Learn and Earn: "Building a StoryBrand" Book Review

“Customers don’t care about your story they care about their own.”

Hello this is Walt Gerano with Anthony Cole Training Group and welcome to this week’s Sales Brew.  I just finished reading the book Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller.  Like most books it will support some things you believe and challenge others.

Marketing (and selling) have changed.  Businesses that invite their customers into what Miller calls a “heroic story” grow.  The question is does your marketing and prospecting communication tell or invite?  Remember they care about their own story (not yours).

So how do you build a story brand?  Well you will have to read to the book to find out.   But maybe the question you should ask is what happens if I do?

We all know how much selling has changed from legacy to inbound.  The customer has access to more information than ever, before they even meet us, so it changes some of the things we must be able to do to succeed (including maybe thinking a little differently).
Miller has laid out how to build your story brand into 7 principles which he refers to as the SB7 Framework.

Principle #1
“The customer is the hero, not your brand.”  In other words, it really doesn’t matter how great we think our product or service is if the customer doesn’t see it as a means to help them get what they want.

Principle #2
“Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but customers buy solutions to internal problems.”  The more we talk about the problems our customers experience, the more interest they will have in our brand.

Principle #3
“Customers are not looking for another hero, they are looking for a guide.”  The two things a brand needs in order to be the guide are empathy and authority.

Principle #4
“Customers trust a guide who has a plan.”  Making a purchase is not a characteristic of a casual relationship.  When people say yes, they are saying they believe you can help them solve their problem.  Don’t wing it!

Principle #5
“Customers do not take action unless they are challenged to action.”  How many times have you seemingly met all the customers’ requirements only to have them say I need to “think it over?”  You must be bold and have a call to action in your process.

Principle #6
“Every human being is trying to avoid a tragic ending.”  While they think they have made a good decision they know that something bad might happen (think about the Mayhem guy in the Allstate commercials).  Allstate runs them, so we are all reminded of why we need to buy insurance.  Remind your customer that bad things can happen from inaction.

Principle #7
“Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives, tell them.”  Successful brands (and salespeople) make it clear what life will look like if somebody engages in their products and services.

I hope you will put his book on your reading list and see where you can apply some of his thinking to help grow your business.

Thanks for listening.