Make Your Message Unforgettable Now
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
by Donald Miller
Business
TL;DR
This book spills the tea on how to stop confusing your audience and actually make them care about what you're offering. It's all about using a story framework to position your customer as the hero and your brand as their guide. You'll learn to identify their pain points, offer a clear solution, and call them to action so they don't just ghost you. Basically, it's a cheat code to make your marketing less "huh?" and more "OMG, I need this!"
Action Items
Go look at your social media bio or website headline. Does it talk about you or your customer's problem? Change it to focus on them.
Ask 3 friends what's the most annoying, recurring problem they face in a specific area (e.g., work, health, social life). That's their villain.
Write down 3 super simple steps someone needs to take to buy your product/service or get value from your content. Make it sound like a toddler could follow it.
Unlock the full book to see more action items
Key Chapter
Chapter - You're Not the Hero, Bro: Your Customer Is
Many businesses make themselves the hero of their own story, constantly flexing on their accomplishments. This chapter flips that script hard. Your customer is the one with the problem, the one who needs to achieve something epic. Your brand? You're just the wise old dude in the background, giving them the magic sword or the secret map. When you truly understand their journey, their struggles, and their desired outcome, you can actually connect. It's like, stop talking about how cool you are and start asking, "How can I help you win?" This shift is game-changing because it makes your message relatable and customer-centric, not just self-serving.
Key Methods and Approaches
Your Customer's the Main Character, Not You
(AKA: The Hero)
Description:
Stop making your brand the star. Your customer is the one with the problems and goals.
Explanation:
Imagine you're at a party. Are you gonna listen to someone drone on about themselves, or the person who asks about your drama? Your brand is that second person. People don't care about your origin story; they care about how you're gonna fix their life. It's like, your customer is Frodo, and you're Gandalf. Gandalf doesn't carry the ring, he just points Frodo in the right direction.
Examples:
Instead of 'We have 20 years of experience in widget manufacturing,' try 'Tired of flimsy widgets? We make the ones that actually last.'
Don't say 'Our innovative tech,' say 'Get your time back with our tech that handles the boring stuff.'
A dating app focusing on 'our advanced algorithms' vs. 'Find your soulmate, no more swiping left on duds.'
Today's Action:
Go look at your social media bio or website headline. Does it talk about you or your customer's problem? Change it to focus on them.
End of Preview
Want to read the complete insights, methods, and actionable takeaways? Unlock the full book experience with Pro.
Your daily 1-minute insights