Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen (affiliate link). New York: HarperCollins, 2017. 228 pages.
I recently met Donald Miller when we were both speakers at the same conference. I loved his presentation and immediately purchased this book. He is an excellent storyteller who has written numerous bestsellers. He claims that using stories is a key component to business success. As someone who has instinctively recognized the power of story in my own work, I resonated with his message.
Miller begins by claiming that “Customers don’t generally care about your story; they care about their own. Your customer should be the hero of the story, not your brand” (ix). He also argues that “most companies waste enormous amounts of money on marketing” (3).
Miller suggests that words are far more important than pictures in marketing. He argues, “pretty websites don’t sell things. Words sell things” (4). He refers to stories as “sense-making mechanisms. Essentially, story formulas put everything in order so the brain doesn’t have to work to understand what is going on” (6).
Miller claims that successful companies focus on their customers’ needs. Miller suggests that the human brain primarily does two things: (1) scans its surrounding for anything that will facilitate survival and (2) strives to preserve calories. Miller points out that the brain burns an average of 800 calories per day. He argues, “The first mistake brands make is they fail to focus on the aspects of their offer that will help people survive and thrive” (7). He continues, “The second mistake is they cause their customers to burn too many calories” (8). He claims that his business mantra is “If you confuse, you’ll lose” (12).
Miller suggests that a story is the only thing that can hold someone’s attention for hours (15). He notes that the average person spends 30% of their time daydreaming (15). But it’s harder to daydream when listening to an engaging story.
Miller also recommends going beyond people’s external needs and trying to address their internal needs (31). He points out that Apple became successful when Jobs began focusing on his customers’ internal desires. The slogan “Think Different” was highly successful, even though it wasn’t about computers (18). It addressed people’s aspirations.
Miller claims stories must answer these three questions: (1) What does the hero want? (2) Who or what is hindering the hero from getting it? (3) What will the hero’s life look like after getting (or not getting) it? (23). He also suggests that brands must pass the “grunt test” by answering three important questions: (1) What do you offer? (2) How will it make my life better? (3) What do I need to do to buy it? (24).
Miller suggests companies incorporate the seven key components of storytelling into their marketing campaigns and website. He quotes Alfred Hitchcock, who said that a good story was “life with the dull parts taken out” (26).
According to Miller, mission statements are fine, but they are not enough (165). They are statements, not stories. He also suggests that companies should develop “one-liners” that sum up their product or solution in one sentence (180). Finally, he argues that an organization cannot be too generous in giving away materials (187). He claims never to have lost money by being generous.
I enjoyed this book. It helped me see some changes I need to make in my own organization. I am going to have my staff work through our ministry’s website to make it more focused and compelling in how we present our products and services to people.
Building a StoryBrand is an easy read. Miller uses this book to plug his company and its services, which was a slight negative for me. But in doing so, he offered a clear example of what the book teaches.
I recommend reading this book. You’ll certainly pick up some helpful suggestions that will make your organization better as a result.
Rating: 3 (I’d rate his in-person presentation as a 4)
