Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller

My friend says- It’s okay to not have juice every day as long as you are drinking water regularly. If you don’t have juice, you will survive but without water, you can’t. This statement made me start writing on Friday evening. Breaking the frustration coming out of not having juice (a creative article) I am going to drink water, (write about a book simply) to survive. I am going to talk about Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller.

This book is a tool that helps to clarify your message. It professes a communication framework that facilitates businesses to clarify their message so that customers listen.?The StoryBrand framework (SB7)- was developed by Donald Miller. While I am not here to paraphrase the wisdom, I am going to share some sharp yet oblivious truths that a man in business wouldn’t want to miss out on.

The book starts with a sagacious statement: “Customers don’t generally care about your story. They care about their own.” The whole book rests on the premise that a man gets up every morning thinking of himself as the protagonist of his life story.

In the first chapter- Miller shares the conversation he had with his friend Mike McHargue. Also known as “Science Mike”, Mike spent 15 years helping companies figure out how their customers think, specifically in the tech space through science-based technologies. He also holds a podcast “Ask Science Mike”. This conversation somehow lays the foundation for the relevance of the technique shared in the book. He argues that the basic overriding function of the human brain is to help the individual survive. Everything that a human brain does stems from its basic tendency to thrive. It is always scanning the environment to look for the information that helps them achieve the goal. He reemphasizes the theory of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to remind Miller that first, a man looks for ways to survive physically, then he looks for safety (a roof), relationships which involve romantic, sexual, & friendships that stick together to overcome the social threat. Then comes the psychological & spiritual needs that give his life meaning.

Didn’t he just show us all the target markets lol?

He also shares one interesting insight, two actually. First, The human brain discards information that doesn’t help it survive. That means any other information than what helps fulfill those 5 categories of needs, it isn’t listening. Processing information burns calories, if you demand burning calories- it is against the basic job to help thrive & survive. That’s why if your MNC completed 60 years in India, it doesn’t care.

Second, when any messaging involves too much information to process, it is basically making the brain zone out. This is a survival mechanism to not burn calories by doing too much hard work. Unclear, unfiltered messages with too much clutter are what the brain runs away from.

The second chapter makes a case for a story as the most powerful way to communicate. It hails as the greatest weapon to make people listen as it organizes the information in the most logical way that compels people to listen. This is a reason why we remember music & not cacophony. Music is similar to stories. It is a sense-making device. It has a character, a problem, the challenges & the ways to conquer. Brand messaging must be musical rather than a cat cry. The story keeps the human brain from burning too many calories.

The third chapter gives an overview of the SB7 framework & the 7 elements that constitute it. They elucidate how a story is made & what are its necessary elements. Here are those elements: A character- Has a problem- And meets a guide- Who gives them a plan- And calls them to action-That helps them avoid failure-An ends in success. The next seven chapters explain every element in detail.

The fourth chapter- A character

Storybrand Principle 1: The customer is the hero, not your brand. The chapter argues that it is necessary to define what your customer wants at the beginning of the story to indulge his attention in our given direction.?A question pops up in his head- “Can this brand really help me get what I want?” If they see your brand as reliable & trustworthy, they will likely engage.

OPEN A STORY GAP: A gap between a customer’s present state and their desired state. The chapter also talks about an interesting term: resolve. A human remains unsettled when poetry, music, or a story doesn’t bring a sense of resolve in the end. In any artistic piece, the ending is similar to the beginning with some exposition. The story gap is the magnet that binds them together. The later part of the chapter suggests paring down the hero’s desire to a single & relevant focus. It is always useful and often ignored that customer is interested in stuff that helps them survive & thrive. He exposits some examples of the desires of a human being:

Conserving financial resources, conserving time, building social networks, gaining status, accumulating resources, the innate desire to be generous, and the desire for meaning. There are two interesting arguments he mentions: Status, in any tribe, is a survival mechanism. It projects a sense of abundance that may attract powerful allies, repel potential foes, and if we are into shallow companions, might even help us to secure a mate. Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and Mercedes are selling nothing but an identity association with power, prestige & refinement.

