The hero is the main character of your story, the one who faces a challenge, goes on a journey, and transforms as a result. The hero is not necessarily you or your brand, but rather your audience or customer. You want to make them feel empathetic, relatable, and aspirational. To do that, you need to understand their needs, desires, fears, and frustrations, and how your product or service can help them overcome them.
The goal is what the hero wants to achieve or what problem they want to solve. It should be clear, specific, and meaningful. The goal should also be aligned with your own objectives and value proposition. You want to show how your product or service can help the hero reach their goal and why it matters to them.
The obstacle is what prevents the hero from reaching their goal or what makes it difficult or risky. It can be an external factor, such as a competitor, a market condition, or a social norm, or an internal factor, such as a fear, a doubt, or a belief. The obstacle should create tension, conflict, and urgency in your story. You want to show how your product or service can help the hero overcome the obstacle and what benefits they will gain from doing so.
The mentor is the one who guides, supports, and inspires the hero along their journey. The mentor is usually you or your brand, but it can also be a customer, an expert, or a partner. The mentor should provide wisdom, advice, tools, and resources that the hero needs to succeed. You want to show how your product or service can act as a mentor for the hero and how you can build trust, credibility, and authority with them.
The journey is the sequence of events, actions, and emotions that the hero experiences from the beginning to the end of the story. The journey should follow a logical and coherent structure that includes a hook, a challenge, a solution, and a call to action. The journey should also include moments of surprise, delight, and satisfaction that keep the hero engaged and motivated. You want to show how your product or service can create a positive and memorable journey for the hero and how you can influence their behavior and decision making.
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One of the key factors, I believe, with storytelling is to believe that we aren't creating fiction. And we shouldn't be tempted to exaggerate or stray from truth. Before the writing/creating begins, the creator needs to "hunt for the truth" and look at the story for itself. The creative power comes in how it is shaped and told, authentically. But always remeber that the authentic truth is most compelling to the audience.
The transformation is the outcome or result of the hero's journey, the change that they undergo as a person or as a situation. The transformation should be measurable, tangible, and desirable. The transformation should also reflect your own mission, vision, and values. You want to show how your product or service can enable a transformation for the hero and how you can create an impact and a difference in their lives.
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There are many schools of thought on brand personality which underpins storytelling and creative strategy. However I often refer to Jennifer Aaker's Dimensions of Brand Personality framework. It’s a valuable tool for understanding and managing the personality attributes of brands. This framework has identified five core dimensions of brand personality: - sincerity - excitement - conference - sophistication - ruggedness The framework helps brands differentiate themselves by going beyond functional attributes and connecting on an emotional level with consumers, and facilitates the development of strong and meaningful relationships between consumers and brands. I find it very effective in developing effective communication strategies.
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