The hero's journey… and using story telling to promote and grow your business
Marketing and promoting a business is all about good story telling right? However, some businesses unwittingly fall-down by telling the wrong story. Or even worse, by casting themselves as the wrong character in the story…
So, what is the right story to tell?
The right story is called ‘The hero's journey’
The hero's journey is the universal tale – you know it well – that’s because it is hard-wired into your DNA. It is Star Wars, it is The Lord of The Rings, it is Harry Potter, it’s even Jaws and Matilda!
The hero's journey has some core elements:
- The Hero
- The Problem
- The Meeting of the Guide
- The Call to Action
- The Crossing of the Threshold
- Allies, Enemies and Tests
- and the Final Transformation
IMPORTANT NOTE: You are NOT the hero
Our character starts-off with a problem or foe; an imminent danger which threatens them (the pain). They meet a guide (that’s you) who advises them, and leads them on their quest (call-to-action) – the hero has a sudden realisation that they are on the right path (paradigm shift). On their quest, the guide then introduces them to allies (services, solutions your network) and tests (training and education) in order for them to overcome their enemies (the pain). The transformation is complete – and we have our hero (applause!).
Getting the story wrong
Imagine if when Frodo is on his journey to the fiery mountains of Mordor (sorry, geek-out) and all of a sudden Gandalf says:
"Sorry Frodo lad, you just don’t have what it takes. I’m the wizard not you. I am smarter than you and more resourceful than you. I am going to take the ring from you now, you should go home…thank you for your interest...”
That sounds like an awful movie right?!
But if you read most websites and marketing materials that is JUST what you will see.
“Don’t worry about your problem, we are more experience than you, we’ll fix everything for you so you don’t have to, because let’s face it, you probably don’t know what you're doing – we do, because we’re the experts”
The fundamental problem with that is A) you are not the hero in their story, they are – and B) no one trusts you! So, whilst you are thinking that all you want to do is to take the problem away from your prospective client, you maybe simply adding to it...
So many businesses cast themselves as the hero, the person who can rescue you the client. Wrong. The client must go through the journey themselves in order to succeed. It's their story after all.
You, with the role of the guide, are there SOLEY to help them – and helping them MIGHT mean introducing your services and solutions, but it might NOT mean that either.
To start any journey, all our would-be hero needs is someone with a plan or a map, and a guide who they can trust, one which will help them to navigate it effectively.
REMEMBER: You are NOT the hero. You are the Guide.
Be a guide
BE A GUIDE. PROVIDE A PLAN, AND BE THERE TO HELP YOUR HERO TO NAVIGATE IT – INTRODUCE THEM TO ALLIES AND MAKE THEM AWARE OF THEIR ENEMY. SIGN-POST THEIR WAY AND HELP THEM TO CROSS THE THRESHOLD…
Tell them what you need them to do to succeed
All good apprentice heroes need good prompts, call-to-actions – i.e. 'if you do this, then this will happen. Don’t do this, and this will happen'.
Crossing the threshold
In this universal tale, there comes a point in the story where the hero character suddenly ‘gets it’ – the 'ahhhh' moment. Your job as Obi Wan or Gandalf is to help them to get them to that ahhhh moment as part of their journey. So, think about your ads and your marketing; does it talk about this paradigm shift straight away? Be patient, share knowledge and points of trust to guide your prospects towards their end goal.
Your job as the guide, should be to give them courage along their journey; the courage to enter the dark cave…which can be scary.
You're not the only guide...
Because the journey is scary – you could think about introducing them to other guides and other allies (your products and services perhaps) as well other guides (like Han Solo, Aragorn, your suppliers, partners and suchlike), who can support them with their quest. Also, support your hero with knowledge and education; give them the sword that they will need.
The transformation
As the guide, it is your job to say that you are the guide. Show them that you will help them to be a hero. And to be a hero, they will need a plan which you will help them to implement.
Guide them on their quest with the help and support when they need it.
Trust – it always boils down to trust – earn it Obi Wan, and help them to be a hero.