People remember stories more than plain words. With the advent of digital marketing practices, it has become extremely challenging to stand out among the competition and maintain customer loyalty. Since this knowledge has become familiar to the business space, brands have to go one step further than plain “Storytelling”.
Donald Miller’s “StoryBrand Framework” has become very popular as it helps businesses simplify their messages and produce a story that places the customer right at the center. By adapting your website, emails, and other platforms to this framework, you will connect with the right target segment, communicate value to them and grow your business.
What Is the StoryBrand Framework?
The StoryBrand Framework consists of 7 distinct steps. The goal is to explain your message so that customers will listen. Nothing catches the attention of people like a great story. Think about how the movies you love and the brands you trust use stories to grab our attention. Before running any marketing campaign, ask yourself this question: “What story are you inviting customers into?”
In terms of Marketing, if you can tell an excellent customer-centered story on your website, email, blog, and social media, you can succeed in converting traffic and maintaining loyalty. If not, your potential customers will get confused, lose interest, and go elsewhere.
StoryBrand Framework Steps
Step 1: The Character
Your brand story will begin with a character or “Hero” with a specific need or desire. It has to be something your target customer wants. Keep it simple and avoid using vague or inside language. In addition, try to pinpoint a limited set of needs so that the story is easier to understand, one that your customer can relate to.
Step 2: The Problem
Think about the problem that your target customer is experiencing. You can divide this part into three areas:
- External Problems: These are surface-level issues or physical issues.
- Internal Problems: These are the internal problems or what your customers feel.
- Philosophical Problems: These are related to the “right” or “wrong” that the story addresses—for example, Love vs. Hate, Good vs. Evil.
Step 3: The Guide
Once you have introduced a character and highlighted the problems, it’s time for your customers to meet the guide. Remember that you have to position your brand as a guide in your customer’s story through authority and empathy. It is integral that you tell them that you care and understand them. In addition, show that you are competent and have the expertise to tackle the situation.
Step 4: The Plan
Whenever your customers encounter mental fog, they will back out. It is your job to make the entire purchase, subscription, or sales process easy. People don’t like to put in extra effort to understand anything that gets slightly complicated. Give the audience three easy steps. For instance, a three-step plan for Be Eminent Marketing will be:
- Schedule an appointment
- Get a custom digital marketing plan
- Execute the strategy to grow your business
Think of this step as you, “The Guide,” giving your customer “The Hero”, a simple plan that will eliminate the problem.
Step 5: The Call-To-Action (CTA)
You have to call them to action after providing three easy steps that will serve as a path your customers can follow. First, note that people do not take action until they are challenged. So, if you are StoryBranding a website, place a “Direct” CTA button that is clear.
Examples of Direct CTA:
- Buy Now
- Get a Quote
- Schedule a Conversation
- Register Now
You can also place a “Transitional CTA” for your customers. This is about providing free valuable content or resources that your customers can use. It helps you continue a relationship with them even when they choose not to buy from you.
Examples of Transitional CTA:
- eBook
- Webinar
- Lead-generation PDF
- Live events
- E-course
Step 6: The Failure
Do not be afraid to highlight the negative outcomes that your customer might experience if they don’t do business with you. A story needs to have stakes to have success. This is something that we can gather from the “Prospect Theory,” which says that humans are more motivated to avoid “loss” than they are to achieve a “gain”.
However, it would be best if you didn’t overdo it. Think of it as adding a pinch of salt to your perfectly cooked food. An example of a “failure” that a pet food business can highlight is that the pets will have a shorter lifespan if they don’t get the proper nutrition.
When coming up with the right “failure”, ask yourself, “What will the lives of the people look like if they don’t do business with you?”
Step 7: The Success
Just as you added a little salt, you must add a cup full of success. People tend to head towards a vision of what their life can look like. Think of it as a climactic scene in a movie. Your customers will be delighted if you can solve the external, internal, and philosophical problems simultaneously. Populate your website with images, customer testimonials, and positive language that will give an encouraging nudge to your customers to trust and buy from you.
Storybrand Brandscript Example of Be Eminent Marketing
The character
A startup or an established business that wants digital visibility and growth.
The Problem
The business faces difficulty standing out among competitors and reaching the right audience.
The Guide
Why Be Eminent? It has a team of solid professionals that have expertise in different areas of digital marketing. In addition, it has worked with several businesses and has helped them achieve their marketing goals.
The Plan
- Schedule an appointment
- Get a custom digital marketing plan
- Execute the strategy to grow your business
The CTA
- Direct CTA: Schedule an Appointment
- Transitional CTA: A PDF guide about “Digital Marketing Practices 2022.”
Results in Failure
The competition will take over the brand visibility and capture sales, resulting in a decline in engagement and overall business.
Results in success:
- Target the right audience
- Higher engagement
- Increase in Brand visibility
- Growth in bookings and sales
- Gain brand credibility
- Stay ahead of the competition
Be Eminent Can Help You StoryBrand!
Now that you have gone through the StoryBrand Framework, you know it is an effective tool. These seven simple steps can help you communicate what your brand does and increase the chances of customers taking action.
If you want to StoryBrand your business, schedule an appointment with Be Eminent. We will work with you as a guide and clarify your Brand message. As a result, your audience will see the success factors and follow your business plan.