How the Story Ends … Dictates Your Brand Success
Before you could read words on your own, you begged your parents: “Please, read me a story.” Most of us wanted our parents to reread our favorite tales of adventure—the same books every night. And if your exhausted mother or father skipped a page or two, you made them go back and read what they missed because you knew all of the characters and the exact progression of the story. You insisted on hearing the ending you already knew.
Why would you want to hear the same story over and over again? Because you wanted to feel the same warm and fuzzy emotions that stirred you the first time. You still do this when you play the same love songs that make you feel so warm. Even sad songs make you relive unforgettable moments in your life.
Stories take us to an emotional place of joy, peace, comfort, and understanding. We absorb many of life’s stories to heal our pain, to deal with our fears, insecurities, and doubts. Fortunately, there is no shortage of stories.
They come in the form of books, magazines, pamphlets, movies, social media posts, stage plays, podcasts, music, lectures, advertisements, medical results, comedians, nightly newscasts, and television shows—all digitally preserved for eternity and available for instant reference.
Which stories are important to us? We like stories that make sense—stories that resonate with our own lives. The ones we won’t retell are the ones with a confusing ending. A story has a better chance of going “viral” when it has a happy ending—or at least a satisfying resolution. The best stories solve problems that pit good against evil.
Personal conflict stories usually have a protagonist (a good person) and an antagonist (a bad person).
EXAMPLE #1: A girl leaves her boyfriend because he ignores her. We feel sorry for the girl and dislike the boy—until he corrects his selfish ways and wins her back.
EXAMPLE #2: A mother’s 4-year-old child is kidnapped and held for ransom—until she battles insurmountable odds to rescue her daughter safely.
The same “story rules” apply to commerce. If you listen to an emotionally charged third-party product or service endorsement and the story captures your attention, you may be moved to buy. Next, you decide how much you’ll spend. Finally, you decide how soon you’ll buy.
Which brings us to your profession. Whatever service you provide—or maybe you sell a product—you will be more successful if you can tell an honest, convincing, and emotional story about how you can help others:
THE FORMULA
- Establish the problem with genuine emotion.
- Offer the solution.
- Tell potential customers how to find you.
Story Example
SUSAN: My plantar fasciitis had become so painful it was impossible to play with my grandkids. So, I tried Invisible Cloud Shoe Inserts for a month. The pain is gone. Want to get your life back? Click on this link. There is no risk.
While the story is short, it promises to solve a debilitating problem with a satisfying resolution. In story terms, “Susan” is the protagonist. We like her, and we want her to be pain-free. The inflamed tendons in her feet are the antagonists. The rescue is the Invisible Cloud Shoe Inserts.
Ross Shafer is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, talk show host, and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker. If you want to learn how to tell better sales and brand stories … click on www.RossShafer.com and see how Ross Shafer can bring fun and effective story solutions to your next conference.
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