The StoryBrand 7-Part Framework
Your brand needs to tell a good story, but many companies don’t know what that really means or how to do it. In this article, I’ll cover why you should focus on the story your brand is telling…and why it’s not the story you think it is.
Why should your brand use story to connect with customers? It’s nothing new, but let’s cover the basics:
Human brains prefer stories. For thousands of years, stories have followed familiar formulas. Our brains are looking for these mental shortcuts to cut out work and save calories.
Stories are interesting and memorable. Good stories touch our hearts and our minds. And, they make you pay attention. A good story sticks with us because of those well-worn paths in our brains.
StoryBrand’s 7-part framework is based on 2,000 years of story formulas. Every classic story, from King Arthur to Star Wars, goes something like this.
A Character
Has a Problem
And Meets a Guide
Who Gives Them a Plan
And Calls Them to Action
That Ends in Success
And Avoids Failure
A great story involves transformation. The Hero goes on a journey where their weakness is transformed into strength.
Who is the Hero of your brand story? Let’s go through each point of the framework and see how it applies to the way you talk about yourself and your customers.
StoryBrand 7-Part Framework
1. A Character
Our story begins when we meet the main character, the Hero, and we find out what they want. Who is the Hero of your brand story?
The Hero of your brand story is not you. The Hero is your Customer. A Hero is weak. They need a Guide to help them fulfill their destiny, right? You are the Guide. Your brand message must center on the Hero and what the Hero wants.
You must understand your customer and what they want. They are always subconsciously asking “what’s in it for me?”
If you talk only about yourself, your company and how great you are, the customer will lose interest. They don’t want to be an extra in your story.
2. Has a Problem
The Hero has many obstacles to overcome before they can find success. What are the problems your customer is facing?
External Problems: These are the surface issues your customer faces.
Internal Problem: The feelings and frustrations of your customer.
Philosophical Problem: Usually includes with “it’s wrong to…” or “shouldn’t have to…”
3. And Meets a Guide
Now, we get to talk about your company! As the Guide, focus on how you help solve the Hero’s problems.
A good Guide must demonstrate these two things:
Empathy: you understand the Hero’s problems
Authority: you have what it takes to help the Hero overcome those problems
This is a great place to include testimonials and clients. But, don’t overdo it. Authority is like salt in a cake. You need a bit, but it quickly ruins the experience.
4. Who Gives Them a Plan
The Guide always has a plan to help the Hero. Show your audience a simple path of what to expect.
Use a simple, 3-step plan that makes it easy for your customers to say “YES” right away.
1. Schedule a call
2. Meet with our team
3. Get a personalized plan
There may be many small steps, but think of this as crossing a rushing river. Give your audience three large stones they can use to easily cross to the other side. Your customer doesn’t need to know every step in order to get started. If you confuse you lose.
5. And Calls Them To Action
Don’t hide your call to action (CTA). Don’t be afraid. If you truly believe your product or service can ease your audience’s pain, you owe it to them to offer it. What do you want your customer to do? Make it clear that this is the ONE THING they need to do. And repeat this throughout your website.
You need a Direct CTA and a Transitional CTA. Think of this like “Will you marry me?” vs “You want to go on a date?” If your visitor isn’t ready to marry you (become a customer), maybe they just want to go on a date and learn more about you (transitional CTA).
Direct CTAs: Buy our product or engage our services.
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Transitional CTAs: You’re not ready to buy? That’s OK. Learn more about us.
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6. That Ends in Success
You always know what the hero of a movie is trying to achieve (disarm the bomb or marry the girl). What will success look like when all the conflict is resolved and the get what they want?
You must paint a clear vision of the future for your customer. Remind them of their happy ending and why they need to choose you.
7. And Avoids Failure
If there are no stakes there is no reason for the journey to begin. Remind the Hero of what happens if they fail (they don’t choose you as their Guide). They will fail to solve their problems and get what they want. Or worse, they’ll go backwards.
Finally, identify the change in the Hero (Character Transformation). The Hero changes from to .
A good story has the power to attract the right people to your website, hold their attention, and persuade them that you are the guide to help solve their problem. If you can tell a good customer-centered story on your website, email, and social media, you can grow your business.
If you can’t, your potential customers will get confused, lose interest, and go elsewhere.
Next Steps
StoryBrand offers a free tool if you’re interested in going through this exercise with your company’s brand.
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