Storybrand Brandscript: 9 Steps To Clarifying Your Brands Message
A brandscript is essential for every business. It helps to explain what you do, the problem you solve, and the steps it takes to do business with you in a simple and clear way.
It is great to use when pitching investors.
It focuses and aligns your brand’s message
It is the foundation for the copy of your website’s homepage.
It is the script for your website’s introductory video
It can even land you a job.
And, it has a super-simple methodology developed by Donald Miller’s Storybrand that you can put into practice today.
The basics of a Storybrand brandscript
You might think people have short attention spans.
They really don’t.
People still go to the movies and watch a three-hour film with no problem. They can play video games for the entire afternoon. This is because the content they taking part in is interesting, it is engaging, it has conflict, but most of all it has a story.
People love stories. It’s in our DNA. It’s how first conveyed information long before the classroom. Stories are one of our most powerful forms of communication.
In fact, an engaging story can invoke what is called narrative transportation. This is where the human brain is so lost or emersed in a story that you forget everything else around you.
You. Are. In. It.
Therefore, business owners and entrepreneurs can use the same elements that make a great story and turn it into a brandscript that focuses on their marketing strategy and gives their ideal customer a clear brand message.
The Storybrand Framework rules:
Simple and clear over clever and cute
Marketing materials often try to make their small business sound smart by using big words and jargon. However, people actually hate this. No one will move forward with you if they are not clear about what you actually do.
Brandscripts are about clarifying what you do. They are about providing a simple and clear message throughout your copywriting.
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“Crafting a brandscript can be a challenging process, particularly when it comes to ensuring that it effectively communicates the company's unique value proposition and resonates with the target audience.
One challenge I have faced in the past is balancing the desire for creativity with the need for clarity and simplicity.
To overcome this, I have found it helpful to focus on the core message and work backward from there, refining the language and structure until it is concise and impactful.”
Evan Knox |Caffeine Marketing
Start with the problem.
Problems are what make stories interesting. They are what draw potential customers in. A story with no problem is going to get boring real quick. After all, what is the hero without the villain?
There are three types of problems you need to flesh out for your brandscript.
The external problem: this is usually a physical problem like time, money, or energy. Almost all of your customers’ problems have some element of this.
The internal problem: This is how your customer feels about the physical problem. This is sometimes called the emotional problem. What is the emotion connected to their physical problem? Are they tired, anxious, frustrated, or nervous?
The philosophical problem: This is what your customer believes should or should not be the case. Do they believe it SHOULDN’T be so hard to edit their website after a designer builds it? Do they believe dinners SHOULD be a time when the whole family can spend time together?
The other benefit of problems is they make your solution more interesting and valuable. Water always tastes better when you are thirsty, and a solution is always welcome when you are deep in a problem.
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“The biggest challenge in creating a BrandScript is adding too much. Keep it simple. Once you have a clear, cohesive story, you can expand it for any marketing or sales use.
It's like a movie. If there are too many plot points, people get lost. Same in this process.”
You Are Not The Hero Of The Story, You Are The Guide
Many marketers make the mistake of positioning themselves as the main character in their customer’s stories.
Customers want to be the hero, and you need to be the guide.
In every hero’s journey, there is a part where every would-be hero meets a guide who trains them, instructs them, or gives them the tools to overcome their obstacles. This hero’s character transformation.
Your customer is Harry Potter and You are Dumbledore
Your customer is Katniss and you are Haymitch
Your customer is Luke Skywalker from Star Wars and you are Yoda
Your goal as the guide is to help them avoid failure, be their best selves, and overcome their obstacles.
You Need To Build Empathy and Authority
Whether it’s social media content or the copy on your website, people have two questions in mind when looking at your business:
1. Does this business understand my problem?
This is all about empathy. Addressing your customer’s problems helps with this but it is not everything. Using customer language here helps to, describe the struggles they face with the words they use.
2. Can you solve my problem?
This is about authority. Demonstrating your expertise. On a website, this is often done through logos of businesses you have worked with, testimonials from customers, and charts and graphs that show results you have achieved.
The Story Brand Template & Examples:
Above is my brandscript example. Download the free and fillable template I use with businesses to help them clarify their marketing message to their target audience.
1. State your company name and the desire your target company is looking for.
Template: At X we know that you want Y.
Example: At Quiptu, we know that you want to travel AND enjoy outdoor adventures while you do it.
2. State the things the company needs to achieve the goal.
Template: In order to do that you need Z
Example: In order to do this, you need the proper gear for that adventure.
3. State their social, emotional, and philosophical pain point.
Template:
The problem is [state the physical problem]
Which makes you feel [state the emotional problem]
You believe [X] [Should or Shouldn’t] be [Y]
Example:
The problem is that outdoor gear is expensive, challenging to travel with, and can be hard to store.
This can be frustrating, making you feel like the most exciting outdoor activities are out of reach.
We believe everybody should have the opportunity to experience the best that nature has to offer.
4. Introduce Your Solution
Template: This is why I/we do [state your solution]
Example: That is why we created Quiptu, a platform that allows you to RENT outdoor adventure gear from the people who know it best.
5. Give three steps or factors you can offer the employer.
Template:
Here is how it works:
First, we do [X]
Then we do [Y]
Last, we do [Z]
Example:
Here is how it works:
First, owners list their gear like bikes, kayaks, camping sets, and more.
Then, you can search for the perfect gear, when and where you need it.
Last, you can pick up the gear or have it delivered to the site of your adventure.
All on our platform.
Revisit The Pain point and compare it with your solution
Template: Don’t do [X], Instead do [Y]
Example: Don’t spend your money on expensive outdoor gear that is going to sit in your garage most of the year. Instead, focus on the adventure and let the owners on Quiptu hook you with the right equipment for your next outing.
