Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen (Summary)
Your company is making a huge mistake in its marketing, and it's killing your sales. You're positioning your brand as the hero of the story, when you should be the wise guide. Think of yourself as Yoda, not Luke Skywalker. This one shift is the secret to connecting with customers and growing your business exponentially.
Stop Playing the Hero; Be the Guide
The most common and costly mistake brands make is positioning themselves as the hero. Customers don't care about your story; they care about their own. Your brand must position the customer as the hero and take on the role of the trusted guide who helps them win.
In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker is the hero with a problem. Obi-Wan Kenobi is the guide who gives him a plan and the skills to succeed. Your brand needs to be Obi-Wan. Apple doesn't sell a heroic computer; it sells a simple tool that helps creative heroes (their customers) change the world.
If You Confuse, You Lose
The human brain is designed to conserve calories. If your marketing message is confusing or requires too much effort to understand, potential customers will simply ignore you. Clarity is the key to conversion.
Miller proposes the 'grunt test.' Could a caveman look at your website for five seconds, and then grunt what it is you do? If a customer can't immediately answer 'What do you offer?', 'How will it make my life better?', and 'How do I get it?', they will click away.
Sell the Solution to Internal Problems, Not Just External Ones
Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but customers are far more motivated by how those problems make them feel (internal problems). Great brands speak directly to the customer's frustration, self-doubt, or fear.
A company selling Rolex watches isn't just solving the external problem of 'not knowing the time.' It's solving the internal problem of a customer wanting to feel successful, respected, and significant. The marketing is about status, not timekeeping.
You Must Call Customers to Action
Customers will not take action unless they are clearly and repeatedly prompted to do so. Brands must be bold and obvious with their calls to action, telling customers exactly what they need to do next.
Imagine a movie where the hero knows what to do but is never told 'Go now!' It would be a boring film. Your website needs a 'Buy Now' or 'Schedule a Call' button that is prominent, colorful, and repeated. Many businesses are too passive, making it hard for customers to give them money.
