Building a Storybrand: The Storybrand Brandscript

 The Storybrand Brandscript

The first step in creating the brand story for your business is to create what Donald Miller has called a “brandscript.” This document will help you outline and structure your story in a way that is easy to understand and communicate.

This messaging framework helps you connect with your customers. It makes it easier for them to understand what you do and how it can help them. Your customer is someone who has a problem and is looking for a way to solve it. When they find you, they are already interested in the problem and are wondering if you can help them. When using the Storybrand brand strategy, you focus on speaking to your customer’s problem and the solution you provide. This invites you into their story as the Guide – someone with experience and authority who can solve their problem.

Donald Miller teaches that a successful story follows a proven formula that has been used for thousands of years. The formula is simple and has been followed by people such as Aristotle and Shakespeare. In more recent times, Hollywood has used this same formula to make billions of dollars. Movies such as Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Tommy Boy, That Thing You Do are all examples of this successful script. However, if a movie does not follow this formula, it can be hard to understand and is often not successful.

Using the Storybrand Brandscript: 7 Elements Of Writing A Great Story

Every great story has seven elements. Donald Miller’s messaging framework uses the Storybrand brandscript and these seven elements to communicate your business.

There Is A Character

Every story has a lead character who is the hero of the story. They always try their best and face a conflict they must overcome. In your business, your customer is the hero of the story.

Who Has A Problem

Throughout their journey, the Hero faces an obstacle they must overcome and defeat.

The Storybrand Framework splits the problem your customer is experiencing into three separate distinctions.

1. The external problem.

The external problem is the problem that your customer is trying to solve. It could be a leaky sink, needing new car tires, or marketing for their small business.

2. The internal problem.

The internal problem is how the customer’s problem is making them feel. Each problem creates a different set of emotions for each character.

3. The philosophical problem.

Why is it just plain wrong that your customer has to deal with their problem? This is typically phrased as a statement that uses the words “ought” or “should.”

Meets A Guide

The Guide is a critical piece for every great story.

At some point, the story’s character, during their journey, meets someone who can help them overcome their problem.

This person within the Storybrand Framework is known as The Guide.

The Guide is one who can speak with empathy towards the character’s problem because they have experienced the problem before, have successfully navigated their way through the customer’s problem, and have now seen the other side.

The Guide’s role in the story is to be the one who can help our hero see what their life will look like once they solve their problem, and most importantly, they present a simple plan to get started.

 

That Presents A Plan

Let’s face it. We can’t solve most problems on our own. If we could, we would. Right?
Without a guide to paint a picture of what our life could look like once the problem has been solved and then present a simple plan that will help us get started on our journey, our story’s hero will probably be content to stay put.

Without an Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker continues to be just another frustrated moisture farmer on Tatooine, wondering what adventure lies out there.

But also, if Obi-Wan told Luke before he even started his journey that he was going to have to face Darth Vader and kill him eventually, that would have been too overwhelming for a wannabe Jedi as well. Instead, Obi-Wan presented a simple plan to Luke, “we need to go to Mos Eisley and find someone with a ship who can take us where we need to go.”

As a guide, you should present at least three and no more than four steps to help the story’s hero move forward and solve their problem.

 

And Calls Them To Action

If you are like me, every great thing I have ever accomplished is because someone called me to take action.

Just like Obi-Wan did to Luke Skywalker, you need to call your customer to take action. This Call To Action can be “Schedule A Call” or “Make An Appointment.” But it needs to be a clear and decisive call to action, not an ambiguous call like “Get Started.” If they could “get started,” they wouldn’t need the Guide after all. Make it a clear call to action.

 

On To Success

Seeing success is an integral part of any journey. Without knowing exactly what you are working towards or how it will impact your life, it’s too easy to give up. The mark of a great leader is painting a picture of what someone’s life could look like “if they only” and then help them achieve that goal.

What will your customers’ life look like after they hire you or use your product?

Paint a clear picture for them to see.

Or Experience Failure

A story without consequences is an incomplete story. Without failure, there isn’t a reason for your customer not to do business with you. Without consequences, it doesn’t make a difference.
In order for your story to be compelling, you must communicate some failure elements of the results they will experience if they choose not to do business with you. Such as losing customers, losing money, reputation, whatever, but you need to remind them of some form of failure.

Word of caution, though, too much failure, and you risk being heavy-handed.

Using failure in your story is like using salt when baking; just a pinch does the trick!

But, when you use that small amount and remind the customer what their life will be like if they continue on the same path, that reminder can be a compelling motivator.

Ultimately They Experience Character Transformation

This last and very important part of the Storybrand framework helps you create a clear picture for your customers. It shows them how their life is now and how it will get better if they choose to do business with you. They go “From” where they are now to “To” where they want to be. In Storybrand, “To” is also called their aspirational identity. It’s about who they want to become in the end.

So, not to be too heavy-handed, but are you going to continue on YOUR same path, or are you ready to implement the Storybrand Framework for your business?

 

Keep reading for some simple steps you can take to create your Storybrand branscript and implement the Storybrand Framework yourself.