Multiple times a year, StoryBrand hosts workshops to give business owners, marketers, and everyone in between a chance to create a BrandScript. It's a perfect chance to learn about the process from an expert, get one-on-one direction as you create your BrandScript, and learn practical ways you can use your BrandScript to get an ROI.
So when the team at ROI Online had the opportunity to attend our first workshop back in 2016, you better bet we were there!
It's been more than 4 years since that workshop, and I'm still experiencing the benefits. StoryBrand didn't just help us get better results from our marketing. They changed the way we thought about marketing as a whole. And for me personally, that shift in my perspective has affected my life outside of ROI as well.
So what's the big deal? Why did it make such an impact on my career and mindset? I'm glad you asked! Below, I'll share some of my biggest takeaways.
StoryBrand & Your Business: It Makes A Bigger Difference Than You Might Think!
During my two days at the StoryBrand Workshop in Nashville, I absorbed so much knowledge. I left the workshop feeling inspired to not only tell ROI Online’s story but to also implement the methodology for each of my clients to ultimately help them grow their business.
It’s a great feeling to leave an event like this with new ideas, understanding and a revitalized energy to do amazing work. And those ideas didn't go away after 2016 came to an end. We're still implementing the StoryBrand Framework to this day, and we've seen some serious results from it.
It was difficult to choose, but I’ve picked the top five lessons I learned from the StoryBrand Workshop (and how they continue to impact the way our company does business).
The human brain LOVES a good story.
1. Storytelling is the key to good marketing.
If you've read Steve Brown's book The Golden Toilet, you know all about the importance of writing for the old brain. (And if you haven't, what the heck have you been doing??)
The idea is that the old human brain is drawn to stories like a moth to a flame. People love to be communicated to via storytelling — that’s why storytelling platforms like movies, TV shows, books and music are so popular. And we've always used storytelling to communicate. Just take a look at cave drawings and hieroglyphics.
Stories excite us. They relax us. They comfort us. Therefore, the best way to communicate to your audience is through story.
And we have seen some serious results from storytelling marketing. Just check out this case study!
2. Everyone wants to be the hero of their own story.
No one wants to feel like a supporting role in their own life. So if we truly want to connect with and communicate with our audience, we should position them as the hero, and our brand as their guide.
That's the whole idea of StoryBrand. And it's a concept that rings true with customers (even customers living in a post COVID-19 world.) When we reworked our clients' messaging to focus on the customers over their business, the payback was practically instant.
3. People buy solutions to internal problems over external problems.
If my external problem is I’m in need of new tennis shoes, but my internal problem is that I want to feel athletic enough to start a new workout routine, I’m going to buy some Nikes.
Why? Because Nike provides a solution to not only the external problem, but also the internal problem. Their brand messaging is inspiring and connects with my internal needs: Just Do It. You are strong and powerful and you are capable of achieving greatness.
It's the same way with other brands. When you connect with someone on an emotional level, you're going to get better results. And that's a principle that remains true, even years later.
4. We are all daydreamers.
The average human brain spends 30% of its time daydreaming. Why? Because we’ve unconsciously decided that the messages being thrown at us are either unimportant or too difficult to understand.
The best way to snap someone’s brain out of daydreaming mode is to present it with a story. "The human brain is drawn to clarity, not confusion," StoryBrand founder, Don Miller said during the workshop.
And we've witnessed that firsthand. The clients that have the biggest impact from the QuickStart process are clients who started off with a complicated, messy messaging. These brands were confusing their customers, and when you confuse, you lose.
5. It’s best to keep it simple, stupid.
As mentioned above, people are naturally drawn to clarity, not confusion.
When creating your brand messaging, you need to be crystal clear. Creating messaging with too much unnecessary information is going to send your audience into daydream mode fast.
How Does ROI Online Use StoryBrand To Help Our Clients Get Better Results?
Those are the top five lessons I took away from the StoryBrand Workshop. But I learned SO MUCH MORE than that. And so has ROI Online! Since that first workshop, we've attended 2 more, became a StoryBrand Certified Agency, and even hosted a workshop of our own.
Today, the StoryBrand Certified team at ROI Online continues use storytelling to create holistic marketing machines. But StoryBrand is only one aspect of what we do. We combine the powerful benefits of clear messaging with:
- Strategic campaigns - Which allow you to build relationships with customers at every stage of the buyer's journey
- Marketing automation - Which continuously converts leads into paying customers without you having to lift a finger
- Sales automation - Which helps your sales team create a cohesive user experience and continue to delight customers
If you are interested in StoryBrand and how it can improve your brand messaging, visit their website to sign up for an online course, workshop or a private workshop.
StoryBrand is one piece of the puzzle. Without campaigns, marketing automation, and sales automation, you may find yourself struggling to get consistent results from your marketing. Fortunately, we've got you covered. Get a copy of The Golden Toilet to find out how to make the most out of your marketing investment—without losing sleep (or your hair) in the process).
