How the Steve Jobs Story is the Perfect Template for All Great Copy

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The ability to say “I changed how humans fundamentally communicate” is a rare privilege.?

Steve Jobs never said those words. But make no mistake...he could have.

Jobs’ impact was so great that his life has been made into not one, but two movies. So his story is well known to those who enjoy a good flick.

But there’s a reason why Job’s story works so well on the big screen. It's the perfect, real-life example of the classic three-act structure.

Popularized by screenwriting guru Syd Field, the three-act structure says that every story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

I know…that sounds kind of obvious.

But Field did expand on his thesis:

• Act One sets up the story
• Act Two shows us complications
• Act Three resolves all the loose ends

Using Steve Jobs as an example, I’m going to show you how to use the three-act structure in your copy. By applying this storytelling technique, your words will jump off the page and expand before the reader like the latest blockbuster at their local theater.

And make no mistake. There’s a reason for the idiom - Facts tell, stories sell. Incorporating this storytelling technique into your copy will encourage your reader to take action.

In the Beginning

Back in the day, the man in the turtleneck was largely viewed as a corporate rebel at one of the biggest companies in the world. But that was hardly predictable, judging by the man's backstory.

Jobs was a ‘70s hippie while seeking to find himself in India. He dropped out of college, and becoming a global icon never really seemed likely.?

Then he found an interest in computers.

You probably know that Steve Jobs founded Apple with Steve Wozniak.?

They built the first Apple computer in Wozniak’s garage. Sure, Woz designed it, but it was Jobs who had the idea to sell it. And Apple Computer, Inc. was born.

The company's first computer was a hit. In fact, it was so big that they received investment money for their next model.

The Apple 11 was even more successful, with a sales explosion of more than 500% each year for the next three years.

Some $200 million richer and with Apple going at lightning speed, Jobs and the company he co-founded could do no wrong.

When his career hit the skids, however (Act 2), was when Jobs' story took an interesting twist.

After Apple's initial success, later releases - the Apple 111 and the Lisa - both flopped. And in 1985, Steve Jobs left the company.

The man, of course, never lost his loyal fanbase.

A Lecturer's Obsession

The year was 1998. I was sitting in what always seemed like an unnecessary Study Skills class at university. My lecturer was good old Dave Minster.

Dave had a bit of a Steve Jobs obsession that was a source of amusement to a small group of us in the class. I mean, it was a pretty intense obsession. I could call it a fetish. But I won’t.

Dave began every sentence with “what made Steve Jobs such a genius.”

Well, at least, it seemed that way.

“What do you think Steve Jobs would do in this situation?”, one or two of us would occasionally tease.

Minster always seemed to revel in telling us the latest news on Jobs. He even brought in press clippings. And no, they rarely, if ever, had anything to do with study skills.

Sure, in the late '90s, it was Bill Gates' world, and we were just living in it.

But it wasn’t long after those days of Dave Minster raving about Jobs that the Apple co-founder was making his comeback.?

After Jobs had returned as CEO of Apple in 1997, the company launched the “Think Different” advertising campaign the same year. Since, along with the iMac, iTunes, iPod, iPhone, iPad, Apple Store and App Store.?

It was shortly after the launch of the App Store when I bumped into old Minster out grocery shopping. I would have been satisfied with a head nod, but he insisted on coffee.

Of course, he never shut up gloating about his hero Steve Jobs.

“I knew he was plotting something” was how he began what seemed like an eternal monologue.

Yes, things only got better for Jobs and Apple after that. And if there's one thing you can't deny about the flawed genius, it's that he gave us one heck of an Act Three.

Apple's World

Now we’re living in an Apple-shaped universe. And any rival daring to take a bite out of it will likely find themselves with food poisoning.

Steve Jobs' story continues to be told, his legacy intact. A hero to Apple devotees anywhere.?

Sadly, when meeting up with an old university friend, I heard of Dave Minster's demise. If only Dave was still alive to feel the aura that still very much exists around his hero. It’s hard to believe Jobs has been gone for 10 years.

As an experienced freelance writer with a Master’s in Film, I can say that the 3 Act Structure ensures that your readers will stay on the page from beginning to end.

The classic three-act structure is the key to making your copy play like a movie. Let’s look at each of the three acts one at a time.

• Act one: Set up your story

This is where you introduce the world of your story and its major characters. You also need to tell your audience what your main character is trying to achieve and their major flaw preventing them from getting it.?

Let’s say you’re telling a story about a business owner called Mandy who’s trying to organize her workflow. That’s her goal. But her weakness is that she isn’t very technical and doesn’t know where to start.

We know Mandy's goal. We know her flaw. Now what?

• Act Two: Show us some conflict

Conflict is at the heart of every story. You want to show us this in spades by?raising the stakes for your hero. You need to tell us what obstacles she's facing. Who or what are her enemies? In our example, Mandy's obstacle (or enemy) is technology. Once she learns to confront and control technology, she will be in a position to achieve her goal. ?In the meantime, she’s double- and triple-booking her calendar. Losing documents. Missing payments. In general, ruining her life because she can’t keep everything straight.

• Act Three: Show us how you solved the problem

This is when the hero either solves - or fails to solve - the problem. You should resolve every conflict that you introduced in Act Two. In the case of your copy, you want to show your reader how the hero solved their particular problem with the help of your product or service.?

So, let's take our tech-challenged business owner. With the help of your online software, Mandy's just managed to overcome her phobia of technology simply because your software was super easy to use, and your customer support team was available and willing to help every step of the way.

Remember that by using the three-act?structure, you can tell a great story and avoid writing bland copy that fails to engage the reader.

So now what?

I'd love to get to know you and your business and help you get started using my 3 Act technique right away. Do you want copy that tells a story and gets your prospects excited about your products or services??

If so, drop me a message?here on LinkedIn, via my website at www.jacksonkellycm.com, or email me directly at [email protected].