Answer the four foundational StoryBrand questions about your customer's desire. This is about WHO your customer is and WHAT they want—not what you sell, but what they want as a result of working with you.
Your customer is the hero of the story, not you. If you can't clearly articulate what they want and why they want it, your messaging will be about you instead of them. That's why most marketing fails—it's ego-driven, not customer-centered.
Don't intellectualize this. Don't give me corporate-speak about "empowering stakeholders to achieve synergistic outcomes." Tell me what your customer actually wants in language they'd use at dinner with their spouse. Human language.
These answers become your homepage hero, your value propositions, your email subject lines, your ad copy. If you get this wrong, everything downstream is wrong. If you nail this, messaging becomes easy.
Fill out the GHL form. Do NOT use ChatGPT to answer these. AI will give you generic garbage. I need YOUR thinking, YOUR language, YOUR insight. Use the form so answers save to your contact record.
Yes, we're doing a StoryBrand workshop where I'll refine your answers and push you to get more specific. But if you show up blank, we're starting from scratch. Show up with rough answers and we're refining gold.
Your basic site probably talks about your services and credentials. This process flips it—we talk about what the customer wants and how you help them get it. That's what converts.
I've done StoryBrand with 100+ businesses. I know how to pull this out of you. But I need your first draft thinking. You know your customers. What do they complain about? What do they dream about? Start there.
What we're looking for: The external, tangible thing they want. Not the deep existential desire—the practical thing they're trying to get.
Why it matters: This becomes your headline and opening message. Clear desire = clear messaging.
Contractor example: "A remodeled master bathroom that works for their morning routine." NOT "peace of mind" or "the home of their dreams"—that's too vague. Be specific.
Accountant example: "Clean accurate books and a tax strategy that minimizes their bill." NOT "financial freedom"—that's the deeper desire. Start with the tangible want.
The test: If you overheard your customer talking to their spouse, what phrase would they use? "I want a better bathroom" not "I want to optimize my spatial experience."
What we're looking for: A day-in-the-life narrative. What's their morning like? What problems show up? What's annoying them?
Why it matters: This reveals the context around their desire. They don't just want a new bathroom—they want to stop bumping into their spouse at the sink.
Contractor example: "Tuesday morning, 6:45 AM. Alarm goes off. She needs to shower and get ready for work. He needs to shower and get ready. One sink. One cramped shower. They're doing the awkward dance again. She's doing makeup in the kitchen because there's no counter space. He's frustrated the shower pressure sucks and the tile grout is turning black. They both leave thinking 'we need to fix this bathroom.'"
Accountant example: "Tuesday afternoon, 2:00 PM. Business owner is trying to figure out if they can afford to hire another person. Opens QuickBooks. Numbers from last month are wrong—duplicate entries, uncategorized transactions. Spends 45 minutes trying to figure it out. Gives up. Makes hiring decision based on gut feel and bank balance. Knows this is no way to run a business but doesn't know how to fix it."
What we're looking for: The chain of desire. External want → functional benefit → deeper reason.
Why it matters: This connects tactical desire to emotional motivation. Surface want + deeper reason = compelling messaging.
Contractor example: "My customer wants a remodeled master bathroom (X) so they can get ready for work without bumping into each other and fighting about counter space (Y) because they're tired of starting every day stressed and frustrated in a space that should be their sanctuary (Z)."
Accountant example: "My customer wants accurate books and proactive tax strategy (X) so they can make confident business decisions and stop overpaying taxes (Y) because they're tired of flying blind and feeling like they're working hard but not keeping enough (Z)."
What we're looking for: The aspirational outcome. What would make them proud? What would they show off?
Why it matters: This is the emotional transformation we're selling. People don't buy bathrooms—they buy the version of themselves who has that bathroom.
Contractor example: "'You have to see our new bathroom—it's like a spa. Huge walk-in shower with rain head, double vanity so we're not fighting for space, heated floors. We actually enjoy getting ready in the morning now. Best money we ever spent.'"
Accountant example: "'We finally have a real bookkeeper and tax strategy. I know exactly where we stand financially at any moment. We saved $18K in taxes last year. I can focus on growing the business instead of drowning in QuickBooks. Wish we'd done this three years ago.'"
StoryBrand starts with understanding what your customer wants. Not what you offer—what they want. The clearer you are on their desire, the easier messaging becomes. Don't use AI. Use your brain. First draft is due before our workshop.
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