Are you new to the StoryBrand framework? If so, the concept of a BrandScript can be a challenging one. But we’re here to help with our best tips for creating a StoryBrand BrandScript that truly reflects who you are and what you can do for your clients.
As a refresher, a BrandScript is essentially a framework that helps distill your message into a clear, concise script to inform your brand messaging.
Whether you’re writing an email, social media post, web page, or blog, a BrandScript gives you a head start by summarizing the direction and tone of your messaging. This ensures your communication is consistent and relevant and that it resonates with the core pain points of your audience.
A well-written BrandScript ensures that when someone visits your website, views your social media posts, or receives a marketing email from you, they see their needs reflected and understand what sets your brand apart from the competition. It helps you position your products and services as not just a good option, but as the best choice for your prospects’ needs.
So, how do you write a great BrandScript? Here’s some of our best advice for creating a StoryBrand BrandScript that reflects how your business benefits your clients.
You’re not the hero in this story — your customer is! You’re the wise guide that shows them the path to success. Therefore, your marketing should center around the customer’s journey, not how accomplished you are or how great your product is.
I know this feels counterintuitive, but stick with me.
While there is certainly a place in marketing for telling your company story, the bulk of your messaging should focus on the customer’s point of view — clearly expressing what your customer needs or wants and how your product or service can help them get there. When you do this, you invite the customer into a narrative that leads them in a clear direction.
The result: more consumers will see themselves in that narrative and will be more likely to engage with your brand.
A mistake we often see brands make is choosing too many things to focus on. They want to be everything to everyone. But trying to reach a broad audience won’t have the effect you think it will: Instead of standing out from the crowd, you’ll blend in. It makes you look generic, not special.
Instead, when you’re writing your BrandScript, narrow your focus to one customer pain point.
While your business may address more than one customer need, if you try to list them all in your BrandScript, your messaging will be cluttered and ineffective. On the other hand, if you can clearly and succinctly communicate how you help your audience succeed in one primary area, you’ll create a narrative arc that engages your audience and motivates them to act.
When you’re trying to distill what you offer into a concise message, it can be easy to use generic language. But to attract your ideal audience, you need to ensure your brand’s personality shines through.
If you haven’t taken the time to home in on what your brand personality is, sort that out first before digging into your BrandScript. Take a look at our blog on brand archetypes to learn more about defining your company’s personality.
Then, as you write your BrandScript, use language that showcases your unique company culture. Be honest and authentic — and don’t hold back. Along with narrowing your focus to a single customer pain point, highlighting your unique personality will help you stand out from the competition.
It’s tempting to forgo this element of the BrandScript because it can feel negative at first. But the philosophical problem is crucial to painting the picture of how your product or service can change your customer’s life for the better.
The philosophical problem answers the question, “Why does this matter?” and shows how things “should be.” And it does so by introducing a “villain” — something your company fights against.
For example, say you’re a creator of unique, one-of-a-kind clothing pieces. The “villain” you’re fighting against might be uniformity. To communicate this, you might explain to your audience that you shouldn’t have to be stuck with the same old boring clothes everyone else is wearing. Your clothing helps them stand out from the crowd and display their unique personality to the world around them.
Essentially, the philosophical problem helps you convince prospects that what you have to offer is important. It helps them align their purchasing decisions with their idea of how things should be.
As StoryBrand framework creator Donald Miller says, “Brands that connect their products and services to an ideal of how things should be create greater value for their products.”
So yes, the philosophical problem can feel uncomfortable to talk about. But don’t skip it — it’s an important part of showing how vital your product or service is in solving your client’s problem.
Finally, you need to offer your prospects some direction. Lay out the steps they should take to resolve their pain point, showing that you know how to get them to their desired outcome.
Keep this section brief — no more than four steps (three is best) — with concise, eye-catching titles. Too many details can make it feel overwhelming. Offering a simple step-by-step plan like this will increase the probability of your prospect choosing to do business with you.
Check out the “How It Works” section of our home page for an example.
After your three-to-four step plan, you should also include a clear call to action (CTA). Here, skip the generic “learn more” CTAs, opting instead for something that gives more specific direction (such as “schedule a call,” “place an order,” etc.) or uses more unique phrasing (like “work with us” or “tell me more!”).
In addition to your primary CTA, offer a transitional CTA: a low-risk entry point for those not quite ready to commit to doing business with you.
This could be a free sample, downloadable lead magnet (ebook, tip sheet, etc), discount code, webinar, etc. Offering a freebie like this helps build trust with your prospect and increases the chances they’ll ultimately choose to work with you. Tip: make sure to collect their email address in exchange for the freebie so you can follow up with them!
While you can certainly use the StoryBrand framework on your own, working with a StoryBrand-certified guide (like Wild Fig!) can help you take the guesswork out of crafting your messaging.
When we first started out with StoryBrand, we were like Goldilocks, going through multiple iterations of our own BrandScript until it finally felt juuuust right. Now that we have more experience under our belts, we have a better idea of what will work well and what won’t (and we can often see things you might not!).
When you’ve written as many BrandScripts as we have, you get pretty good at quickly honing in on a clear, compelling messaging strategy!
If you’d like help creating a StoryBrand BrandScript that reflects your business, the team at Wild Fig has your back. Simply schedule a quick exploratory call to get started!
And in the meantime, learn more about StoryBrand through these other blogs we wrote:
(Side note: see how that transitional CTA works? 😉)