Let’s face it, you know you need a new website. The one you have right now just doesn’t do the job. It isn’t bringing in the business you had hoped, and you cringe at the thought of constant upkeep to get it there.

Your website probably feels more like a liability than it does an asset to your company.

Five years ago I would have told you: all you need is an updated design, on a platform that can perform FAST when loaded in the browser.

Now, those are all good things, and they definitely effect your bottom line. But I could not have been more wrong.

You’ve probably heard of telling a Brand Story or Starting with WHY. Telling your Brand Story actually bypasses WHAT you do, and the HOW you do it, getting directly into the WHY.

Historically, Stories have been one of the best ways that our minds hold information. Scientific research shows us the RAW power of how they actually mold our minds.

Scientists call this neural coupling.

“The human brain responds to the descriptive power of stories in deeply affecting ways, influencing both the sensory and motor cortex. To read a story is to feel an experience and to synchronize our minds with the subject of the story.”
— Kissmetrics

Beyond the scientific discovery, companies who have implemented Story have raised their conversion rates by 300%. For that reason, Narrative-Based communication is taking the lead in marketing focused discussions.

"Humans are born storytellers and adore visual communication. Storytelling gives life or meaning to a scenario and makes that emotional connection, provoking feelings of ecstasy, sorrow, or peace and captivating your audience."
— Neil Patel

In order to tell a good story, we must first understand the foundation of good storytelling. Most people know, every story has a beginning, middle and end. What most people don’t know, is what goes where.

Here’s some basics to get us started:

Beginning = The Problem
Explain the problem that you set out to solve.

Middle = The Solution
Describe how you solved it.

End = Success
Get excited about the success this produced.

Now, basics are good, BUT you want a story that actually CONVERTS. The secret to good story telling is understanding how each element works together symbiotically.

It just so happens, one of my favorite storytellers have actually put this process into a formula. Trust me, what you want as a marketer is in this formula.
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​Enter Dan Harmon, creator and writer of the critically acclaimed shows, Community and Rick and Morty. Dan built a framework to help you tell stories called “The Story Circle” a distilled version of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth aka “The Hero’s Journey” and can be applied to tell all stories.

What if I told you every story you have EVER heard is exactly the same? And stories that break this pattern are the stories (and marketing) you loathe?

The problem with telling a Brand Story is that it is one-sided. While a Brand Story is important, what if I told you that you aren’t at the center of your story?

In our last post, The Lean Marketer we revealed the benefit of switching focus from your Solution to your client’s Problem. This allows you to not only connect with a prospective client, but to bring the most Value to the table.

We’re going to do the same thing with the Story we tell. An effective Narrative not about you, its about your reader, and they are the Hero in THEIR story.

Effective marketing is centered around your customer. Your brand is just a part of their Narrative. If the story you tell is truly about them, we must understand the Higher Narrative at work in their life.