Ask any marketer worth their salt, and they’ll say that branding is essential. I once wrote a blog post about marketing salt and guess what was the big difference in selling this commodity, yep – branding. In fact, a great brand story is at the top of a marketer’s priority.
According to TechJury, brand awareness is the top goal of 89% of marketing professionals. After all, reports show that consistent and effective branding can spike revenue by 33%. That said, branding is more than just pretty logos and—believe it or not—a fantastic product. There are already plenty of those on the market.
Instead, you have to stand out with a good story if you want to save your brand from getting filtered out. That story should show (not tell) the value you create and how that is meaningful in the lives of those you want as customers. As it happens, Building a StoryBrand by bestselling author Donald Miller demystifies and simplifies the formula to a value-adding brand story with his seven-story brand principles.
Clarity Trumps Complexity
To begin, Miller notes the critical issue that many marketers struggle with—reining it in. Think about it, how many times have you clicked on a brand’s website, only for your interest to get stamped out by too many words? Your current and prospective customers are coming to you to relieve their confusion, not to get bombarded with information. When you provide your customers with the most salient points that directly answer what you can do for them, rather than what you can do in general, you’re actively removing a pain point.
As explained in another great book, The Catalyst by Jonah Berger, eliminating pain points is already step one in making yourself favorable. Another recent book by David Schonthal and Loran Nordgren, The Human Element, unravel the importance of removing friction, not just adding fuel (new features) to an innovation.
Miller says that brands should be able to answer three questions almost immediately:
- What do you offer?
- What’s in it for me?
- And what do I need to do to get it?
Note that the average attention span is 8 seconds, so it’s essential to communicate concisely.
Be the Guide, Not The Hero
Many brands like to make themselves the hero, but that doesn’t resonate with customers. Consumers want to see themselves as the hero and you as their guide. This shift may be a tricky paradigm twist for many brands, but Miler explains that being their guide is a more advantageous position. By becoming the Virgil to the customer’s Dante, you are in a place of authority and compassion — two traits that all customers are inadvertently drawn to.
Medium shares that most people have become skim readers regardless of topic, so it’s best to let them know your respective roles from the beginning. Echo their frustrations and goals before offering them supportive suggestions. This way, readers are more likely to see the value in what you say and do.
Promise Transformation and a Challenge
Finally, Miller says this is the point in which your story must explain the benefits it can impart to your customer. Paint a vivid picture of the resolution your brand can offer your heroic customer.
For instance, you could talk about how much money they’ll save or what sights they can expect. As per Miler, a good resolution should satisfy basic human desires such as feeling complete, experiencing self-realization, and achieving power or status.
When your customers feel like they’ve achieved this with your help, you’ll become a respected and trusted ally in their book. And as a final flourish in your brand story, Miller recommends a Call to Action (CTA) must not only be inviting but also challenging. Written so that consumers feel compelled and empowered to improve their circumstances, CTAs can increase leads by 20% and sales by over 100%.
It may be hard to believe that a brand story has less to do with a product and more to do with the consumer. But that’s precisely the kind of story that sells sustainably with the opportunity for scalability.
So, now that you have some insight into Miller’s approach, do you think your brand has a great story?
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Watch a short video about working with me.
Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash
