Like most people, I first came across Donald Miller in his book, “Blue Like Jazz”. Anyone who read that memoir of a man trying to make sense of early adulthood in the Pacific Northwest will have a hard time reconciling that image with the man behind the new marketing book StoryBrand.
It has been a few years since I read Blue Like Jazz, but my memory of Miller from that book was a guy who couldn’t really figure out how to get his life in gear. Kind of like a lovable loser with an interesting perspective on how the world works. The Donald Miller of StoryBrand, however, has figured it out though, and he doesn’t mind telling you about it.
If I had never read BLJ, I might have a different impression of Miller. He would still come off like all the other internet self-help gurus (just buy THEIR productivity system and you too can be a raging success ?), but he might seem a little less disingenuous. It just feels like he is trying very hard to erase that former person.
All that being said, there was a lot to like about StoryBrand and I did learn stuff. Miller is trying to turn the tables on how organizations typically tell their story. By framing your company’s offerings as a story narrative, you can position it just the thing that will help your client achieve their goals.
The StoryBrand Framework goes something like this: You have a person- the hero who has a problem. They met a guide who calls them to take action. That action either helps the hero save the day or avoid a catastrophe.
That is the story arch of just about every great movie (go ahead think about it – Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter etc.) And, it should be the way we frame our organization’s message.
Favorite Quotes
“The only reason our customers buy from us is because the external problem we solve is frustrating them in some way. If we can identify that frustration, put it into words, and offer to resolve it along with the original external problem, something special happens. We bond with our customers because we’ve positioned ourselves more deeply into their narrative.”
“Here is nearly every story you see or hear in a nutshell: A CHARACTER who wants something encounters a PROBLEM before they can get it. At the peak of their despair, a GUIDE steps into their lives, gives them a PLAN, and CALLS THEM TO ACTION. That action helps them avoid FAILURE and ends in a SUCCESS.”
“This is not a book about telling your company’s story. A book like that would be a waste of time. Customers don’t generally care about your story; they care about their own.”
“So what’s your message? Can you say it easily? Is it simple, relevant, and repeatable? Can your entire team repeat your company’s message in such a way that it is compelling? Have new hires been given talking points they can use to describe what the company offers and why every potential customer should buy it?”
“Every human being wakes up each morning and sees the world through the lens of a protagonist. The world revolves around us, regardless of how altruistic, generous, and selfless a person we may be. Each day is, quite literally, about how we encounter our world. Potential customers feel the same way about themselves. They are the center of their world.”
My Three Takeaways
Clarity is King
The business that sells the most or the candidate who wins is the one with the clearest message. Like the quote above relates, the message needs to be simple, easy to repeat, and known by others in the organization.
What did Donald Trump want to do if elected president? I bet you know without looking at that silly red hat. That’s how important clarity of message is. It didn’t even really matter how he intended to Make America Great Again. What did Clinton hope to do if elected? I don’t know. Her message was not as clear.
I’m giving a lot of thought to this idea right now. I oversee the communications department in one organization, own and run a small startup, and am preparing a run for a seat on Bartow’s city commission. All three responsibilities require me to be telling my organizations’ story.
Stories are Powerful
My mind tends to wonder. It is not that I am ignoring you. In fact, the reason my mind drifts away is precisely because I was listening to you. You probably said something interesting and my mind began chasing that rabbit while you continued on.
The only exception to this rule is during a story. Stories are powerful ways to capture the heart and imagination. Humans are hardwired for stories. It is how we have transmitted the most important information throughout history. Why would we not leverage that power when talking about our business? It’s a no-brainer. The question becomes how to do it.
The Hero May Surprise You
No matter how many times our Sunday School teacher urged us not to, people tend to make all of life about themselves. You cast yourself as the hero of the story. This self-centered approach to life can get us in trouble. It is also a classic mistake organizations make when telling their story.
In the StoryBrand framework, we are not the hero. We are the guide who helps the hero (our client) achieve what they want. This subtle shift is powerful. We are Yoda, not Luke. Gandolf, not Frodo. Since humans naturally orient the world around themselves, the companies that play into that mentality are the ones that are most successful.
I am trying to use these takeaways to benefit my own organizations. It is more difficult than I thought it would be. It is hard to force yourself to narrow your focus and step out of the spotlight.
