I recently read a captivating book that is a game-changer for crafting content that converts. It’s called “ Building A Story Brand” by Donald Miller and it’s a must-read if wanting a proven strategic approach to creating content to grow your biz or brand. 

As children, our curiosity is sparked through the power of storytelling. We find inspiration and learn many lessons from the awe and wonder conveyed in storybooks or a compelling movie. Scriptwriters know the hooks of a great story, it’s what makes a movie a blockbuster! 

As wellness entrepreneurs, we know how pivotal authentic storytelling is to connecting with our audiences! Stories tend to be more entertaining and inspiring than preaching, and that’s why the most compelling content stories are often from personal experience. 

The insights from Donald Miller’s framework are not only straightforward and common sense, they are also highly effective as they form the essential ingredients to generating a story that not only connects but converts.

7 Elements of Great Storytelling to Grow Your Biz – let’s break it down.  

1. A character – The customer is the hero, not the brand. 

The book has many takeaways however the one that resonated the most, was that the customer is the life force of your business.

“ Businesses that invite their customers into a heroic story grow. Businesses that don’t are forgotten”.  

Brands do well if they identify something their customers want or their desire and communicate it simply. The desire must be relevant to their survival and then to thrive – examples include:

• Conserving financial resources (saving money)
• Conserving time 
• Building social networks (community)
• Gaining status 
• Accumulating resources
• The innate desire to be generous 
• The desire for meaning. 

2. Has problem – Companies sell solutions to external problems, and customers buy solutions to internal problems. 

When we identify our customers’ problems in our brand story, their interest deepens, it demonstrates a sense of understanding and empathy – we see them, we hear them. Who can relate?

Their problems are the “hook” of the story. 

The problem is the villain. 

And the villain doesn’t have to be a person (although it should have personified characteristics). Many advertisers personify the problems their customers face to capture their imagination and give the frustrations a focal point. 

There are three levels of conflict heroes (customers) face:

External Problems – Physical, tangible problem the hero must overcome to save the day!

Internal Problems – Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but people buy solutions to internal problems. 

Case study

Apple identified that most people felt intimidated by their computers. They ran a campaign that positioned Apple Computers as the company to go to if you wanted to enjoy life and express yourself – they showed a simple, hip, fun character who just wanted to take photos and listen to music, and through this they solved the problem of customer intimidation. 

Philosophical Problems – this is about the question of why! The deeper meaning. People want to be involved in a story larger than themselves, giving the customer a voice in a larger narrative. Is there a deeper story your brand contributes to? Then absolutely use that in your messaging!

3. Meets a Guide – Customers aren’t looking for another hero, they’re looking for a guide. A guide with empathy and authority. 

If the hero solves his/her own problem in a story, the audience will tune out. Why? Because we know if she could solve her own problem, she wouldn’t have gotten into trouble in the first place. 

The fatal mistake some brands make is positioning themselves as the hero in the story instead of the guide. 

“The day we start losing sleep over the success of our business and start losing sleep over the success of our customers is the day our business grows!” – Robert Miller.

4.Who Gives Them A Plan – Customers trust a guide who has a plan! 

“If you confuse, you lose”.  

We love a plan, it is the foundation of our work. At the end of the day, someone with a plan gives clarity, direction, and anchor – it’s the roadmap everyone needs. Clarity is needed for your marketing message so clients pay attention. It is also a mechanism to establish and develop trust. A plan gives them a path. The path needs to be simple and straightforward. They want simple achievable steps ( 1,2, 3) both pre and post-purchase that describe the action you want  them to take. 

5. Calls them to action – Customers do not take action unless they are challenged to take action.

Heroes need to be challenged by outside forces to take action. We are saturated with content every day, and unless we are bold in our call to actions, we will be ignored. There are two types of action – direct and transitional. 

Direct calls to action need to be strong,  clear, and then repeated over and over. 

Customers unfortunately can’t read our minds. If we try to sell passively, we communicate a lack of belief in our product or service. Essentially, our customers should know we want to marry them. 

Examples include ORDER NOW, BUY NOW, SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, REGISTER TODAY! 

A transitional call to action is a powerful tool to grow your business. They can:

• Stake a claim to your territory – create a piece of content that positions you as the expert is a great way to establish authority. 
• Create reciprocity – don’t worry about giving away too much information, the more you give, the more you’re likely to get back so give freely!
• Position yourself as the guide. When you help your customers solve a problem, even for free, you position yourself as the guide.    

6. That helps them avoid failure – every human being is trying to avoid a tragic ending.

What will the customer lose if they don’t purchase your products or services? If there are no stakes, there is no story! People are motivated by loss aversion and resisting failure. 

It’s behavioural economics. 

But it’s just a pinch of salt you need as too much and your customers will resist. 

A great tactic in helping your customers imagine what life can look like when they buy your products or services. 

7.Ends in success – Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives. Tell them. 

Customers want a happy ending (don’t we all). They want to become whole by providing answers to their external, internal and philosophical problems, and they can achieve this through status, self realisation, self-acceptance and transcendence.  

External help comes in the form of reduced anxiety, reduced workload and more time. Internal help comes from the human desire to self-actualise, an acceptance of self ( helping people accept themselves as they are is powerful) and transcendence ( participation in a large movement that creates a more impactful life). 

Helping people become a better version of themselves is a beautiful thing. In health & wellness, our main purpose is to guide our clients through their transformation journey, with our knowledge, our skills, our offerings (service or products) and our gifts.  We know the client is the hero of the story, and you are the guide, so affirming the clients transformation is the recipe to success. 

In closing, when developing content, if we understand our clients are filled with emotion, driven to transform and need our help, we not only sell our products and service but we change people, we want to create impact as a purpose-led legacy brand. 

Storytelling is a potent tool that can transform your content strategy from good to great.

You never get a second chance to make a good first impression – let’s get it right from the start. Are you ready to start the journey to content mastery with a strategic content plan?

Let’s chat now. Book your free call below.