Customers won’t purchase from you if they don’t understand what you have to offer. That is the main idea behind Donald Miller’s influential book Building a StoryBrand, which uses the classic framework of storytelling to reframe branding and marketing.
Miller’s seven-part StoryBrand framework is thoroughly examined in this post, along with tips on how to use it to create compelling messaging that engages consumers and expands your company.
About the Author: Donald Miller
Bestselling author Donald Miller founded StoryBrand, a marketing firm that assists companies in defining their message. He started out writing memoirs before realizing that the same narrative strategies that are employed in films and books could also be used to make marketing more effective, relatable, and human.
He has experience working with brands of all sizes and teaches that most marketing fails because it talks too much about the company and not enough about the customer. He also says that clarity is more important than cleverness.
What Is the StoryBrand Framework?
All great stories have a pattern, and your brand messaging should too, according to the StoryBrand (SB7) Framework. A character wants something, encounters an obstacle, meets a mentor, and is shown the way to success in every gripping tale. According to this model, your brand should be the guide that helps the customer (the hero) win, not the hero.
Let’s go over each component with examples and key points.
1. A Character (The Customer Is the Hero)
Companies frequently attempt to portray themselves as the hero—the greatest, the fastest, the most inventive—in conventional marketing. Miller, however, asserts that your customer is the central character. It’s your responsibility to identify their desires and assist them in getting them.
- 🔑 Ask yourself: What does my customer want more than anything right now?
Example: Your client may wish “to manage their team without feeling overwhelmed” if you sell project management software. Make sure your messaging emphasizes that desire.
Tip: Be detailed. Saying “We help businesses succeed” is not appropriate. Say something like, “We help marketing teams hit deadlines faster and eliminate chaos.”
2. Has a Problem (People Buy Solutions to Internal Struggles)
Consumers don’t act unless they are having difficulties. The most effective marketing addresses internal issues as well as external ones.
Miller outlines three levels of problems:
External: The surface-level issue (e.g., can’t find reliable software)
Internal: The frustration or emotional response to that issue (e.g., feeling stressed or disorganized)
Philosophical: The deeper belief (e.g., it shouldn’t be this hard to get work done)
🔑 “People don’t buy the best products—they buy the ones they understand the fastest and that speak to their pain.”
Example: Apple sells more than just technology. It promotes simplicity. Their marketing emphasizes the experience of using their products rather than just the features.
Tip: Always deal with the internal conflict. People are emotionally moved by that.
3. Meets a Guide (Your Brand = The Guide, Not the Hero)
A character meets a mentor who aids them in winning; they do not simply solve problems on their own. As a brand, that is your responsibility.
To earn trust, you must demonstrate:
Empathy: “We understand what you’re going through.”
Authority: “We’ve helped others like you succeed.”
Customers trust brands that make them feel seen and confident.
Example: A fitness instructor could say, “After years of frustration, I’ve helped over 1,000 people get in shape.” It’s difficult, I understand. However, you don’t have to work alone.
Tip: Your website should make it obvious that you comprehend the customer’s difficulties and provide evidence of your ability to assist.
4. Who Gives Them a Plan (Reduce Confusion, Build Confidence)
A guide provides the hero with a straightforward, doable plan rather than merely offering encouragement from the sidelines. This lessens psychological resistance and confusion in marketing.
Two types of plans exist:
1. Process Plan: A step-by-step guide to doing business with you (e.g., “1. Book a call. 2. Create a strategy. 3. Grow your brand.”)
2. Agreement Plan: A reassurance that the customer’s fears are being addressed (e.g., “No long-term contracts. Cancel anytime.”)
People don’t take action when the path feels unclear.
Example: Airbnb simplifies travel with their clear message: “Book unique homes and experiences—all in one place.” The user path is equally simple: Search → Choose → Book.
Tip: Make your process visible everywhere—on your site, your emails, and your ads.
5. And Calls Them to Action (Customers Need a Push)
Excellent mentors encourage the hero to act rather than waiting for them to do so. However, a lot of companies are afraid to be straightforward. Customers hesitate and leave if there isn’t a clear call-to-action (CTA).
Two kinds of CTAs are required:
Direct: “Buy Now,” “Schedule a Call,” “Start Free Trial”
Transitional: “Download our free guide,” “Join our newsletter”
🔑 “If you don’t ask for the sale, you won’t get it.”
Example: Dropbox grew rapidly by offering a transitional CTA (free storage for sign-ups) that naturally led users to their paid plans.
Tip: Don’t bury your CTA. Make it obvious and repeat it multiple times—especially on your homepage and landing pages.
6. That Helps Them Avoid Failure (Show What’s at Stake)
Every good story has something to lose—and your customers need to know what they risk by not acting.
People are more motivated by loss than gain. That’s human psychology.
Example: A cybersecurity company might say, “Every 39 seconds, a business is hacked. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
But you must strike a balance—too much fear feels manipulative. The key is to remind, not scare.
Tip: Show what your product or service helps the customer avoid—lost time, wasted money, frustration, and failure.
7. And Ends in Success (Show the Transformation)
Finally, show the positive outcome of using your product or service. Help the customer visualize their new life after working with you.
Paint a picture of:
- What they’ll feel: confident, relieved, empowered
- What they’ll achieve: peace of mind, more time, better results
- Who they’ll become: the best version of themselves
Example: “Finally take control of your finances and focus on growing your business—with expert support every step of the way” is what a bookkeeping service might say.
Tip: To emphasize this point, use images, success stories, and testimonies.
Final Takeaways: Why StoryBrand Works
- StoryBrand is a useful tool based on how people process information; it is not filler.
- It makes your message more clear so that people know what you do, why it matters, and how to act.
- It transforms perplexing advertising into gripping narratives.
Using the StoryBrand framework will help you stand out from the crowd. There will be conversions on your website. Your message will be understood. And your customers—the people who matter most—will finally understand your brand.
Who Should Read This Book?
✅ Entrepreneurs launching or rebranding
✅ Marketers looking to improve messaging
✅ Web designers and copywriters
✅ Coaches, consultants, and service providers
Suggested Next Reads
- Marketing Made Simple – Donald Miller
- Start With Why – Simon Sinek
- Building a Second Brain – Tiago Forte
- Made to Stick – Chip and Dan Heath
