StoryBrand: A simple framework for developing an irresistible brand story.

The benefits of having a brand story.

Research shows that if you use stories in marketing, you get better results. But there are very few practical examples of how to do so. For many businesses, knowing how to use a story effectively remains a mystery. 

What is StoryBrand?

StoryBrand is the first framework designed to show you how to create a brand story that captures attention with a clear and simple message and grows sales.

When you use the formula of story, you transform the way you talk about your brand and the value it brings to your customers. Never again will you look at an email, a blog or piece of social media and have to wonder: what do I write? You’ll always know the words you need to use to sell more… and you’ll be able to do so consistently. 

That’s what the StoryBrand marketing framework does. It gives you the seven talking points you need for a consistent and compelling message, regardless of the media channel that you’re using or the sector you’re in. 

Using story as the backbone for all your marketing will mean that every piece of collateral you create will be more efficient and effective. From social media to brochures presentations, the formula of the story will help you attract and maintain the attention of customers. That’s the power of building a StoryBrand.

So, what are the elements of the story brand framework and how will it help you to clarify your brand message without sleaziness or being overly sales-y? 

Building a storybrand: The 7-part StoryBrand framework explained.

Step 1: There is a character (your customer – and the hero of your story) who wants something. 

In this first step, you need to identify clearly and succinctly what it is your customer is looking for.

Step 2:  The hero (your customer) has a problem that stops them from getting what they want. 

Talk about the problem that your customer is experiencing. This is vital as unless you’re talking about your customer’s problems, they won’t be listening. Why? Because they’ll have no idea why your product or service matters to them.

Step 3: Position your brand as the guide. 

Once you’ve helped the customer to identify what they want and highlighted the problems that they’re experiencing, now is the time to position your brand as the guide that’s going to help them win the day. Do this with both empathy and authority. Show that you understand your customer’s problems and have the authority to help them solve them. This step establishes trust and increases your customers’ willingness to move forward and take action. 

Step 4: Give your customers a simple plan.

Your plan is where you show your customers how you will help them solve their problem. By painting a picture of the simple steps they need to go through, it makes doing business with you sound easy. By doing this, you’ll take away some of the risk your customers feel about moving forward and buying from you. 

Step 5: Call your customer to action.

Confidently show them what it is they have to do next – e.g: Buy now. Schedule a call. Book a consultation. Your call to action needs to be strong and confident, giving your customer the option to either accept or reject your offer. 

Step 6 & 7: The final steps.

The final steps are to cast a vision of what life would be like for your customer if they do or don’t do business with you. These are commonly termed as the stakes in the story. Don’t be afraid to add bags and bags of success. Do this by showing in your words and in your imagery exactly what life will look like for your customers if they buy from you.

And then, it’s time to remind them what things will be like if they don’t do business with you. The problem that you identified in step two will continue, and that is a failure. Don’t be too heavy-handed here. Just a pinch of failure is enough to give your customer a reason to move forwards whilst avoiding being dark and manipulative.

Now that you’ve identified the seven elements of story, do you want to find out more?

Want to find out more about these seven steps? I highly recommend buying and reading the book, Building a StoryBrand, by Donald Miller, which to date has sold over half a million copies worldwide and has helped thousands of businesses to tell their story and grow their sales.

Once you have a storybrand brandscript, what next?

When you have outlined the seven elements of the StoryBrand framework you now need to bring your work to life. Keep your messaging short and compelling and use it in  all your marketing. These talking points are everything that your customer needs to hear. 

Your brandscript can now be used to create a simple, yet effective 5-part sales funnel to help your business grow. The five key pieces of collateral you need are:

A one-liner: This is two or three sentences  (confusingly referred to as a one-liner) that answers the question: “What do you do?”. It explains what problem you solve and what success looks like for your customer when you do. The one-liner is the quickest and simplest way to pique curiosity about your brand.

A website homepage wireframe (words and layout). Use the words that you have created to develop a website that is clear and compelling. A website wireframe is the secret to creating a website that will work for you, and not against you. 

A lead generator. A lead generator could be one of many things: a PDF, an e-book, a webinar or live event. All have the purpose building trust and creating a list of qualified leads for whom you have email addresses, so you can keep the sales conversation going. This could quite easily be one of the most important pieces of marketing collateral that you create. 

Email nurture sequence: Think email marketing is dead? Think again. I love email marketing. Do it well and a nurture campaign is an effective way to communicate with prospects. They add value to the relationship, and build a strong foundation for the future. 

Email sales letter: Your nurture campaign is focused on quite literally nurturing relationships and building trust. Your sales campaign is the next step. It’s focused on moving the relationship to the next stage, and closing the deal. You don’t need to be shy with this one. It’s all about showing the customer how to take the next step so you can help them solve their problem when they buy from you. If you have the solution to the problem your customer has, selling it to them is the kind thing to do. 

It doesn’t need to stop there. You can also use a story brand framework in every piece of marketing collateral that you create. Want a compelling presentation? Storybrand that is there to help. Struggling to get engagement on social media? Using 7-part framework to create a clear messaging could be your answer. You’ll never stare at a blank piece of paper wondering what to write again.

So, why hire a StoryBrand certified guide?

You may have read the book, or been lucky enough to participate in one of the StoryBrand live workshops. Maybe, you’ve heard about the framework through the Building a StoryBrand podcast and know that this is the answer that you’re looking for. The problem is that you’ve got a business to run.

It is a lot to think about, and although the framework is simple, that doesn’t mean that mastering it is easy. As a business owner or marketing manager, you are simply too close to the problem. 

Let me help. As a StoryBrand certified guide, I was one of the first in the UK to have been trained by Donald Miller himself. So, I’ll help you see your company through fresh eyes, giving you a new perspective on your business and the unique value you bring to customers. With a clear message, I will help you execute every element of the sales funnel, and you will see sales grow.

Get in touch and get started today.

The first step to getting started is to book a free discovery call. Here we’ll get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit to work together. Book a free discovery call now and you’ll have taken the first step towards a clear message and sales that grow.