Every company wants dynamic marketing that generates sales and attracts great-fit customers. The problem is, most companies confuse their customers with unclear marketing.
The framework we use to help brands solve this challenge is the StoryBrand Framework. The StoryBrand Framework is a marketing tool created by Donald Miller. It's based on the idea that every story, whether it's in a book, movie, or advertisement, follows a similar pattern. This pattern includes a hero, a problem, a guide, a plan, a call to action, and a success or failure. The StoryBrand Framework is designed to help brands clarify their marketing message and connect with their audience. By following the pattern of a story, brands can create marketing materials that resonate with potential customers and helps them see how the brand can solve their problems.
Here are the 7 parts of the StoryBrand Marketing Framework:
- A CHARACTER:The hero of the story, who faces a problem or challenge that they need to overcome.
- HAS A PROBLEM: The challenge or problem that the hero is facing, which needs to be resolved.
- MEETS A GUIDE: The hero meets a guide, who provides them with a plan to solve their problem.
- WHO GIVES THEM A PLAN: The guide gives the hero a clear plan to follow, which will help them overcome their problem.
- AND CALLS THEM TO ACTION: The hero is then encouraged to take action and implement the plan.
- THAT HELPS THEM AVOID FAILURE: By following the guide's plan, the hero is able to avoid failure and achieve success.
- AND ENDS IN A SUCCESS: The hero overcomes their problem and achieves their desired outcome, resulting in a successful resolution to the story.
The paradigm shift with the StoryBrand framework is that when you tell a story with your marketing, your brand should be positioned as the guide in the story, not the hero. Many marketers/marketing companies will help their clients tell the story of the business. That doesn't work because nobody wants to pay attention to marketing that tells the story of a company. Today's consumers want to hear a story that's about THEM. This is why we believe all companies should prioritize positioning themselves as the guide.
Why Does the StoryBrand Framework Work?
The StoryBrand Framework works because it taps into the way our brains are wired. As humans, we're naturally drawn to stories. We use stories to make sense of the world around us, and we're more likely to remember information that's presented in the form of a story. We are also much more drawn to stories that are about us. When brands use the StoryBrand framework, they are able to tell a story in their marketing that positions their brand as the guide in the story rather than the main character in the story. When brands successfully position themselves as the Guide for the Hero, engagement improves because the audience feels as if they’re the main character in the story. The StoryBrand Framework also works because it helps brands communicate their message more clearly. By following the pattern of a story, brands can avoid confusion and get straight to the point. This is especially important in today's fast-paced world where people have short attention spans.
Ultimately, stories help brands communicate how they help their customers solve problems, and clear messaging through a story helps literally helps an audience burn less calories while consuming marketing content.
4 Main Applications for the StoryBrand Framework.
The StoryBrand Framework can be used in a variety of different applications, including:
Websites - Using the StoryBrand Framework on your website can help you clarify your message and make it easy for potential customers to understand what you do. By following the pattern of a story, you can guide visitors through your site and help them see how your brand can solve their problems. The best part about using the StoryBrand framework on a website is that most of the copy on a home page can be used in many, many other forms of marketing. Nailing the message on your website will enable you to market more clearly in many new directions.
Emails - Using the StoryBrand Framework in your emails can help you connect with your audience and increase engagement. By crafting emails that follow the pattern of a story, you can grab your reader's attention and keep them interested in what you have to say. This is achieved by speaking about the character in the story more than yourself and your brand.
Social Media - Using the StoryBrand Framework on social media can help you stand out from the crowd and make your message more memorable. We advise brands to select 1 or 2 talking points from their StoryBrand Framework for each social media post. By crafting social media posts that follow the pattern of a story, you can create a narrative that resonates with your audience and helps them see how your brand can solve their problems.
Presentations - Using the StoryBrand Framework in your presentations will help you communicate your message clearly and keep your audience engaged. By following the pattern of a story, you can create a presentation that tells a compelling narrative and helps your audience see how your brand can solve their problems.
What Should You Do if You Are Interested in Using the StoryBrand Framework?
If you're interested in using the StoryBrand Framework, there are a few things you should do:
1. Create a Brandscript - Before you can use the StoryBrand Framework, you need to have a clear understanding of what your brand does and how it can solve problems for your customers. You can get started mapping out your StoryBrand Framework at BuildingaStoryBrand.com.
2. Write a Brand Narrative - A brand narrative is a paragraph that summarizes the story of your customer and how your brand helps them find success. It includes all 7 parts of the StoryBrand Framework and can be used as the foundation for all of your marketing.
3. Update Your Website - After your Brandscript and Brand Narrative is complete, your first priority should be to update the words on your website to position your company as the Guide. When working with clients, our first step is to get their website “Storybranded” so we can use that content in many other forms of marketing.
Using StoryBrand to Fuel Your Marketing and Your Team.
The StoryBrand Framework not only helps brands clarify their message and connect with their audience, but it can also be a powerful tool for uniting a team and making them more efficient in their marketing. By creating a clear and consistent narrative that everyone on the team can understand and get behind, the StoryBrand Framework can help ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to the brand's messaging and marketing strategy. This can lead to more efficient and effective marketing, as well as a stronger sense of teamwork and collaboration within the organization. Additionally, by using the framework to guide their marketing efforts, team members can avoid confusion and stay focused on the most important aspects of their messaging, which can help them achieve their marketing goals more quickly and effectively.At South Mountain Messaging, everything we do revolves around helping brands use the StoryBrand framework effectively. If you have questions about the StoryBrand framework, we’re always here to help!
- Jonny
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