Another interesting one is the words of Victor Frankel who contented with Sigmund Freud in his book Man’s Search for Meaning: A man was most tempted to distract himself with pleasure when his life was void of meaning.

The fifth chapter- Who has a problem

Storybrand Principle 2: Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but customers buy solutions to internal problems. The chapter exposits the necessity of a villain in the story. The villain doesn’t have to be a person but with personified characteristics. Personifying a villain helps advertisers capture their customer’s imagination & give their problem a focal point. The later part of the chapters describes three levels of conflicts that villain causes. The villain causes an external problem that somehow creates an internal frustration that something is philosophically wrong.

External Problem: Some”thing” must represent a barrier. An external problem is a physical, tangible problem a customer is bothered with. It can be a termite, a leaky pipe, or hairballs in the room. But it would be wrong to think that a customer is coming to you for a resolution of an external problem. There is something deeper. An embarrassment when a guest sees hairballs in the living room maybe?

Internal problem: In stories, whenever a hero is posed with a problem, he has a deeper question penetrating him “Do I have what it takes?” ?This question makes them feel a sense of self-doubt, frustration, incompetence, confusion, etc. The sense of self-doubt makes a housewife relate to a movie about a kid rising from poverty to make his own name & a student during placement season relate to a movie like The Social Network. It is those frustrations that make them call you.

Philosophical Problem: The philosophical problem is something larger than the story itself. It is about the question Why? People want to involve in a story that is larger than themselves. Brands that help become a part of something that gives them a deeper meaning add value to their offering. If we really want our business to grow, there has to be a resolution to an external, internal, and philosophical problem.

The sixth chapter: And meets a guide

Storybrand Principle 3: Customers are not looking for another hero; they are looking for a guide. Every one of us wakes up every day and navigates through the journey of life considering ourselves as the protagonists. We are looking for mentors, guides, and someone who can give us direction. Where is room for another hero? The importance of a guide is such that he has been there & conquered the evils. Still the story is about the hero, not the guide.

Two Characteristics of a Guide: How to make people trust us as a guide who can lead them to their goals? Miller describes two characteristics that a guide exhibits: ?

Empathy: Every human being wants to be seen, heard, & understood. He likes to conserve calories, so when a customer realizes they have a lot in common with the brand, they fill in all the nuances with trust.

Authority: Here authority means competence. There are four ways to assert authority in our marketing- testimonials, statistics, awards, the logo of customers, etc.

Two questions people ask when interacting with someone new: “Can I trust this person?” which requires empathy & “Can I respect this person?” which demands competence.

The seventh chapter: Who gives them a plan

Storybrand Principle 4: Customers trust a guide who has a plan: A customer signs up for a commitment when he clicks the “Buy Now” button rather than a casual relationship. You need to hold their hand to reach the desirable state. When you confuse, you lose. You are making them burn calories. Therefore, it is important to have a plan. A plan sharpens the focus & eliminates the uncertainty of doing business with us. There are two types of plans we need:

The Process Plan: The process plan suggests the steps the customer needs to take to buy a product or the steps the customer needs to take after they have bought it. Having a post-purchase plan makes them feel we haven’t left them. Lesser confusion, lesser calories burnt.

The Agreement Plan: Process plans alleviate confusion, and agreement plans alleviate fears. The agreement plan contains a list of agreements you make with your customers to help them overcome the fear of doing business with you. Another benefit is it clarifies that you and your customer share the same values.

The eighth chapter: And calls them to action

Storybrand Principle 5: Customers do not take action unless they are challenged to take action: In every story, there is an outside force enforcing the main character to take an action. To enforce that a change is needed & the time is now. Human beings never make a major life decision unless something challenges them to do so. Companies resist from asserting their “Buy Now” button on their website because they think they aren’t that kind of company. Well, if we can change our customer’s life for the better why shouldn’t we be bold enough to call them to action? The Chapter talks about two kinds of calls to action:

Direct Call To Action: These are those typical “Buy Now”, direct call-to-action buttons. We don’t want to muddle with what we want them to do. Confusion burns calories.

