The Importance of StoryBranding

What Is StoryBranding?

The StoryBranding concept, created by Donald Miller, an accomplished author, and marketer, is designed to clarify your business’ message and improve the marketing strategy by leveraging the power of storytelling.   Every story from the beginning of time follows the same basic framework at its core. StoryBranding takes that same framework and applies it to marketing to insert customers into a powerful story, teach them about a product or service, and build their relationship with a brand. Stories are powerful in helping people have an emotional reaction and easily recall the details they read.   To understand StoryBranding, you have to realize that customers don’t care that much about a business, but they do care about themselves. Each potential customer acts in their self-interests and cares about how your product or service fits into their story to improve their lives. StoryBranding leans into that fact by shifting the focus from your product to the customers. The customer becomes the hero of the story and uses your product to resolve their conflict. As potential customers walk through the story, they are immersed in the brand and can see how your product can improve their lives. 

What Is The StoryBranding Process?

StoryBranding uses the same basic framework of every story ever told:

1. A Character (Hero)…
2. Has a Problem (Villain)…
3. And Meets a Guide…
4. Who Gives Them a Plan…
5. And Calls Them to Action…
6. That Ends in Success…
7. And Helps Them Avoid Failure.

You can apply this framework to every story, from The Odyssey to Star Wars and Harry Potter. You can also apply it to your business and marketing approach with a story or BrandScript.  StoryBranding makes the customer the hero of the story. It puts them in the middle and plays to their self-interests. The hero comes across a problem or a pain point, and then your company can step in as the guide to help them resolve the issue and fight the villain.  StoryBranding creator Donald Miller puts it this way: “When we position our customer as the hero and ourselves as their guide, we will be recognized as a sought-after character to help them along their journey. In other words, your audience is Luke Skywalker. You get to be Yoda. It’s a small but powerful shift. This story honors the journey and struggles of our audience, and it allows us to provide the product or service they need to succeed.” Applying this framework to your overall marketing strategy can be incredibly effective in building strong connections with customers, especially on your website. People want to be the hero and save the day. Through stories, they can better understand your product without the typical marketing jargon. 

Why Is StoryBranding Important?

In one sense, StoryBranding is a fairly simple concept. But it has the potential to change how companies market their products and services entirely. The subtle shift to putting customers first and telling a story instead of spouting off facts about your brand can make an important difference in how people view your company. Brands that value the importance of StoryBranding apply its principles to their websites can stand out from the competition.  

Puts Customers First

Many companies focus on their products and services instead of their customers, but StoryBranding puts customers first by literally making them the hero and main character of the story. Everyone wants to be seen and valued, so when customers are the center of the entire marketing campaign, it resonates with them and builds a strong connection. Customers can relate to the brand more easily and see themselves using the product or service because it is built into the story. Instead of simply imagining how the product could help their life, they can see the actual value because it is right there in the story. Too many websites highlight the company’s accomplishments, including their credentials and the benefit of the product. That’s seen in paragraphs where every sentence starts with “We,” “Our team,” or “Our product.” This information can be useful, but it puts the company above the customer. StoryBranding inserts customers into the middle of the company and makes them the primary focal point. Instead of honing in on the product’s features, it focuses on how the product or service can improve the customer’s life.  

Showcases Empathy

Following the StoryBranding formula helps companies acknowledge their customer’s pain and show empathy. In the story, the brand is acting as a guide to the customer. To build an effective StoryBrand, companies have to step into their customer’s shoes to find what matters to them the most, what is causing them pain, and how the brand can improve their situation. That empathetic mindset shows through in every aspect of StoryBranding. Many brands show sympathy in their marketing, but it’s rare to show empathy. Sympathy is merely saying you’re sorry that something happens. If you are marketing a cell phone, sympathy would mean that you’re sorry other phones don’t hold a charge. But empathy takes it one step further by actually putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and imagining what it feels like for them. An empathetic approach would tap into the emotions and frustration of having a cell phone that doesn’t charge. Empathy is a stronger emotion, and brands that can put empathy into their website and marketing can build strong connections with their customers. Empathy shows you care about customers deeply and know what it’s like in their shoes. 

Proves Value Of Your Product Or Service 

If you follow the StoryBrand formula, you put your brand into the story and prove its value as the customer uses it to solve their problems. Instead of sharing facts and statistics about your product’s value, using a story allows potential customers to see the product’s value in action. As they immerse themselves in the story, they can picture themselves in a specific scenario. They feel the frustration of having a problem and not knowing how to solve it. But then your website comes in to guide them to the solution – your product or service. Potential customers leave that story feeling hopeful and encouraged, and they take those feelings with them towards your brand. StoryBranding allows you to showcase your product or service in a real-world scenario, which proves its value far more than just stating its facts and features ever could. With StoryBranding, your product or service becomes a valuable asset to the customer. Without your product, they couldn’t have survived their big trial or adventure. They can see real-world applications for your product and convince themselves of the value it provides.  

Builds Credibility 

StoryBranding can build credibility in your business and your product. Instead of simply telling about the product in vague and uncertain terms, StoryBranding puts the product into action to prove how potential customers can use it. Instead of someone else telling the customer how great the product is, they get to experience it for themselves in the story.  StoryBranding establishes the company and product as the guide that helps the hero save the day. Just like Yoda helping Luke Skywalker save the galaxy or Dumbledore helping Harry Potter develop as a wizard builds the mentors’ credibility, so too does establishing your product as the guide build your credibility. When customers can see exactly how the product can help them overcome their struggles, it builds credibility – not just the company’s theoretical benefits, but real, tangible benefits of the product or service’s use. That sort of credibility is powerful and memorable.   

Gets Results

StoryBranding isn’t just a marketing trend— the process proves a valuable way to communicate with customers. StoryBranding taps into the basic story formula we’re all familiar with to create real connections. Brands that leverage StoryBranding in their websites and marketing have seen incredible results in people not only trying their products or services but becoming loyal customers and sharing the company with their family and friends. Because they are initially involved with the story, they are more engaged and a more significant part of the brand than just a bystander. Stories are some of the most persuasive tools in human communication. Leveraging the power of storytelling can take your marketing to the next level.