging them to do so. True story! Without an outside force, human beings don’t take action. Ensure you call your customers to action, and they will engage!
6. That Helps Them Avoid Failure
Showing our customer what failure doesn’t look like. Showing them the cost of not doing business with you. Creating stakes for your story.
7. And Ends in Success
Tell your customers how their lives with change.
Let your brand take them on a journey, and show them how great life will be after working with you, and fixing their problem.
And when you feel confused by all of that, just remember the customer is the ‘hero’ and clarify your message again!
Photo: StoryBrand.com
