Building a StoryBrand summary

Have you ever been so engrossed in a novel or film that, without your even realizing it, a handful of hours flitted by in what seemed like minutes?

A good story is like a net; it catches our typically fleeting attention and holds it fast. And, once we’ve been caught by a story, we won’t soon forget it.

The most memorable stories have a hero. Star Wars has Luke Skywalker. The Lord of the Rings has Frodo. The Bourne Identity has Jason Bourne. But the hero of your brand story isn’t you – it’s the customer.

As you know, the SB7 Framework’s first module is character. And just as the customer is always right, the customer is also always the character. Your story should focus solely on the needs and wants of your customers; this way, when your customers want something in real life, your story, and thus your product, will quickly come to mind.

Are you an adept problem solver? Some of us are at our sharpest when something needs solving, whether it’s a suboptimal process at work or an unproductive pattern in a romantic relationship. If you’re one of these people, then you’ll enjoy the SB7 Framework’s second module, which pivots on how your product or service solves customer problems.

Funnily enough, just by mentioning your customers’ problems, you’ll engage them with whatever you’re offering. People like to feel understood, and when you communicate that you’re aware that customers face difficulties, you also communicate understanding.

At some point in pretty much every story, the hero gets into trouble. For instance, Luke Skywalker loses his hand and must grapple with the dark side. And Frodo must bear the horrible weight of the One Ring.

But then, right when things seem hopeless, along comes a guide – someone who imparts wisdom and gives support and puts the hero back on the right path.

Let’s imagine that you’ve done a deft job of establishing yourself as your customers’ guide. They trust both you and your authoritative judgment. But, even if you manage this, there’s still no guarantee that they’ll buy your product.

Committing to purchasing is risky, and so you’ve got to facilitate the process by laying out a plan.

Congratulations! Your story is almost complete. However, there’s still a touch of work to do before you can relax and watch the clients pour in.

You’ve got to challenge your customers to take action.

It may be true that everybody loves a happy ending; however, it’s the possibility that a movie or a book or a web series will end unhappily that keeps us hooked. We stay glued to the page or the screen precisely because we fear the worst – that everything won’t turn out fine for the hero, that this character we’ve come to care for may fail or perish in the end.

In your brand story, you should capitalize on this fear of failure, because a similar fear guides our purchasing decisions, too.

Stories are riveting because there’s always the possibility of a tragic end. But no one wants their own story to end tragically. And that’s why, after dangling the dangers of not purchasing the product before your customers’ eyes, you should lay out the happy ending offered by your product.

That happy ending is success.