Make your customer the hero in your marketing
StoryBrand process brings discipline to marketing strategy and complements EOS®/Traction
Challenging times require new and creative ways to find and retain customers. Common sense suggests going back to the basics – examine your story.
This past week, CEO Nexus presented a webinar highlighting the StoryBrand process, a marketing program created with data-driven CEOs in mind. The StoryBrand process outlines real-world steps and actionable items CEOs can take to grow top-line sales for their businesses. The webinar featured Subject Matter Expert Derek Sussner, a certified StoryBrand guide. Sussner has a proven track record of helping companies define and share their story via the company website, email marketing and social media.
The StoryBrand webinar was part of our summer webinar series created to keep our members engaged and informed on best practices to help their second-stage businesses grow. Traditionally, CEO Nexus takes a brief break from roundtable sessions during the month of July, but this doesn’t mean business slows down. As we fight through a pandemic, it’s more important than ever to stay sharp by focusing on process improvement.
In this webinar, attendees learned how crucial it is to make sure your marketing message and sales process is on point and has the right tone to serve your customers. Your marketing message should start with making your customers the hero. This might seem counter-intuitive for a successful company with a proven track record. Typically, marketing materials focus on features, benefits, what the company has accomplished, industry recognition and how it has grown. Unfortunately, these issues are merely table stakes – what customers really want to know is what’s in it for them. They need to quickly and clearly be able to see how your business can help them solve their problem.
The StoryBrand process is designed to help capture, interpret and apply the “what’s in it for me” customer expectation to create clear and meaningful messaging, engage customers more effectively and generate more leads faster.
StoryBrand starts with the sales funnel, which is made up of five elements:
- Clear messaging
When you speak to your customers, you must show your business has empathy for them, is part of the overall solution and can deliver authentic results. Make your customer the hero of your message and they will be more likely to engage with the product or service you’re offering. - Website wireframe
The company website is where you want to direct your leads and existing customers. It should reinforce your messaging and be clearly organized for sales. When a potential customer visits your site, they should know who you are, what you do and how they can buy – all on the home page and “above the fold.” Designed correctly, your website can be your top salesperson – a conversion machine. - Lead generator
One of the best ways to create customers is to draw in leads with quality content like checklists, white papers, resources, FAQs, and worksheets. The higher the quality of this content, the better chance for results. You don’t want your sales funnel to be filled with clickbait – you want an authentic exchange of information and value. - Email campaign
Email marketing is alive and well. It’s critical for lead generation and when properly used, it’ll draw leads back to your website. Email messages will also keep your company top of mind, even if people don’t open or buy. - Social media
Social media is another tool in your arsenal when creating leads. Like an email campaign, a thought-out social strategy can lead potential customer back to your site and reinforce your message.
If you’re interested in learning more about the StoryBrand process, read Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller. This book outlines the foundation of the StoryBrand process.
CEO Nexus is committed to serving business owners and executive teams leading growth-oriented, second-stage businesses. Our professionally facilitated Peer Roundtable Programs utilize the CEO Nexus Content Model, which focuses on leadership, strategy, operations and succession planning.
Click here to read Marketing Made Simple.
Click here (members-only) to view PPT, templates, worksheets, and video from the 07.23.20 webinar.