Storytelling has been a foundational piece of human connection since the beginning of our civilization. People tell stories to relive memories, explain ideas, and ultimately, make deeper connections. A well-crafted story can captivate and engage people – and brands can use this to their advantage.
In today’s world, consumers are bombarded with messages from all directions. There are countless brands, products, and services all vying for their attention. In such a crowded marketplace, it’s important for brands to find a way to stand out and connect with their target audience. This is where storytelling comes in.
When done correctly, storytelling can create an emotional connection between the brand and the consumer. This connection is crucial because it helps to establish trust and loyalty between the two parties, which is especially important for building a brand that will last. By telling a unique and compelling story, a brand can position itself as the clear choice in a crowded marketplace. This can help to build brand recognition and increase customer loyalty over time.
There are several key elements that make a good brand story. It should be authentic, relatable, and relevant to the target audience. The story should also be simple and easy to understand. Above all, it should convey the brand’s values and message in a way that resonates with the target audience.
The StoryBrand framework provides an easy-to-follow guide to crafting your brand’s story, which you can implement into your brand messaging. The framework follows this order:
1. A Character
Every notable story starts with a character, the hero of the story. The hero of your brand’s story is not your brand, it’s your customer. In order for the customer to feel connected to the story, they need to be at the center of it. They need to be able to relate to the hero and see themselves as the hero. If they don’t make that connection, the story will not be nearly as effective for your brand’s messaging. You need to answer these questions:
- Who is your customer?
- What do they value?
- What is their goal?
An easy way to find the answers to these questions is to perform a target audience analysis. This is will help you discover the qualities of your target audience. Creating a customer persona can also help you visualize your hero as a real character. It’s important to clearly describe the characteristics of the hero and that they relate to your target audience.
2. Has A Problem
What would a hero or story be without conflict? We know the answer, boring. In order for a story to be compelling and engaging, there must be a point where the hero has to overcome an obstacle or challenge, that’s what makes it interesting. Most of the time, that challenge is painted as a villain, someone or something the hero and audience can look at and say, “You’re the source of my problems.” Ultimately, your product or service is what the hero will use to overcome their villain. It may seem fitting to use a competitor, however, that will not help your story or translate to your audience. In this case, you are identifying your customers’ pain points, that is the true villain. There are three types of conflict that a hero can face:
- External Problem: Surface level issues, something tangible and visible to the audience, manifests an internal problem.
- Internal Problem: Often a feeling or thought that stems from an external problem, a more personal, bigger motivator.
- Philosophical Problem: A deeper meaning, the “why”, deals with the principles and values of a hero.
Most brands focus on the external problems of their customers, but most consumers buy to solve internal problems. People buy with emotion. By talking about your customer’s problems, it only increases their interest in what your brand has to offer – “They get it! They understand what I’m going through!” Find your hero’s villain and the story only gets better from there.
3. And Meets a Guide
If the hero could solve all of their problems on their own, they wouldn’t have many problems, to begin with. The hero has a problem, and they need to find someone who can help them overcome it. Your customers aren’t looking for another hero with the same problem, they’re looking for someone who knows the solution to their problem. This is where your company comes in.
There are two key factors to positioning your brand as the guide: Empathy and Authority.
- Empathy shows the customer that you understand their problem. Demonstrate empathy by using statements that show you understand how the problem affects them.
- Authority shows the customer that you have what it takes to solve their problem. Demonstrate authority by showing testimonials, awards, or case studies.
Remember, your brand is not the hero, the customer is. Your role is to provide value (or a solution) to the customer (the hero). By keeping your customer at the center of the story and your brand as the guide, you show the customer that they are the priority and you are here to help them.
4. Who Gives Them a Plan
As the guide, your brand needs to provide a solution to the hero’s problem, or they won’t understand how you can help them. If the customer doesn’t fully understand how your brand can help, they will be hesitant to purchase your product or service. This is where you explain exactly how your product or service is going to solve your hero’s problem by giving specific steps they can take, this is your plan. The plan should be clear and straightforward. For example, a financial consultant’s plan may look something like this:
- Schedule an appointment.
- Meet with our team and create an investment plan.
- Enjoy your peace of mind and watch your money grow.
Ultimately, the plan should bring clarity to your hero and show them a clear path they can take to victory. If they don’t see that path clearly, it will be harder for them to follow you. So, you don’t want to overwhelm the hero with a large number of steps to take, but you also want to avoid not providing enough information where they become confused. Aim for somewhere in the middle where you give them just enough to follow through.
5. And Calls Them to Action
In order for your hero to take action, they need to be challenged to do so. At this point, you’ve shown them how you can help solve their problem, but most people need that final push to take action. The Call-To-Action needs to be clear and bold, or the hero will look right over it. There are two types of Calls-To-Action: Direct and Transitional.
- Direct CTAs are exactly how they sound: direct. They cut out the confusion and ask the hero to take action right there. This may not work for everyone, especially if they aren’t ready to take action. That’s where transitional CTAs come into play.
- Transitional CTAs work a little differently. They continue providing value and show the hero how your brand can help them, slightly easing them into taking action.
6. That Helps Them Avoid Failure
If there are no stakes in the story, then the hero has nothing to lose (which doesn’t make an engaging story). Without the potential to fail, the hero has no reason to overcome their problem. The “failure” is essentially the effect hero’s problem would have in their life if not resolved. This is what pushes the hero to seek a solution. By explaining what would happen if the problem is left unresolved, you place a little fear into the hero, pushing them even more to take action.
7. And Ends in Success
Your hero started this journey in order to solve their problem, however, they may not fully understand the benefits that come with success. So, you need to clearly paint the picture of success for them. You never want to assume they understand. By simply showing them how much their life will improve if they solve their problem, they will be more willing to take action. Think about how your hero’s life looks before and after success, then cast that vision to your hero. Once the hero can see how great their lives can be, they will be more willing to take action.
Implementing Your Story Into Your Brand Messaging
Now that you have a better understanding of how you provide value to your audience, you can clearly communicate that value in your brand messaging. Using the elements from your brand’s story, you can assemble a value proposition that will effectively communicate your value for you. Oyster Shell Strategy can help you share your story with your target audience, get in touch with us today.