Be The Guide, Not The Hero

In content marketing, your story isn’t always the most important

No one cares if you are awesome. They care if you can make them awesome.

The amount of scheduled, self-promotional content on social media is reaching an all-time high. If you are tasked with reaching or building an audience online, there has never been more noise to cut through. If you follow the herd, loading up your buffer account with 100 different ways of saying “Look at me. I am awesome!” may seem like a good strategy. However, it isn’t the most effective way to build an organic audience.

Instead of being the hero, we prefer being the guide. Here is a quick Wavve video I created to introduce the topic:

At the 2016 Radio Show Conference in Nashville, TN, I was blown away with Dave Ramsey’s talk about being a guide, not a hero. Ramsey spoke to an audience of radio professionals and explained how every great story not only has a hero, but a guide. The hero is the character that is overcoming challenges while the guide helps them get through the tough times and ultimately save the day.

Ramsey has built a media empire by not only helping people become debt free but showcasing their stories to encourage others. He brilliantly showcases their stories by having them on the show and participating in a “debt-free” scream. Give one a quick watch:

If you were in debt, wouldn’t you want to be like Tracy!? In the video above, it’s clear to see that Tracy is the hero of the story. She became debt-free and has created a better life for herself and her daughter. Dave is simply the guide. Tracy’s story creates massive amounts of credibility for Dave because he has had such an impact on her journey. In digital marketing, audiences will be attracted to the story of the hero but will make a deeper connection with you, the guide.

Now for the tough part. Read through your last 20 posts on social media. How many of them showcase you as the hero?

If you are looking like a self-proclaimed super hero, here are 5 actionable tips to help you build your guide stories.

1. Email your best customer or most engaged audience member and set up a call to learn more about their story and ask how you can showcase them.
2. Ask for your heros to submit audio or video interviews to highlight their story. Use that media to highlight their success on social.
3. Build a case study or blog post that focuses on a client or audience member’s success.
4. Ask for quotes. Use a design tool, such as Canva, to create social images which feature your hero and their quote.
5. Create a Twitter list of your customers or most engaged audience members and follow them. Re-tweet and share their updates and help promote their success.

Buyer beware, being a guide isn’t a strategy. It’s a shift in the way you think about marketing. To incorporate the voice of a guide into your marketing you will need to become constantly aware of the tone & perspective of your messaging. Most importantly, keep an eye out for opportunities to be the guide and step up!

Interested in turning your audio into shareable marketing video cards with Wavve (like the one at the beginning of article) ? Get started for free here or email us for more information.