How Major Brands Use The Story Brand Framework

Since the beginning of time, humans have been programmed to do two things.

Survive and Thrive.

Throughout our day, we make decisions based on surviving or thriving. We ask ourselves:

"Will my choice for breakfast, my new workout plan, the pants I'm wearing to work today - make my life better?" (Thrive)

And "will these decisions and choices, help keep me safe so I live (survive) to see another day?" 

In Donald Miller's book Building A Story Brand - he shares how using the Story Brand framework can help better communicate how our products or services help our customers survive or thrive in life.

For example, when Tony Horton told me I'd get a beach body if I bought his P90x DVD's - he told me I would become a lean, mean, muscle machine. (Thrive.)

When Jake from State Farm sells insurance - he's talking about how his insurance will help me survive.

Let's take a deeper look inside the Story Brand framework so you start to connect the dots on how it helps clear up your marketing strategy and your brand message.

In Building A Story Brand, we learn that every great story starts with a character who wants something. And the character in the business of story is our customer.

Next, there's usually a challenge or roadblock getting in the way of what the character wants, and so the story begins. 

Soon a guide will arrive on the scene to help the main character (also referred to as the Hero of the story) and give the main character a plan for getting the thing they want.

By the end of the story the main character has transformed into a Hero, by overcoming their obstacles and achieving the thing they wanted at the beginning.

The Story Brand framework is powerful because story is powerful. Story helps us make sense of things. And when it comes to your companies marketing message, it's critical your customers know how your product or service helps them survive and thrive so they pay attention and see your product or service as valuable in their life.

STORY BRAND EXAMPLE 1: ALLSTATE INSURANCE

• As a car owner you (the character) want to be safe, but the problem is, Mayhem is out there.
• Allstate comes along and guides you on how to achieve peace of mind when driving.
• They ask you to do business with them by inviting you to do something simple: "request a quote.

All along the way, Allstate makes it easy for you to understand that if you don't use their insurance coverage, your driving could invite Mayhem into your life (you might not survive in your environment).

Who I, their customer, become when I work with Allstate, is a driver with a happy life and no worries.
(Insert George Costanza voice here - "I'm thriving baby!")

STORY BRAND EXAMPLE 2: CARMAX

• Car buyers need to get around, they want to buy a car but the problem is they don't want to deal with a Used Car Dealer.
• Along comes CarMax with a simple website to 'guide' you on how to buy a car. They help you avoid things like overpaying for gap insurance, buying a lemon, but most of all - dealing with a used car salesperson. Which in all reality, some of us feel like we might not survive that experience.
• When customers work with CarMax they have a great car buying experience (aka happy ending.)

Brands who use the Story Brand framework capture customer attention. They position themselves as the guide in their marketing efforts and offer solutions to the two questions we are constantly thinking about - "Will I thrive? Will I survive?"

To begin using the Story Brand framework in your marketing, you'll want to consider at least two things to start:

1. What do your clients want from your product or service? How will it help them survive or thrive in their life?

Speak into pain points, fears, and frustrations your customers are experiencing and share how your product or service can help overcome them.

2. Position your brand as the guide not the Hero.

It's normal to want to talk about how amazing your product or services are. But when you do, now you're positioning yourself as the hero of the story. Your client should be the hero and look to your business as the guide to help them overcome obstacles and thrive in their desired happy state.

Donald Miller's Story Brand framework has 7 parts. To learn the other 5 and apply it to your brand, read the book, or schedule a time to chat HERE.