Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai

You should always begin your customer's story by identifying what they want then define their problem to spark interest in how you can help them overcome that problem. Next, reveal yourself as their guide by expressing empathy and demonstrating authority. Now is the time to ask your customer for a commitment to buy your product however that won’t happen unless you have a clear and simple plan for them to follow.   This week, J.J. and April unpack Plan section of the StoryBrand framework and show you how to:    -Build a great three step plan, no matter your business, giving your customer a clear path to buying from you   -Use specific language in your marketing to activate your customer to make a commitment to buy   -Clearly show your customer how buying your product will make their life better   --   Every week on Marketing Made Simple, marketing experts Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins give you practical marketing tips rooted in the StoryBrand framework and show you how to invite customers into a beautiful story where they become the hero and you become their guide. And when you help your customers win, you win. Subscribe to weekly episodes, dropping every Wednesday in the Marketing Made Simple feed! Just search "Marketing Made Simple" on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts.   Begin applying the StoryBrand Framework to your marketing by creating your own BrandScript for FREE at MyStoryBrand.com.

We live in a time filled with conflict and uncertainty, feeling like we're stuck watching from the sidelines ready to give up. But even as we are constantly bombarded by our news and social feeds, there are proven steps you can follow allowing you to plant the seeds of transformation to create change within your business, community and even your world. Today John Maxwell, leadership expert, change-maker and author of the new book, Change Your World, joins the conversation and shares the simple steps you need to finally break through the noise and achieve the change your world is so desperately needing!      --   Order John Maxwell’s new book, Change Your World, and get access to bonus content at ChangeYourWorld.com Have questions about growing your skills as a leader? Join the conversation by getting access to our upcoming live Member Exclusive Q&A: How to Grow Your Leadership Skills with Donald Miller and Doug Keim on Thursday, July 29 at 10a by going to BusinessMadeSimple.com. Once you sign up you’ll also gain instant access to every one of our on-demand business courses as well as our upcoming monthly live coaching events. Grow your leadership skills by registering today at BusinessMadeSimple.com.   Take the mystery out of growing your business and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you'll get instant unlimited access to all of our online courses, including our signature course, How To Grow A Business, plus live coaching events with Donald Miller every month. Take the mystery out of growing your business today at BusinessMadeSimple.com.

Many businesses feel like they have something to prove and position themselves as the hero in their story. But customers aren't looking for another hero, they're looking for a guide! When you position yourself as the guide, showing customers exactly how your product can fix their problems and transform them into the hero, you're destined to win!   This week, J.J. and April unpack the Guide section of the StoryBrand framework and show how you can:    -Use specific language throughout your marketing to position your brand as the guide   -Combine empathy and authority to build trust and engagement   -Craft your marketing tools, like a sales email, through the voice of a guide   --   Every week on Marketing Made Simple, marketing experts Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins give you practical marketing tips rooted in the StoryBrand framework and show you how to invite customers into a beautiful story where they become the hero and you become their guide. And when you help your customers win, you win. Subscribe to weekly episodes, dropping every Wednesday in the Marketing Made Simple feed! Just search "Marketing Made Simple" on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts.   Begin applying the StoryBrand Framework to your marketing by creating your own BrandScript for FREE at MyStoryBrand.com.

The character of your business is a critical driver of sustained success. Without character, there is no trust. So if your customers are reluctant to commit to buying your products or your team members are constantly at odds, you definitely need to listen to this episode! We're joined by Frank Calderoni, CEO of Anaplan (a cloud-based business planning software company) and author of the new book, Upstanding. Frank breaks down how you can align your business around a character-led culture to build trust and improve your bottom line.   --   Order Frank Calderoni's new book, Upstanding, at UpstandingCharacter.com.   Finally take the mystery out of growing your business and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you'll get instant unlimited access to all of our online courses, including our signature course, How To Grow A Business, plus live coaching events with Donald Miller every month.   Take the mystery out of growing your business today at BusinessMadeSimple.com.

Can you name the specific problem your business solves for your customers? Identifying your customers' problem deepens their interest in the story you invite them in and shows you truly understand them. It’s the “hook” of your story, but without it, your customers have no reason to engage with your brand causing your story to fall flat.   This week, J.J. and April guide you through the Problem section of the StoryBrand framework and how you can:   -Clearly identify the problem you solve    -Breakdown that problem into Three Levels of Conflict your customers are facing   -Implement problem-language into your marketing and messaging   J.J. also talks with Aleya Harris, one of our amazing StoryBrand Certified Marketing Guides, who shares how she worked to specify the problem for a client who was stuck in the weeds trying to figure out exactly what they solved for their customers. Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Aleya Harris at ClarifyYourMessage.com/Aleya-Harris.    --   Clarify your messaging in only 48 hours by registering for the StoryBrand Marketing Livestream happening July 19th and 20th. Businesses that clarify their message and build a sales funnel are the ones that thrive in the marketplace. At the StoryBrand Marketing Livestream, you'll get both done in 48 hours AND get real time coaching in an online breakout room to make sure that you’re getting it right. Register now at StoryBrand.com.   Every week on Marketing Made Simple, marketing experts Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins give you practical marketing tips rooted in the StoryBrand framework and show you how to invite customers into a beautiful story where they become the hero and you become their guide. And when you help your customers win, you win. Subscribe to weekly episodes, dropping every Wednesday in the Marketing Made Simple feed! Just search "Marketing Made Simple" on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts.   Begin applying the StoryBrand Framework to your marketing by creating your own BrandScript for FREE at MyStoryBrand.com.

