Storytelling. It's said easily.
I was conducting a pilot conference on StoryFraming with a group of entrepreneurs. I spoke, as usual, of heroes, villains, and damsels in distress and the utility of these simple archetypes to create a strategy that speaks to the heart, not the head
Upon finishing, someone from the audience approached and said,
- "Have you read Donald Miller?"
- "No," I replied.
Her face was surprised. She seemed to expect a confident "Yes," but no.
After reading it, I felt the same astonishment as the businesswoman who approached me. How had I not read it!?
The principles of Storybrand by Donald Miller are very similar to the StoryFraming principles we've been using for over 10 years in communication and reputation strategies for dozens of companies with the buho Clarity for Leaders team. This book undoubtedly offers a framework that works for marketing... but what about reputation?
Where do we agree?
Delegating heroism: Like the StoryFraming model, one of Miller's central arguments is the delegation of heroism. No one is interested in following the story of a powerful and wealthy hero who can solve their problems. For Miller, however, the customer is always the hero
Being a mentor: Miller calls the character in the story who, like Gandalf, helps the hero fulfill their journey a "guide." We agree that organizations should delegate heroism and assume the role of a mentor (often) to have a place and a mission to fulfill in the story without losing protagonism.
What did it bring to me?
Clear consequences of failure: We usually turn to the plot twists proposed by Joseph Campbell in his famous 'Hero's Journey' to guide organizations in deciding the milestones around which the story can be built and communicated. Miller adds a useful consideration: making explicit the consequences for the hero of failing or succeeding
Nature of the hero's dilemas: Another valuable contribution in the framework of storytelling: giving the audience the opportunity to early on understand the internal, external, and philosophical problems that the hero solves.
Where do we differ?
The buyer: In corporate communication, the hero, the character who moves us and lives an adventure, is not the customer; it is for whom we move. Sometimes a cause higher than the buyer: a community, a generation
Villain-dependence: Miller says, 'every story needs a bad guy.' I disagree. In stories of overcoming, we can use dramatic turns without resorting to the figure of the villain to enliven the drama. Companies can build powerful stories without resorting to villains
What would I add?
In corporate communication, it's worth expanding the range of characters, without creating complexity, so that entire communities have a role to play in the story of the company or a cause
I recommend Donald Miller's book for building product and service stories, but I suggest expanding the story framework when the challenge is building corporate reputation or brand purpose.
