Clarity is Key

Clarity is such an interesting concept. Clarity is “the quality or state of being clear.” But what does being clear mean, especially regarding the message we are trying to convey as a small business? Clarity of message is an essential element of small business success because if we are not clear with what we are communicating, there are thousands of other options on Google. But we get too close to it, and all we see are the features we offer, like the in-stock products, number of heads of embroidery, speed of your direct-to-garment, or permanence of your sublimation transfer. And that is the disconnect. The features don’t mean anything to people not reading this magazine. The people you care about connecting with are the ones coming to your website. Those people read the features and get no clarity.

Then it goes beyond that too. I can’t tell you how many times in my 22+ year career I have asked people who their market is, and the reply is “Anyone with money.” Due to a sense of scarcity, we are taught due to the no’s people told us as we were growing up. We think we have to be all things to everyone. Those who know me know what happens when we try to be all things to everyone … We end up being nothing to no one. To get above the noise of EVERYONE, we need unlimited marketing budgets and the loudest bullhorn known to man. We can’t when trying to talk to everyone sharing specifically what our small business will do to help people. Our desire to help everyone clouds the message and no one gets it because they are unsure if it will suit them.

Stories sell

So how do we get lost in all of this? We lose sight of the fact that business is simply an exchange of value between two people, even if there is social media, websites, and technology between the transactions. It is still people talking to people, and people like a good story. Since the first telling of a good story that stuck, there has been a formula all good books, movies, or other stories follow that gets people interested. I have heard it called the Monomyth or, more commonly, “The Hero’s Journey.” It starts with a hero who doesn’t know he is a hero, who faces adversity and must set out on a journey. On the journey, they learn valuable lessons, and often, a guide or mentor is introduced. And then, finally, the hero overcomes adversity and returns home victorious. Let me prove it! I bet you will be able to name this movie just by seeing the hero’s journey.

A humble farm boy is introduced to some droids and is called to come to a faraway land. He initially refuses to leave but discovers his aunt and uncle killed by the group he was called to arms against. The mentor teaches the farm boy his ways and then is killed as they save the princess and find the plans they need. The hero saves the princess, delivers the death blow, and finally returns and receives medals as there is peace due to his heroics.

Yes, it is the original Star Wars movie, and lucky for us, this storytelling method also works to talk about our business and what we do. We have to become storytellers, not just pushers of the features. When you share your business as a unique identity, you build a bridge between yourself and your audience. Storytelling allows you to share your mission, vision, and values with CLARITY.

The original hero’s adventure from Professor Joseph Campbell laid out 17 stages of a hero’s journey, as he defined it in his book, “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” Since then, it has been simplified, and we can use just four key areas to get to the heart of the story we want to tell our customers.

Your customer is the hero

As storytellers, we must first make sure we are talking as if we are always talking to the reader and sharing from their perspective. What is in it for them? What is the journey they get to go on that you will be the guide to help them achieve their goals? The No. 1 rule is that you are not the hero! The customer is the hero. I know we tend to want to show ourselves as the victor or to be viewed as the hero. We want to be regarded as the one who saves the day. But a good story allows the customer to be the hero, and you are the wise guide who is there to enable them to come back victorious as they overcome their challenge. So, knowing that your customer is the hero, here is how you break it down.

1. Who is the character? Your IDEAL customer and what best describes them in their state before they do business with you.
2. What problem do you solve? What is your ideal customer’s common problem they come to you to solve?
3. How do you plan to solve the problem? What is the process or plan for how you solve the problem for your ideal customer?
4. What does success look like? What is the specific success your customers (the character) have after doing business with you?

Now, I have to give credit where credit is due. The four-part framework is the work of Donald Miller, and he details this and more in his book, “Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen.” But I want to show you how this might work for you in your business. Remember that when we first start describing our business, most of us will talk about ourselves, how great we are, and the features we offer. Here is a real-world example. I found this off a local personalized gift company’s website talking about what they do or, in other words, their story:

{Name Withheld} Gifts for Simply Southern T-shirts, Hello Mello lounge wear, and unique jewelry! Find the perfect baby gift, personalized jewelry, or self-care gifts in our cute boutique. Please stop by our store on Main Street in {location withheld}! We are ranked #1 for “Best Gift Shops.”

Now let’s convert that story based on some assumptions I am making about their ideal customer and the core values they have as a company.

Have you scoured the internet looking for the perfect baby gift, personalized jewelry, or self-care gift only to be overwhelmed and left with a feeling of worry that your gift won’t be what you expect? As a caring loving gift giver, we know you desire Simply Southern T-shirts, Hello Mello lounge wear, and unique jewelry. And you can touch and feel the personalized bits of perfection in our cute downtown Main Street boutique. Come experience the #1 rank gift shop in {location withheld} and be known as the perfect gift-giver who is invited to all the best parties.

The first description is not bad, but as you read both, side by side, you can see a lack of clarity in the first. The lack of clarity is because we, the “potential customers,” must create the story ourselves to see how it might align with our needs. We must calculate on our own to determine if their features equal the desired benefits. In the second version, we introduce a character with a problem and show them exactly how we solve it and give them an easy visual of what their life might look like after doing business with us. Which one provides more clarity, and which one will attract more people to buy?