Story Branding with Donald Miller on

The Action Catalyst Podcast (ep. 215) 

"The greatest story commandment is: Make me care."

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• 7 plotpoints occur in every story 

  • 99% of stories follow the exact same narrative arc​

• There is an order in which a story will unfold, and if you disobey the rules of that order you will lose that audience 

  • Story is a language that human beings speak ​

    • Most companies don't know how to speak it ​

• Story: A hero faces a villain that causes them external and internal (philosophical) problems. They are in search of a guide who can help them overcome their conflict and experience a happy ending instead of a tragic ending 

  • hardwired into our brain ​

• Marketing Mistakes

  • Companies assume clients are going to give us time to understand who we are/what we offer/etc..... and they're not. ​

    • Customer spends 4 seconds ​on your website; drives by billboard at 85mph

    • You have to communicate very clearly why they should stop, and pay attention. 

      • It's not about "our story" - it's about their story and our role in it​

        • Our role is "the guide." ​

          • Invite them into a story ​

• Identifying villains gets attention 

  • Talking about problems gets attention ​

• Narrative clarity 

  • Who is the customer? ​

  • What is their problem? 

  • How is it making them feel? 

  • Why is that just plain wrong? 

  • What makes us qualified to get them out of this problem? 

• Communicate a customer-centric message. 

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