Story: Importance of marketing
As a designer since 2005, I have focused on graphic design and web design, specifically visual communication—organizing information based on clients’ needs. I prioritize and layout information according to its hierarchy, and I am confident in these skills.
Watching Donald Miller’s video on The Futur had a significant impact on me. A few years ago, freelancing since 2016, I wasn’t sure how crucial design is for business. For instance, some non-design restaurants are popular, while some well-designed ones are shut down. Was I genuinely providing value to the client? I wasn’t sure.
After watching the video, agreeing on some points, and reading the book, I began delving into marketing and SEO. It’s been a few years, and I am still learning. Marketing and SEO knowledge is crucial for web designers, and the learning process is ongoing; it never ends.
Branding vs Marketing
©Business Made Simple, powered by StoryBrand
“Marketing is more important than branding.”
Marketing equals making money. Branding is controlling how someone feels about a company/product in a certain way. If a company does not reach/expose a target audience, the brand does not work. How do you respond to it?
When I watched this video a few years ago, I was shocked. It was a time when I did not focus on graphic design. I learned web design because we are in the digital era. We cannot avoid digital presence both ourselves and the client. Social media is everywhere. Furthermore, I wanted to provide value to the client.
©The Futur
– Branding without awareness is nothing
– Marketing is a generous act of helping other people achieve their goals
Great discussion. If you don’t have any brand, how you talk (brand voice) and who you talk to (target audience). These are the fundamental questions. Branding relates to positioning, SWOT, target audience, pain point, brand voice, marketing, etc. These are not separable, but the goal is not different, serve a client.
Brand positioning is about creating a distinct identity in the minds of your target audience. Key elements include defining your unique selling proposition, understanding your target audience, and ensuring consistency in messaging and branding. Monitor customer perception, adapt to market changes, and aim for an emotional connection. This strategy helps your brand stand out and build lasting customer loyalty.
In conclusion, the designer has to understand the value of marketing more. Logo creation is not a branding.
Business Made Simple, powered by StoryBrand
©StoryBrand
There are many short videos, but each video is only a few minutes long. He has already developed authority, but a video can elevate that even further. How many subscribers or how many viewers does not matter. Target is a specific, small business owner.
One of the videos mentions opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the missed potential benefits when choosing one option over another. While not always predictable, considering opportunity costs is crucial for better decision-making. It involves evaluating the forgone benefits of alternatives and guides individuals and organizations toward more profitable choices. Not accounted for in external financial reporting, it’s an internal measure for strategic planning. Examples include choosing locations for a manufacturing plant, upgrading equipment, or selecting between different stocks.
Donald Miller | Keynote Speaker for Business Leaders
© 2023 Donald Miller Words, LLC.
Website Analysis:
– Hero
– Value proposition: A Speaker Every Small Business Owner Will Love
– Service
– Testimonial, credencial
– Feature, detail
– Benefit
– Book, authority
– Form (name, email)
Donald Miller is involved in a couple of businesses, but he does not mix them up on the website. This is his website as a public speaker. This is the landing page, with one Call to Action (CTA). Typography and color impose a voice tone.
StoryBrand – Clarify Your Message – StoryBrand
© 2023 Donald Miller Words, LLC.
Website Analysis
– Hero
– Value proposition: Launch a StoryBrand Sales Funnel
– Process, When you use StoryBrand, Revenue Goes Up
– CTA, Create a Clear Message that Works
– Feature 1
– Feature 2, visualize what you get
– CTA, Credential
– CTA, StoryBrand Certified Guide
– CTA, Authority
– Lead magnet
*Website implemented lead magnet. It displays when a user tries to leave.
Marketing specialists develop this website. Web designers can learn the structure.
Business Made Simple – On-demand Courses and Live Events
© 2023 Donald Miller Words, LLC.
Website Analysis
– Hero
– Value proposition: An Online Platform to Grow Your Small Business
– Pain point
– Process with video
– Steps
– CTA, Small Business Flight School: the small business training program helping you double your revenue
– CTA, upsell
– CTA, review
– CTA, lead magnet by community
– CTA, pain point
– CTA, lead magnet by what you get
I analyzed 3 websites and this is the most persuasive and well-designed website. There is no impressive interaction on the website, but it does not matter. Donald Miller has an authority.
Building a StoryBrand – Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
© 2023 Donald Miller Words, LLC.
“Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen” by Donald Miller is a marketing and communication guide that emphasizes the importance of storytelling to engage customers effectively. The book provides a framework called StoryBrand, which helps businesses create a clear and compelling narrative. Miller’s approach focuses on positioning the customer as the hero, identifying their problems, and presenting the brand as the guide that provides a solution. The goal is to simplify messaging, making it relatable and actionable for the audience, ultimately increasing customer engagement and connection.
The StoryBrand (SB7) Framework for messaging strategy
• Character (Your Customer is the hero)
• Has a Problem
• And Meets a Guide (Your Brand)
• Who Gives Them a Plan
• And Calls Them to Action
• That Helps Them Avoid Failure
• And Ends in Success (tell how your service/product changes their life)
This formula is easy to understand. When we watch a movie, there is a typical story flow, but not always. The unique aspect is that Donald Miller applies it to the marketing of businesses and websites.
Marketing Made Simple – A Step-by-Step StoryBrand Guide for Any Business
© 2023 Donald Miller Words, LLC.
I actually recommend this book more than the story brand.
A sales funnel is a visual representation of the customer journey from awareness to purchase. It includes stages like awareness, interest, consideration, intent, purchase, and post-purchase. The funnel helps businesses understand and optimize the path to conversion.
Building platform:
• Brand script (message, voice)
• 1 liner (offer) → problem, solution, result
• Wireframe, website, landing page
• Lead generation (email capture)
• Email campaign
3 step relationship
• Curiosity
– The first line, how you help people survive. → curious or ignore
• Enlightenment
– How your product works to solve the problem. → don’t tell your story in the early stage
• Commitment (takes time)
– Ask sales
– Move slow, but move forward
– Do not pushy
Sales Funnel:
• Awareness
• Interest
• Consideration
• Intent
• Purchase
• Post-Purchase
Ask:
• What problem do you solve for customers?
• What will customer’s life look like if they buy your product?
• What consequences does your product help customers avoid?
• What does somebody need to do to buy your product?
1 liner (offer)
• Problem
– 1 problem and actually you solve
– Differentiation
– Solution
– Do not cute and clever
– Keep it short
• Result
– What customers feel, what customers get
– Do not over-promise
Website mistake:
• Jargon
• Long header
• Passive CTA
• 1-time CTA
• Irrelevant image
• Not clear copywriting
• Lead generation
• Fast Slide show
• Tell your story
Wireframe (order irregularity):
• Header, clarity
– User mentality within 10 seconds:
– – What do you offer?
– – How do you make my life better?
– – What do I need to do?, Clear CTA
• Stake (target audience)
– List pain point
– Don’t be too negative
– Challenge to avoid
– Testimonial
• Value proposition (what value the client receives)
– Control positive and negative
– Be specific, be visual
– Heading
• Guide
– Empathy and authority
– Testimonial, keeps short, relevant to your offer
– Logo to develop authority
– Review convinces a new target audience
– Statistics
• Plan
– Process, next step with icon
• Explain
– For SEO
– Invite customer into the story
– Formula: Identify who your customers want to become, identify what they want, define the problem and selling back, position you as a guide, share a plan to solve the problem, CTA, cast a vision of their life
– Overcome objections (top 5)
• Video (option)
– Sales pitch
– Keep it short (within 3 minutes)
– Video title
– Cosice and clear, bit unique form
• Price (option)
– 3 price points
– Bundle, with option
• Footer
Lead generation:
• PDF (e.g. 5 things your website should include)
– Position as a guide (authority)
– Stake claim territory (differentiate from others)
– Qualify audience
– Create trust, solve issue
– Create reciprocity
• Interview
• Checklist
• Worksheet
• Host educational event
• Sample
• Webinar
• Keynote
• Curiosity
• Pitfall
• Open house
– Attractive title
– Section ads, popup ads, exit ads
– No close (X) button, use no thanks button
– Promote lead generation (social media, ads, landing page)
– Focus on 1 issue
– Less text
– Simple and clear
– Test, test, test…
What I learned.
• Importance of marketing
• When customers are confused, you lose
• User psychology
• Winning website structure
…
Conclusion: Practicum knowledge
I read Donald Miller’s book before and learned a lot. I read it again and I updated the website. This is a game-changer for designers, offering not only knowledge but practical marketing insights. I highly recommend reading his book, especially for designers who may not be keen on marketing. Please read and execute repeatedly. There is no perfection in our work; always strive to make it better.
