Why Personal Branding Matters

Your personal brand is more than just a logo or a catchy slogan—it’s the story that your audience believes about you. So how can you build a strong personal brand using Donald Miller’s StoryBrand Framework?

As a solopreneur, your brand is intricately tied to your identity and the value you provide. This year SEGC focused on Donald Miller’s book “How To Grow Your Small Business” and my Lift-Off Leaders MasterMind group will also use learnings and lessons from this book. Donald Miller’s StoryBrand framework offers a powerful way to clarify your message and create a compelling narrative that resonates with your target audience.

Clarifying Your Message: The StoryBrand 7-Part Framework

At the heart of the StoryBrand approach is a seven-part framework designed to position your customer as the hero and your brand as the guide. Here’s how to apply it:

1. Character: Identify who your customer is and what they want.
2. Problem: Define the problem they face that your product/service helps to solve.
3. Guide: Position yourself as the trusted guide who can help them overcome this problem.
4. Plan: Outline a simple, clear plan that shows how your customer can achieve their goals with your help.
5. Call to Action: Prompt your audience to take a specific action—whether it’s contacting you, purchasing a product, or signing up for a service.
6. Avoid Failure: Highlight the negative consequences of not taking action.
7. Success: Paint a picture of the positive transformation they will experience as a result of working with you.

Creating Your Brand Script

So, given this framework it’s time to create your brand script. This script will serve as the foundation for all your marketing materials—website content, social media posts, email campaigns, and more.

• Step 1: Write down a brief description of your ideal customer and their key problem.
• Step 2: Develop a concise statement that positions you as the guide with the solution.
• Step 3: Outline your 3-step plan that leads your customer to success.
• Step 4: Craft a compelling call to action that encourages immediate engagement.
• Step 5: Identify the success outcomes and the failure scenarios to motivate action.

Applying Your Brand Script Across Marketing Channels

Once your brand script is ready, you can apply it across various marketing channels to maintain a consistent and compelling message:

• Website: Ensure your homepage and about page reflect your brand script. Visitors should instantly understand who you are, what you offer, and how it benefits them.
• Social Media: Use your brand script to create posts that resonate with your audience. Whether it’s an Instagram bio, LinkedIn profile, or Twitter post, consistency is key.
• Email Campaigns: Craft emails that guide your subscribers through your brand script, leading them to take the desired action.

Building a strong personal brand takes time and effort, but with the StoryBrand framework, you have a clear roadmap to follow. By positioning yourself as the guide in your customer’s story, you can create a powerful connection that drives engagement and growth. Remember, lead with THEIR problem, before you talk about what you can solve.