/storytelling-storybrand

name: storytelling-storybrand
description: "Master Donald Miller's 7-part StoryBrand framework from \"Building a StoryBrand\" (2017). Clarify your message so customers actually listen. Use when: Creating or refining website messaging; Writing brand narratives and marketing copy; Building sales scripts and pitches; Clarifying confusing product positioning; Creating marketing one-liners"
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: ClawFu
  version: 1.0.0
  mcp-server: "@clawfu/mcp-skills"

StoryBrand Framework

> Master Donald Miller's 7-part StoryBrand framework from "Building a StoryBrand" (2017). Clarify your message so customers actually listen.

When to Use This Skill

• Creating or refining website messaging
• Writing brand narratives and marketing copy
• Building sales scripts and pitches
• Clarifying confusing product positioning
• Creating marketing one-liners
• Redesigning homepage and landing pages
• Training teams on consistent messaging

Methodology Foundation

**Source**: Donald Miller - "Building a StoryBrand" (2017)

**Core Principles**:

• "What we think we are saying to our customers and what our customers actually hear are two different things."
• "People don't buy the best products; they buy the products they can understand the fastest."
• "The customer is the hero, not your brand."

**The Two Fatal Mistakes**: 1. Focusing on the brand instead of how you help customers survive/thrive 2. Message is too complex for people to understand quickly

**Why Story Works**: Stories are the most powerful tool for organizing information. The human brain is wired for narrative. StoryBrand uses story structure to make marketing messages clear and compelling.

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

| Claude Does | You Decide | |-------------|------------| | Structures video workflow | Final creative vision | | Suggests shot compositions | Equipment selection | | Creates storyboard templates | Brand aesthetics | | Generates script frameworks | Final approval | | Identifies technical requirements | Budget allocation |

What This Skill Does

1. **Applies the SB7 Framework** - The 7-part story structure for marketing 2. **Creates BrandScripts** - Filled-out story templates 3. **Writes One-Liners** - Concise elevator pitches 4. **Redesigns Websites** - Story-driven web copy 5. **Builds Sales Scripts** - Narrative-based selling

How to Use

Create a BrandScript

Help me create a StoryBrand BrandScript for:
Business: [description]
Customer: [who they serve]
Problem: [what customers struggle with]

Write a One-Liner

Write a StoryBrand one-liner for:
Business: [description]
Main problem solved: [problem]
Result delivered: [outcome]

Redesign Website Messaging

Apply StoryBrand to my website messaging:
Current headline: [what it says now]
What we do: [description]
Who we help: [customer]
How we help: [solution]

Build Sales Script

Create a StoryBrand sales script for:
Product: [description]
Customer problem: [pain]
Our solution: [how we help]

Instructions

When applying StoryBrand, work through the 7 plot points systematically:

The SB7 Framework

## THE STORY FORMULA

A **CHARACTER** (who wants something)
has a **PROBLEM** (that they're struggling with)
and meets a **GUIDE** (who understands them)
who gives them a **PLAN** (clear steps to follow)
and **CALLS THEM TO ACTION** (challenges them to act)
that helps them **AVOID FAILURE** (shows the stakes)
and ends in **SUCCESS** (achieves transformation)

---

## 1. THE CHARACTER (Your Customer)

**Key Principle**: Your customer is the HERO of the story, NOT your brand.

**Fatal Mistake**: Most brands position themselves as the hero. ("We are the leading provider of..." "Our award-winning solution..." "Founded in 1985...")

**The Fix**: Define who your customer is and what they want.

**Questions to Answer**:
- Who is the hero of this story?
- What do they want as it relates to your product/service?
- How does this help them survive or thrive?

**Template**:
"A [customer type] who wants [specific desire]..."

**Examples**:
- "A busy executive who wants to look professional without spending time on style"
- "A startup founder who wants to grow without wasting money on ads that don't work"
- "A homeowner who wants a reliable contractor they can trust"

**Rules**:
- ONE clear desire (not multiple)
- Related to survival/thriving (safety, status, belonging, meaning, resources)
- Specific to your offering

---

## 2. THE PROBLEM

**Key Principle**: Problems drive stories. Define the villain and three levels of problem.

**The Villain**:
Every hero needs an obstacle. Define your villain—the source of the problem.

**Villain Rules**:
- Must be a root source of the problem
- Must be relatable (customers recognize it)
- Must be singular (one villain, not many)
- Must be real (not abstract)

**The Three Problem Levels**:

| Level | Definition | Example (Financial Advisor) |
|-------|------------|---------------------------|
| External | The tangible, surface problem | "I don't know how to invest" |
| Internal | How it makes them feel | "I feel stupid about money" |
| Philosophical | Why it's wrong/unjust | "I shouldn't have to be a finance expert to retire" |

**Miller's Insight**: "Companies tend to sell solutions to external problems, but customers buy solutions to internal problems."

**Template**:

Villain: [the root obstacle] External Problem: [tangible issue] Internal Problem: [how they feel] Philosophical Problem: [why this is wrong]

**Example (Meal Delivery)**:

Villain: The chaos of modern life External: "I don't have time to cook healthy meals" Internal: "I feel guilty about feeding my family processed food" Philosophical: "A busy schedule shouldn't mean compromising health"

---

## 3. THE GUIDE (Your Brand)

**Key Principle**: Your brand is the GUIDE, not the hero. Guides have "been there, done that."

**Fatal Mistake**: Competing with your customer for the hero r