Every Story Needs a Hero
Who is the Hero in Your Story?
Good stories typically have a set of common characters; the hero (the star), the enemy, the mentor and/or side kick and lastly, the skeptic or doubter. Each of these roles plays an important part in telling an entertaining, dynamic, interesting, emotional, and engaging story.
The star of the story usually has a sidekick to help them along their journey. The skeptic is usually there to support the main start but usually doubts their ability to give a unique twist to the story.
Then comes the enemy, who adds a climax to the story and keeps your audience wondering about the outcome. The mentor then jumps in to provide more guidance, direction, education, and inspiration to get the hero back on track. Leading to an ending of your customer or hero saving the day.
With this short example, you can see why the hero is the one you should focus on the most. They are the highlight of the story and who should connect most with your audience. In fact, the hero should be your audience. The hero in any story should:
* Inspire action or change
* Be relatable and familiar
* Be emotional and sympathetic
* Build loyal and repeatable customers
* Give your customers someone to cheer for or look up to
When establishing the hero in your brand’s story:
The Hero Should Be Your Perfect Customer
Use real-life testimonies and buyer personas to develop a story that gives your audience a meaningful narrative and empowers them. Give them the belief that “That’s me!” when they’re listening to your story. Then show how the hero or star of your story, who faces a common enemy or common problem, manages to triumph.
Look Back at the Buyer’s Journey
Remember, you want your customers or target audience to envision themselves as the hero of your story. Keep your buyer’s persona in mind to ensure the story you develop is created just for them, and the problems or enemies they face remain relevant to your customers. This will allow your brand to connect more intimately with your clients emotionally.
Establish a Proper Mentor
Create a character that educates the hero and moves them from ordinary to extraordinary. This is the perfect spot to add to your products, services, or brand’s voice. As the mentor, state the problem and then teach how to solve it. Make it clear to your audience that you understand who they are and want to fix it.
It’s best if you don’t make your company the hero and star of the show. It’ll be harder for you to connect and engage with your audience if you do. Remember, the best company stories are the ones that focus on their customers and solve their problems more than their own company and problems. Your customer should be the star.
Categories:Content Development, Marketing