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.

Does your company have a clear message? If not, it could be costing you thousands or more! That's exactly why we've invited Donald Miller, author of Building a StoryBrand and Marketing Made Simple, as our first guest. Don will guide you through the StoryBrand framework which has already helped thousands of businesses clarify their message to turn browsers into buyers. Listen and learn how to create marketing that is easy and that works!   --   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. 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" and look for the smiling J.J. on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts.   Implement the StoryBrand Framework into your marketing by creating your own BrandScript for FREE at MyStoryBrand.com.

The post-COVID spending boom is coming! Is your business positioned to get the most out of it? Joshua DuBois, co-founder and CEO of Gauge.ai, returns to the podcast giving his top three predictions on exactly what you need do to get ahead of the game this upcoming quarter.    --   Find out more about Joshua DuBois at Gauge.ai   Start on your path to becoming a Business Made Simple Professional at BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you get instant 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 and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com today!

Showing your customer exactly how your product can transform their life is essential if you want your business to win! It's called identity transformation and in an upcoming episode of Marketing Made Simple, you'll learn what language to use in your messaging to engage your customer's identity transformation by inviting them into a beautiful story.   Every Wednesday, starting June 23, marketing experts Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins will deliver practical marketing tips rooted in the StoryBrand framework you can immediately apply to improve your marketing and get more cash in the door.    On Marketing Made Simple we believe your marketing should be easy and it should work. Finally learn how to build your marketing the right way and SUBSCRIBE NOW!

We tend to equate success with working hard and think anything worth getting is worth working for, no matter the cost. But once we reach the level success we've dreamt about, we’re too burnt out to even enjoy it. Does this resonate with you? If so, pause and listen to today's conversation with Greg McKeown, author of the new book Effortless. Greg will teach you how to prioritize and reframe your priorities to make things easy allowing you to finally focus on what matters most. If you are constantly living inside your last edge of energy, this conversation is the reprogramming you need so can finally stop wearing your burn out as a badge of honor.   --   Order Effortless at GregMcKeown.com/Books/Effortless/ and listen to Greg's new What's Essential podcast at GregMcKeown.com/Podcast/   Start on your path to becoming a Business Made Simple Professional at BusinessMadeSimple.com. For only $275 annually you get instant 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 and go to BusinessMadeSimple.com today!