10 lessons from Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller:
- Your brand is a story. All brands tell a story, whether they realize it or not. The stories that resonate with customers are the ones that are clear, simple, and emotional.
- Your story should be about the customer, not about you. Customers don’t care about your company’s history or its products and services. They care about how your company can help them solve their problems and achieve their goals.
- Your story should follow a simple seven-part framework. This framework is based on the seven universal story points that all humans respond to: A character who wants something; A problem that stands in their way; A guide who helps them overcome the problem; A plan that the guide gives them; A call to action that the guide gives them; Stakes (what the character will lose if they don’t overcome the problem); and Success (what the character will achieve if they overcome the problem)
- Your brand’s message should be clear and concise. Customers should be able to understand what your company does and how it can help them in just a few seconds.
- Your brand’s message should be emotional. Customers are more likely to buy from companies that they feel connected to on an emotional level.
- Your brand’s message should be consistent across all of your marketing materials. This includes your website, social media, advertising, and sales materials.
- Your brand’s message should be tested and refined over time. Once you have a message, test it with customers to see what resonates with them. Then, refine your message based on the feedback you receive.
- Your brand’s message should be embedded in your company culture. Everyone in your company should understand your brand’s message and be able to communicate it to customers.
- Your brand’s message should be used to create a customer-centric experience. Everything that your company does should be focused on helping customers achieve their goals.
- Your brand’s message is your most important asset. It’s what sets you apart from your competitors and it’s what attracts customers to your company.