3 Easy Steps to Creating Your StoryBrand One Liner

Have you ever felt like your brand is lost, like an early explorer in the Simpson Desert?

No matter how hard you try, everywhere you look, it’s a barren wasteland of nothingness. You pour your heart, soul and cash into marketing, but it doesn’t work. You know that if you could say the right words an oasis would suddenly appear and the desolation would be replaced with abundance.

This is where your StoryBrand One Liner comes in.

It’s your secret weapon that has the hypnotic power to draw your customers in and help them realise you are exactly the business they were looking for.

This happens because all of a sudden you show them that you truly understand their problem and have the solution to fix it. All other elevator pitches and one liners lack the power of a StoryBrand One Liner. They miss that it is the “Problem” your customer wants to hear about before the solution.

How do you feel when they ask you “What do you do?”

When someone asks you the question “What do you do”, do your knees start to shake, do your hands go clammy and you fumble over your answer? If you do, don’t worry you’re not alone and it’s the reason why Donald Miller came up wit the StoryBrand One Liner.

You may have heard Donald Miller talk about the importance of creating a StoryBrand One Liner. A StoryBrand one liner takes the way people typically answer the question, “What do you do?” and turns it on it’s head. The answer goes from being a boring, let me run away kind of answer to one that grabs your potential client by the collar and draws them in close.

 

Don’t be this guy: Commonly, most people will answer the question “what do you do” in a straightforward but boring way, such as “I help build websites and create social media campaigns.”

It is the kind of answer that most people will forget an hour later, especially if you’re at an event where there are a lot of conversations going on.

Your goal is to become memorable!

You do this by answering the question in a way that will establish a connection with others and is where the StoryBrand one liner comes in. Using it correctly will transform the way you describe what your business does, getting your message across to your target audience more clearly.

What Is a StoryBrand One Liner?

In simple terms, it’s a powerful, concise statement that captures the essence of your brand story using the proven framework of the Hero’s Journey.

Think of it like a movie trailer for your business. It hooks viewers with a relatable problem, introduces them to the struggling hero (your ideal customer), and hints at the transformative solution you offer (your brand).

But a StoryBrand one-liner isn’t just about features and benefits. It’s about tapping into the emotional core of your audience. It speaks to their deepest desires, fears, and aspirations, making them feel seen, understood, and empowered.

Here’s how the Hero’s Journey plays out in a StoryBrand one-liner:

The Frustrated Hero:

• Feels lost and unheard in a sea of marketing noise.
• Struggles to explain their business in a way that resonates.
• Watches potential clients scroll past without a second glance.

The Yearning:

• Dreams of crafting a message that cuts through the clutter.
• Desires to connect with their audience on a deeper level.
• Longs to be seen as the hero, not just another option.

The Transformation:

• Discovers the power of the StoryBrand framework.
• Crafts a one-liner that speaks directly to their audience’s hearts.
• Witnesses their brand explode with passionate clients.

The Happily Ever After:

• Becomes the trusted guide, leading their audience to success.
• Builds a thriving business fueled by genuine connection.
• Makes a lasting impact on the world with their unique story.

This is just a glimpse into the transformative power of the Hero’s Journey within the StoryBrand framework. By incorporating this archetype into your one-liner, you’ll tap into a universal narrative that resonates with your audience on a subconscious level, making them yearn to join you on your brand’s epic adventure.

A StoryBrand one liner is a concise statement that you can use to clearly explain what you offer. Essentially it’s a distilled version of your BrandScript composed of three parts.

 

It differs from a tagline or mission statement in that your StoryBrand one liner will clearly outline the problem you help your customers solve in a simple, relevant, and repeatable way. It’s the easiest and most compelling way to answer the question, “What do you do?” A tag line is much shorter, whereas a one liner is three paragraphs, but still concise.

 

How to Create Your StoryBrand One Liner

Creating your StoryBrand one liner and repeating it over and over is a great way to spread the word about what you do and get people to ask for your business.

It’s super easy. Here’s what you need to do to create a winning StoryBrand one liner:

1. Talk about the problem.
2. Give the solution to the problem.
3. Ramp up the success.
   
   

Problem

Start off by stating the problem or pain point that most of your clients face. One of the biggest mistakes most people make is they provide the solution first. As Donald Miller says “If you are not talking about their problem, they’re not listening”.

 

You invite your listeners to pay attention by starting with the problem.


The problem is where the story forms. It also invites your readers to wait on what you’re going to say next. Just like in a movie or good book, it doesn’t get interesting until the hero encounters a problem.

 

Solution

This is the part where you talk about your solution – how you help people fix that problem.

 

The solution is the best time to tell your audience what exactly it is that you do. However, make sure to connect it seamlessly with the problem you stated to appear more emotional and natural.

 

Success

Finally, talk about the success. Clearly explain how your customers will feel after you solve their problem. Invite your audience to visualise what they’ll get with your products or services. It is the happy ending of your short one liner story.

 

Make this last part sound natural. You do not want to appear like you are manipulative or exaggerating at all.

 

Here is one of my own storybrand one liner examples as an example to help inspire your own:

• [Problem] Many businesses are burning cash on marketing and ads, driving people to websites that don’t convert.

• [Solution] I help businesses clarify their marketing message, build websites that work, and help them create simple online social media campaigns.

• [Success] Clients that work with us often reduce their marketing spending while increasing leads and sales.

 

Final Words

If you know StoryBrand, you can create your one liner easily. You can get some ideas for the problem from your brandscript’s external, internal, and philosophical problems. You may also make it more impactful by including the failure.

 

As for the reward, you can take it from the success part or the hero’s transformation, which your products or services can help your target audience to achieve.

 

At Results and Co, we use the power of StoryBrand to make your business memorable to your customers. We can help you create a StoryBrand one liner that will transform your business’s performance, as we understand that you want people to know and enjoy your products or services.

 

To learn more about StoryBrand and how it can help your business, schedule a call now.