8. Give a call to action also known as a CTA
Template:
Here is what to do next:
Do [X]
Or/Then/And do [Y]
Example:
Here is what to do next:
Go to Quiptu.com and search for the outdoor gear you’ve always wanted to try in a place you’ve always wanted to go.
9. Help them imagine what it’s like to do business with you
Here, it is important to use descriptive sensory words that allow someone to feel or imagine what it is like to do business with you.
Sell the destination here, not the journey.
If someone can visualize being your customer and being happy, then you are more likely to become a customer. This is all about knowing your customer’s aspirational identity.
Template: Imagine [X].
Example: Imagine, breathing the fresh air of nature and feeling the warm sun on your face as you explore a completely new area in a completely new way.
That’s the power of using Quiptu.
Storybrand Brandscript Examples From Different Industries
Here is another brandscript from a company called RVRB.
Hi, my name is Clark at RVRB.
We know that you want your event to be influential.
In order to do that. You need high-quality photo and video content produced in real-time so that you can connect with your fans and your guests in a meaningful way.
The problem is most brands don't have the capacity to produce great real-time content, which leaves them feeling overwhelmed. And they're online. Looking like amateur hour.
That's where reverb comes in. We make you look great online at your event, which is why brands like the Southeastern Conference, Orange Leaders, and StoryBrand trust us to take their online presence to the next level.
Here's how it works.
We collaborate with your marketing team to develop a customized strategy and playbook before the event even starts.
Next, our team of professionals show up at your event to capture your event.
Then, we edit and deliver stunning content that can be posted during the event instead of next week when nobody actually cares about it.
So stop being disappointed at how your event looks online. Send me an email. If that's not fast enough, send me a text.
Let's make your great event look great online.
Storybrand Website Examples
Not to brag, but I created much of my website and SEO membership course based off of the Storybrand framework. I focus on taking customers through the identity transformation process and helping them visualize what it would be like to work with me and take my course.
Check out my Storybrand Website example landing page.
How to film a brandscript and use a brandscript video
Once you have a brandscript it can be a great idea to put it on video as you saw from the examples above.
A simple hack is to upload your brandscript to a free teleprompter app, put it next to the camera lens, and make sure the text is just big enough for me to see without squinting, but not too big so that you see my eyes tracking back and forth.
This way, you will say everything exactly as it is written.
Use this video as an explainer on the home page of your website.
Include it in the reminder emails or texts for your scheduling software so that people can learn more about your company before they meet with you.
Post it on social media or use it as a video ad.
On social media make sure you add subtitles by using free software like Descript. Since most people look at their social media with the sound off, this will ensure that those well-crafted words won’t get lost in silence.
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Brandscripts and Podcasting
“I like using the Brandscript formula to outline my podcast PaintED. When the guests come on, I just ask questions that walk them through their own brandscript.
My audience is the hero, my guest is the guide. My audience has a million problems, but the guest is really good at solving one of them.
We agitate that problem and present our guest as the guide, who presents a three-step plan for overcoming the problem. We tell them what life will look like if they follow the plan and what it will look like if they don’t, and we call them to action.
I think a lot of shows have a meandering list of questions that don’t follow a real story arch.
Using the StoryBrand framework in podcasting really keeps the audience engaged throughout.
I also use it in pitch decks and when I present at conferences. It’s so simple and it’s a framework that’s worked for thousands of years. It’s how great stories are told. People hate ads but they love stories.
It just makes sense.”
Torlando Hakes | Hakes.Digital
Building A Storybrand: What To Do After The Brandscript
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“The biggest problem I see with creating a BrandScript is that people like to think it's enough on its own as a deliverable, and it generally isn't.
More often than not, when a business owner gets a BrandScript, they just see it as a big mountain of words that they don't know how to use, and they get overwhelmed.
So you need to show your clients how they can use the messaging in their BrandScript on specific platforms (social, their website, email, etc).
Give them some examples and give them guidelines for applying it on their own.”
Kyle Porter | Conklin Media
Creating your own brandscript is an excellent starting point for clarifying the message of your business. But it is only part of a high-functioning marketing campaign.
You need a sales funnel. A way to get in front of people so they can hear your brandscript.
One social media post won’t cut it.
Here are the next steps:
1. Make sure your website is on point and set up to convert
Everything you do in digital marketing is to get people to go to your website and connect with you. You should re-use the copy from your brandscript throughout your website, especially on your homepage.
Your website needs a primary and secondary goal
It needs a way for people to schedule or get in touch with you
It needs a lead magnet so you can collect contact info and stay in touch
It needs to feature the keywords people use when looking for stuff like your product or service in Google.
I created an entire course on planning and building out your website for SEO and it definitely incorporates the 7-part framework that Storybrand certified guides use when crafting a marketing funnel.
2. You need content to draw people to your website
You can drive traffic to your website in two ways.
Pay for it
Earn it through content
Content is having words, images, and videos on your website so that when people type in words related to your product or service into search engines, your website shows up. This is called SEO or search engine optimization, and it’s essential for getting people to your website.
Creating a podcast is awesome.
Youtube channels are a great idea. (use your brandscript as the video script)
Post TikToks till your phone battery dies.
But more than anything you need words on your pages, usually through blogging to help people connect to your stuff. I have an entire content marketing 101 course that you should check out when you are ready.
Lastly, if you want to learn more about Storybrand marketing then you should check out mystorybrand.com or take the Business Made Simple online course. You will learn a ton and it is at a fair price point. There, you can also search and find a Storybrand-certified agency.
