Marketing and SalesDigital MarketingContent Marketing
Introduction
“Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller is a ground-breaking book in the fields of digital and content marketing. It offers an innovative approach to brand storytelling by emphasizing the customer as the hero of the story, rather than the brand itself. Miller’s framework, known as the StoryBrand 7-Part Framework (SB7), leverages narrative techniques to help businesses clarify their messages and connect powerfully with their audiences. This summary will cover the major points of the book, illustrate them with concrete examples, and suggest specific actions that readers can implement.
1. The StoryBrand 7-Part Framework (SB7)
Miller’s SB7 Framework is the cornerstone of the book. It consists of seven elements:
1. A Character
2. A Problem
3. A Guide
4. A Plan
5. A Call to Action
6. Help to Avoid Failure
7. Achieving Success
Action Point:
- Chart Your Brand Story: Map your company’s message using the SB7 framework. Identify each component and ensure your marketing materials clearly articulate each one.
2. A Character: The Customer is the Hero
In the classical storytelling structure, a story begins with a character who desires something. For brands, this character is the customer, not the company.
Example:
– Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ campaigns put the spotlight on athletes overcoming their challenges. Nike becomes a facilitator rather than the hero.
Action Point:
- Define Customer Desires: Articulate what your customers truly want, and position your brand as enabling these desires.
3. A Problem: Identifying the Customer’s Problem
Customers only pay attention to brands when they can solve a particular problem they are facing. Miller identifies three levels of problems: External, Internal, and Philosophical.
Example:
– Apple’s marketing highlights the inconvenience (external problem) of using complex technology and converts it into a need for user-friendly devices (internal problem).
Action Point:
- Address All Levels of Problems: Craft your marketing messages to address the external, internal, and philosophical problems of your customers.
4. A Guide: Positioning Your Brand as the Guide
Companies should not pose as the hero but rather as a guide who helps the hero (the customer) achieve their goals.
Example:
– Yoda in ‘Star Wars’ who guides Luke Skywalker is a metaphor for how brands should serve their customers.
Action Point:
- Emphasize Empathy and Authority: Show understanding of your customer’s problems and establish your authority in solving them.
5. A Plan: Providing a Clear Plan
People trust guides who provide a clear and concise plan. A straightforward plan gives customers a sense of security and confidence in your brand.
Example:
– A three-step process on how to start using a new software product can greatly decrease user hesitation.
Action Point:
- Create a Simple, Clear Plan: Outline a step-by-step guide that customers can easily follow to solve their problems using your product/services.
6. A Call to Action: Encouraging Customers to Take Action
Every story requires a decisive moment where the hero is called to take action. Brands should include direct and transitional calls to action in their messaging.
Example:
– “Buy Now” buttons on e-commerce sites or “Get a Free Consultation” on service-based websites.
Action Point:
- Craft Strong CTAs: Ensure each piece of content has a clear and compelling call to action.
7. Help to Avoid Failure: Highlighting Stakes
Customers need to know what they stand to lose if they fail to act. Outlining these consequences can be a powerful motivator.
Example:
– Anti-smoking campaigns often highlight the dire health consequences of continued smoking.
Action Point:
- Clarify Stakes: Communicate the negative outcomes of not using your product or service to create a sense of urgency.
8. Achieving Success: Illustrating a Successful Outcome
Show customers the positive outcomes they can achieve by engaging with your brand.
Example:
– Weight loss programs displaying before and after photos demonstrate clear transformation.
Action Point:
- Paint a Picture of Success: Use testimonials, case studies, and visual aids to show the benefits customers will experience.
Application of StoryBrand in Various Marketing Efforts
9. Website Development
Your website should instantly communicate your brand’s message as per the SB7 framework.
Example:
– Donald Miller’s own website demonstrates the SB7 framework effectively, immediately showing what the business offers and how it can solve a customer’s problem.
Action Point:
- Optimize Your Website: Redesign your homepage to quickly and clearly convey your primary message using the SB7 framework.
10. Email Marketing
Miller advocates for running email campaigns that guide customers through a journey.
Example:
– A sequence of emails that begin with identifying the customer’s problem, providing solutions, and ending with a strong call to action.
Action Point:
- Structurized Email Campaigns: Develop email campaigns that gradually take the customer through the SB7 stages.
11. Social Media
Social media offers a dynamic platform to share your brand narrative consistently.
Example:
– Instagram Stories can be used to show the behind-the-scenes process, customer testimonials, and FAQ sessions.
Action Point:
- Consistent Storytelling: Regularly post content that aligns with the elements of the SB7 framework across your social media channels.
12. Content Marketing
Your blog articles, videos, and other forms of content should be created with the SB7 framework in mind.
Example:
– Educational blog posts that address customer pain points and how to resolve them using your product or service.
Action Point:
- Create Purposeful Content: Design a content calendar that focuses on each of the SB7 elements to keep customers engaged and informed.
Conclusion
“Building a StoryBrand” by Donald Miller provides a transformative approach to branding and marketing by using the power of storytelling. By positioning the customer as the hero and the brand as the guide, companies can create clear, engaging, and persuasive messages that resonate with their audience.
Key Takeaways:
- Utilize the SB7 Framework: Implement this structure in all aspects of your marketing to ensure clarity and coherence.
- Focus on the Customer: Always keep the customer’s desires and problems at the forefront.
- Clear Calls to Action: Make it easy for customers to take the next step.
Following these guidelines will help businesses not only to connect more deeply with their customers but also to create lasting and profitable relationships.