When sales are down, the problem is often not the product—it’s how we discuss it. All good marketing is good storytelling. Creating a brand story that speaks directly to your audience can increase customer engagement and boost sales.

What Is a Compelling Brand Story?

Becoming a better storyteller is the key to connecting with customers on a higher level. A compelling brand story communicates three main points: who you are, what you do, and why a potential customer should choose you over the competition. If any of these points need clarification, you risk losing customers somewhere in the sales funnel.

In today’s world, distractions are a dime a dozen. Catching and keeping a customer’s interest is a science as much as an art. How you tell your brand’s story can make or break your entire marketing strategy.

Building a StoryBrand

Donald Miller is the CEO of StoryBrand and Business Made Simple. He is a bestselling author and has worked as a consultant for many major brands, including TOMS Shoes and Tempur Sealy. In his book Building a StoryBrand, he teaches leaders how to talk about their companies using his tried-and-true StoryBrand framework.

Miller lays out a 7-step process for creating a brand story that converts. The method utilizes the 7 most common components of any good story: character, problem, guide, plan, call to action, failure, and success. Here’s how you can harness the power of StoryBrand marketing for your business.

Make the customer the hero: Contrary to popular belief, you’re not the hero of this story—the customer is. Their journey is ultimately what matters when it comes to selling your product. In a story, the hero’s quest is driven by desire. Make it clear that you understand what your customer wants and need.

1. Define the customer’s problem: The problem is the villain in your customer’s story. It might be internal or external, but the goal is to position the problem as an enemy that can be defeated… with some help.
2. Become the guide: By demonstrating empathy for your customer’s problems and authority regarding solutions, you can position your company as a trusted guide to help them overcome their villains.
3. Offer a clear plan: Break down exactly how to use your product or service. Use simple, accessible language. This helps the customer visualize the process and makes your solution feel doable, even in an overwhelming problem.
4. Call to action: The only thing your customer can do is take the first step. Make it easy for them by using a compelling call to action, like “register” or “buy now.” Tell them precisely what you want them to do.
5. Avoid failure: Remind the customer of what they stand to lose without your product. This risk factor increases the sense of urgency and dispels any lingering doubts.
6. Success: Paint a picture of the transformation once the customer has successfully used your product or service. So much of storytelling lies in the aspirational potential. If you give your customers a vision of what it could be, they will want to make it a reality.

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Coach Dave