Transitional Call to Action: A TCA is a slow, beautiful persuasion to ask them to marry you. It involves dates, and dates & then the proposal. A good transitional call to action exhibits three important benefits:

a.??????Stake a claim to your territory: Offering free material on “How To” exudes an impression that you are an expert in that category. It establishes authority.

b.??????Create Reciprocity: It also gives the impression that you have more, or better to offer. The more you share, the lesser they are afraid to give you back.

c.??????Position yourself as a guide.

The ninth chapter: That helps them avoid failure

Storybrand Principle 6: Every human being is trying to avoid a tragic ending: This chapter is about how we can increase the perceived value of our offering after they have bought our product & deepen their experience. This chapter is about reemphasizing the customer what’s at stake, and the potential pitfalls of not doing business with us.

One interestingly common feature that every good story has is the foreshadowing of a potentially successful ending or potentially tragic ending. ?If the audience isn’t clear what’s the awful thing that’s going to befall unless he overcomes the adversity, the story becomes boring. The actions of the character must either move closer to or further from, the tragic result that might befall them. No stakes, no story. The theory of Loss Aversion by Daniel Kahneman applies here. And, of course, we don’t want to be fearmongers.?There is a logical reason for not being one in Building Communication Theory: High levels of fear are so strong that individuals block them out; low levels are too weak to produce the desired effect.

The tenth chapter: And ends in a success

Storybrand Principle 7: Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives. Tell them:?This chapter is about being specific. Specific about what the world for your customer might look like if they chose your product. Being as specific as Kennedy when he cast a vision that sounded like this-“We are going to put a?man on the moon” rather than “a highly competitive and productive space program”.

The later part of the chapter is a goldmine. It shares the three dominant psychological desires shared by most human beings:

1.??????Winning power and position (The need for status): As the primary motive is to survive, gaining status is one of them. Making them feel esteemed, respected, and appealing in a social context is magical.

2.??????Union that makes the hero whole (The need for something external to create completeness): The union doesn’t have to be the union of a male and a female. It has more to do with wholesomeness. The union of a void in you (Frustration, self-doubt, anxiety) by an external entity (your product).

3.??????Ultimate self-realization or acceptance (The need to reach our potential): It talks about the desire for self-acceptance. Whether that self-acceptance stems from realizing our full potential against all the odds or that we are good enough, the resulting contentment is something everyone is looking for. It brings inner peace.

The eleventh chapter: People want your brand to participate in their transformation

The final chapter of the SB7 framework provides profound advice or to put better words, a strong chain that puts all 7 elements together. In its absence in our storytelling, we might end up with a story that leaves a feeble impression on our customers. This advice has two parts:

1.??????The single greatest motivation for a human being: A desire to transform: Everyone wants something better from himself. Everyone wants to change. Everyone wants something different or simply to become more accepting of themselves. The feeling of self-doubt is universal, and so is the desire to become more competent & courageous.

So, the questions we have to ask ourselves are: What do our customers want to become? What is their desirable self? What kind of person do they want to be?

And then how can our product hammer their nail down?

2.??????The guide obsesses over and shares the transformation in the loudest way: In the story, there has to be a clear display of the before & after versions of the transformation. ?In the movies like Star wars, The King’s Speech, Moneyball, the guide is present with the hero, in the end, to assert that he has done it, he has transformed. To participate in the transformation & then in the celebration of success is what sets the guide apart. He is loud & proud & he has to show it. You, as a brand, have to show it.????????

While I am astonished that it is the most direct, no-hogwash book I have ever read about Brand messaging, what got me by the balls is how, in the end, the story drowns us in the sea of questions yet by gives elixir of what customer really wants. It talks about the greatest of human psychological desires yet influences us to dig deeper and deeper and deeper to know what they want.

Now at least I know what I don’t know. ??????????????????????