Sometimes it can feel like you’re constantly stuck in the same soul-sucking routine day after day, like a hamster in a wheel. And even if it's not draining all your energy, it can still be mentally exhausting. That is exactly why we invited David Eagleman to the podcast! David is a neuroscientist and best-selling author of the Pulitzer nominated Livewired: The Story of the Ever-Changing Brain and gives you simple and easy ways to break out of your routine, improve brain health and gain back your energy at work and at home.    --   Order David Eagleman's newest book, Livewired: The Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, at Eagleman.com/Books.   Finally take the mystery out of growing your business and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you'll get instant unlimited access to all of our online courses, including our signature course, How To Grow A Business, plus live coaching events with Donald Miller every month.   Take the mystery out of growing your business today at BusinessMadeSimple.com.

As a brand, you must define what your customer wants. As soon as you define that, a story question forms in their mind: Can this brand really help me get what I want? Without this, the customer has very little interest in the story.   This week, J.J. and April guide you through the Character section of the StoryBrand framework and how you can:   -Define exactly what your customer wants   -Plug that specific language into your marketing   -Help transform your customer into the hero after they use your product or service to get what they want   April also talks with Stacey Moore, one of our amazing StoryBrand Certified Marketing Guides, who shares an example of how she redefined what her client's customer really wanted and how it not only clarified their message but grew their business.   --   Every week on Marketing Made Simple, marketing experts Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins give you practical marketing tips rooted in the StoryBrand framework and show you how to invite customers into a beautiful story where they become the hero and you become their guide. And when you help your customers win, you win.   Subscribe to weekly episodes, dropping every Wednesday in the Marketing Made Simple feed! Just search "Marketing Made Simple" on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts.   Begin applying the StoryBrand Framework to your marketing by creating your own BrandScript for FREE at MyStoryBrand.com.

Have a minute? If you're like most business leaders today, the answer is probably no. But you need open windows of time during the day in order to thrive, especially if you're growing a business. On this episode special guest Juliet Funt, author of A Minute To Think, shows you how to find moments of "white space", or strategic pauses, throughout your day to eliminate mindless tasks, enhance your performance and productivity, and reinvent the way you work.    --   Pre-order A Minute To Think at JulietFunt.com and then go to JulietFunt.com/BusinessMadeSimple for a free Facilitated Book Club Guide designed to deliver deeper insights and even more “ah-ha” moments about A Minute to Think! Plus, the first 1500 people to sign up will also receive an invitation to a 30-minute virtual Q&A with Juliet. Ask her anything about streamlining workflows, improving productivity, reclaiming your focus, and more!   Finally take the mystery out of growing your business and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you'll get instant unlimited access to all of our online courses, including our signature course, How To Grow A Business, plus live coaching events with Donald Miller every month.   Take the mystery out of growing your business today at BusinessMadeSimple.com.

In every great story, the main character goes on a journey and by the end she transforms from zero to hero. This is called identity transformation. The same is true for your marketing. When you participate in your customer's identity transformation you are going to win!  This week J.J. and April unpack the first part of the StoryBrand framework, identity transformation, and how you can apply it so your customers feel like they've transformed after purchasing your product or service. April also talks with Macy Robison, one of our amazing StoryBrand Certified Marketing Guides, about how she directly used identity transformation inside the marketing of one of her clients and how it literally transformed their business!   --   Every week on Marketing Made Simple, marketing experts Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins give you practical marketing tips rooted in the StoryBrand framework and show you how to invite customers into a beautiful story where they become the hero and you become their guide. And when you help your customers win, you win.   Subscribe to weekly episodes, dropping every Wednesday in the Marketing Made Simple feed! Just search "Marketing Made Simple" on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts.   Begin applying the StoryBrand Framework to your marketing by creating your own BrandScript for FREE at MyStoryBrand.com.

Running a business, you constantly run into challenges that need creative solutions. But what happens when you've hit a creative rut and time is ticking? This episode's special guest Josh Linkner, author of Big Little Breakthroughs, shows you exactly how to reclaim your creativity using five brainstorming techniques to help solve your trickiest problems and unlock your biggest opportunities!    --   Order Josh Linkner's book Big Little Breakthroughs and access exclusive bonus content at BigLittleBreakthroughs.com   Finally take the mystery out of growing your business and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you'll get instant unlimited access to all of our online courses, including our signature course, How To Grow A Business, plus live coaching events with Donald Miller every month.   Take the mystery out of growing your business today at BusinessMadeSimple.com.