The Hero’s Journey: A Lesson in Sales
Stories are the stickiest concepts in our minds. We easily remember things like plots from movies, bedtime stories we were told as children, and juicy gossip passed through the grapevine. Certain types of stories tend to inspire us and motivate others more than others, rising in popularity and universal applicability. These are stories like Star Wars, King Arthur, Harry Potter, and tales of superheroes. The reason why we love these (besides the action and drama) is that they each utilize the story arc of “The Hero’s Journey.” Even if the story takes place in a galaxy far, far away, or involves mythical creatures, we still identify with and see ourselves in the stories because we see ourselves as the hero in our own journey.
Consider the way you think about your life and your goals… You probably don’t think of yourself as a background character in someone else’s story, or even as a guide aiding someone else in their personal quest. We are the ones overcoming our own obstacles, going after our personal goals. A demanding boss may play the role of the evil overlord, a best friend may take the role of a sidekick, and a mentor may be your guide in your journey — but at the end of the day, you are the hero.
As a brand, we tend to fall into the same patterns that we do as individuals. We see our company as the hero swooping in to save our clients and solve their problems, and we see our company goals as being the quest. We say things like, “We drove massive success,” instead of, “We helped our client drive massive success.” Here at Harmon Brothers, we have at times fallen into the habit of seeing ourselves in that light.
But that is a big problem, and this is why:
- Your company goals and your client’s goals might not perfectly align and therefore create conflict in the pursuit of the “quest.”
- When promoting a product, it becomes difficult to help the consumer see the product as relative and necessary in their own quest.
Donald Miller, author, business owner, and CEO of StoryBrand, said it best:
“The customer is the hero, not your brand. When we position our customer as the hero and ourselves as the guide, we will be recognized as a trusted resource to help them overcome their challenges. Positioning the customer as the hero in the story is more than just good manners; it’s also good business.”
Customers (just like everyone) see themselves as the heroes in their own journey. When you position yourself as a guide who can help them in their own quest, with your product or service as the specific tool they need to accomplish their goals, they’ll be more likely to see your business as an important part of their journey and success.
This creates an interesting dynamic where the star of an ad is the guide, not the hero. Take our Woodwind ad, for instance. The star of the ad is Grill God, and he is the guide. The hero is the consumer represented by the feckless-turned-fierce backyard griller.
Our Chatbooks ad only features the guide with the hero never showing up on screen. The hero, after all, is the viewer watching the video.
The guides in our ads are credible and empathic characters who are able to communicate the lifestyle (quest) that the consumer (hero) desires, whether that be a life free of constipation (like in the Squatty Potty ads) or a childhood full of adventure (like in our ads for CubCoats). The product is simply the necessary tool that enables the hero to complete their quest.
So the next time you’re planning a pitch or strategizing about how to sell a product, remember the hero’s journey and suit up to be your client’s guide. Let them be the hero on their own quest.
For a deeper dive on this subject, I highly recommend How to Build a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. It’s required reading at Harmon Brothers.
