Common StoryBrand BrandScript Mistakes: A Guide to Crafting a Compelling Brand Message
Why Your Business Needs a BrandScript: The Importance of Clear Brand Messaging
Crafting a compelling brand message is essential to achieving business success. The StoryBrand framework offers a powerful approach to storytelling that puts the customer at the center of the narrative. However, creating a successful BrandScript can be challenging, and even tiny mistakes can derail your marketing communications efforts.
This guide will explore the most common mistakes in the StoryBrand Hero Section, Problem Section, Guide Section, Plan Section, Call to Action, Success Section, Failure Section, and Character Transformation. We'll also discuss the importance of branding and marketing communication and offer tips for crafting story elements to connect with your ideal customers.
As a Top StoryBrand Certified Guide, Caffeine Marketing can help you overcome these challenges and create a powerful brand message that resonates with potential customers. Contact us today to learn how we can help you achieve your branding and marketing communication goals.
Mastering the StoryBrand Framework
Donald Miller's StoryBrand framework is an effective tool for capturing the attention of your target audience by making them the hero of your brand's story. You can establish brand authority and create a cohesive message by positioning yourself as the guide. However, simply attending a StoryBrand workshop or private training isn't enough.
Without clear and concise messaging, your brand's story can become irrelevant. Neglecting to create a great BrandScript can result in inconsistent messaging across your marketing materials and failure to make your company the hero of your story.
Consistent branding and communication are essential to building a coherent brand. Remember, even the best business owners have coaches along the way.
1. Hero
To avoid common mistakes in the hero section, it's crucial to understand what your customers want and start their story from there.
Mistakes
Using vague or insider language
It might be cute or clever, but it’s not clear.
Defining too many things that the customer wants
It needs to be pointed out and cover all of your product offerings.
Consider
What happens when they shop for a product or service like yours?
What do they want as it relates to your product or service?
Above all, think, "How am I helping my customer survive and thrive?" Our human brains are wired to feel this way, and if you position yourself as the hero and not the guide, your customers won’t pay attention.
2. Problem
The problem section of the StoryBrand framework is a critical component in connecting with your target audience and driving conversions. However, many businesses struggle with this step, which can result in weak messaging that fails to resonate with customers.
Mistakes
The external problem is a need instead of an actual problem
The internal problem is not a feeling
Not connecting the external and internal problems
The philosophical problem is irrelevant
External/internal problems, both being external
The philosophical statement doesn’t draw emotion.
People don’t buy just for external problems
Consider
External problem: What is the physical, tangible thing getting in the way?
Internal problem: How is that making the customer feel?
Philosophical problem: Why is that just plain wrong?
People buy solutions to problems they face.
3. Guide
As the guide, you need to position yourself as the expert who can help your customer overcome their challenges and achieve their goals.
Mistakes
Not connecting empathy to the problem.
Including irrelevant elements or authority that don’t contribute to the customer's success.
Consider
Empathy: What is the strongest pain point the character deals with, and how does your company come alongside them as a guide to help them overcome it?
The best way to craft an empathetic statement is like this: “We understand what it’s like to + [internal problem].” It might feel like repeating yourself, but that’s the point.
4. The Plan
This is where you outline the steps your customer needs to take to engage with your brand and experience success. Simple, easy-to-understand language is essential while avoiding insider jargon and overcomplicating the plan.
Mistakes
Using insider language
Overcomplicating the plan
Adding too many steps
Not coming up with an agreed plan for customers
Consider
What steps must your customer take to engage your brand and experience success?
If the process customers go through to work with you is long, how can you break it into phases?
Check out this blog on StoryBrand website examples.
5. Call to action
In this section, you guide your customer toward taking action, whether purchasing or signing up for a service. You can increase conversions and achieve your business goals by providing a clear and compelling call to action.
Mistakes
The direct call to action is passive or vague.
The transitional call to action is not something of value.
Not doing conversion optimization by an apparent “buy now” button.
Transitional calls to action are hard to find.
Consider
Direct: What action does your customer need to take to get to the point of sale? What’s your version of “buy now?”
Transitional; What is your version of “Can we go out again?”
A hero needs a guide that calls them to action.
6. Success
Time to showcase the positive results your customer can expect when they use your product or service. This is crucial because it helps your customer envision a better future and motivates them to take action.
Mistakes
Making success about the brand, not the customer
Including short-term success but also forgetting about long-term success
Consider
What does life look like from using your product or service?
What positive results will someone experience if they use your product or service?
Your brand story is about the success of your customer.
7. Failure
By identifying the potential negative consequences of not using your product or service, you can motivate potential customers to take action and avoid the pain points your brand can help them overcome. This section requires thoughtful consideration to effectively communicate the risks and consequences of not engaging with your brand.
Mistakes
Going too negative (doom and gloom)
Not listing any failure (leave this field empty, and you’re leaving money on the table)
Forgetting to list the most compelling felt pain
Not helping people understand what’s at risk.
Consider
What pain are you helping customers avoid?
What terrible thing might happen if they do not buy your product or service?
How will their problems worsen if they don’t move forward with your brand?
People are motivated to avoid failure.
Transforming Your Customers: The Power of Character Transformation in StoryBrand Framework
Heroes only realize near the end of their story that they are now skilled, equipped, and strong. We need to remember that humans desire to go through a transformation. Brands that participate in that transformation of the customers win. Apple is an excellent StoryBrand character example. Apple was the hero of their story by selling people on the idea that they were a hidden genius, not just a computer company.
If we participate in our customer's transformation, we improve the world. We often sell people an aspirational identity, not just a product or service. There can be a value associated with your product beyond the product itself. Therefore, you must associate your product or service with an aspiration identity.
Think to yourself, “What kind of person do I want to help my customers become?”
First - Write down a bunch of ideas.
Second - Circle the ones that stand out.
Finally - Pick ONE that best fits your customer.
Think to yourself or your team, “What aspirational identity can we give our customers?” Now you can use this in your customer’s narrative. Great marketing is like playing the guitar; you don’t always need to play this chord. You must play the right chords at the right time to make it music, not just noise. Give people the opportunity to become better versions of themselves.
Want to avoid these common StoryBrand BrandScript mistakes and craft a compelling brand message that resonates with your ideal customers?
Contact Caffeine Marketing today to learn how we can help you develop a winning brand strategy.
