Your Customer is a Living Story.

Stories make up the fabric of life. Learn to perfectly echo the "story" going on inside the mind of your customer, and he'll be yours for life.

By Bryan Todd

Every person you'll ever see, meet or know is in the middle of a real-life story, right here and right now. This includes you; it includes me. Stories are everywhere, and part of everything. Stories are what it means to be human.

There's tremendous power in a good story. If I'm in the middle of a personal crisis, and you recount to me in perfect detail the story that I'm going through right now, then something amazing happens: You have my full and complete attention. You have my interest, you have my friendship, you even have my loyalty. And as long as you can continue telling me my story - as long as you continue to get it right - you will continue to have my interest, friendship and loyalty.

This can be a very productive, a very profitable thing.

The best marketers know this. The best of all marketing is, in fact, storytelling. Notice the stories in each of these marketing headlines. Some of them are dramatic, some less so. But they're all stories:

Stories sell, because stories resonate with people, stick in their memories and move them to make changes and take action. Everybody's life is a story. Every hour of every day there's a simple story, a simple plot, a simple narrative that I'm part of, you're part of.

Here are six key elements that all those stories share in common. Think back over the last few movies you've seen, or books you've read, or TV shows you've watched. Think back over your own recent experiences as well. These elements are all there. Use them first to understand yourself, and then to understand the people you're trying to reach.

1. Every story is either about something you want, or something you don't want.

In most stories, there's both. But one is always prominent. Consider these two Google ads, for example:

The first ad is about getting something you want. The second is about getting away from something you don't. There's a time and a place for each.

Which situation is your prospect in? Is he or she running toward something, or running away from something? Ask, or else test and find out.

2. Every story centers around certain key desires and fears.

Odds are your story, and your prospect's story, is about one of these key themes:

What's the key desire, or fear, that's driving you right now? What's driving your customer or prospect to come seek you out?

3. Every story centers around either the past, the present, or the future.

Sometimes there's an issue from the past you're compelled to solve. Perhaps you want to discover and better understand something (good or bad) that happened a long time ago:

Or you're trying to undo the effects of a terrible past event:

Other times you're wanting to deal with something in the present. Maybe you want to preserve something that's good or keep from altering or losing it - such as keeping your home or your job, or preserving your marriage. Or perhaps you're in a terrible situation at present that you're trying to escape or put a stop to, such as a bad relationship, a desperate financial situation, or a destructive habit:

Still other times it's about the future. It can be positive, such as wanting to earn more money this next year, or finally finding the love of your life. Or it could be negative: preventing something bad from happening, such as averting possible financial disaster, preventing the loss of your possessions or property, or saving a loved one:

"The vet said there was no hope to save my dog.
I saved her life with alternative natural veterinary medicine.
Here's how you can do the same for your dog."

4. Every story involves conflict among certain people and certain forces.

Every "story" you experience involves a conflict against yourself, against nature (or God), or against other people. The key is to ask, "Who does a person think is the real enemy here?"

Conflict against yourself could be your own past, your own insecurities and fears, your own bad habits, or other personal "dragons" you need to slay:

Warning: Be careful with this one. Nobody likes to think their problems are entirely their own fault.

Conflict with nature can be about stopping disease, dealing with problems involving animals or pets, or protecting your possessions and loved ones against the elements:

There's no end to the conflict you can have with other people: it can involve a loved one, a family member, friends, rivals or competitors (even enemies), your society, or trouble involving someone in authority:

The best stories - and the best marketing campaigns - often evoke a perennial "devil": the healthcare companies who will deny you coverage; the corporations that pollute your water and food with toxic chemicals; the emasculating institutions that keep you stuck in the rat race. And then there's the ever-popular lying car salesman:

A Woman's Guide to Buying a New Car:
Internet Secrets Car Salesmen Don't Want You to Know

5. Every story is about changes in yourself, and other people, over time.

Take a look again at the ads and headlines above. They all tie in, in a very subtle way, to how you feel about yourself, and how that's about to change, hopefully for the better.

It's about you becoming a better, smarter, healthier individual. Or it's about you being more loved, more liked, more attractive. Or it's about you being a better spouse, a better parent, a better boss or employee, or a better friend. Or it's about giving sacrificially of yourself in a meaningful way and making the world a truly better place.

It's also about you hoping that the people you love will do the same thing. Or hoping you can stop and reverse the downward slide of someone you care about.

And let's admit it: it's also about you hoping that your rivals, competitors or enemies will either come over to your way of thinking, or else just self-destruct.

Remember, your prospects and customers feel the exact same way about they people they deal with. Echo this sentiment with them, and you will continually have their attention, and their trust.

6. Every story will have a happy ending, or a sad one.

And this is the ultimate point, right here: If you, the marketer, have done a good enough job of echoing the story that your prospect is living right now, then he'll give you the permission to step in and help him write the final ending.

Make it a happy one!

To your success,

Bryan Todd

p.s. To read more on the subject of stories and plots, and how they're put together, I highly recommend Ronald B. Tobias's 20 Master Plots: And How to Build Them.

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