Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.ai

A story lives and dies based on one question: Will the hero succeed or will they fail? This is also true for your marketing. You need to tell your customer what’s at stake if they don’t buy your product. Without clearly showing that failure, your customer has no motivation to make a purchase.   This week, J.J. and April work through the Failure section of the StoryBrand framework and show you:    Exactly how to talk about failure without overwhelming your customer   How to breakdown and show the consequences related to not buying your product   Whether to use short-term vs. long-term failure in your messaging   We also talk with Jessie Congleton, one of our amazing StoryBrand Certified Marketing Guides, who shares how introducing failure in her client’s marketing actually inspired customer’s to take action and buy during what was typically a slow season.  Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Jessie Congleton directly at ClarifyYourMessage.com/JessieCongleton.   --   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.   Our StoryBrand certified marketing guides, like Jessie Congleton, are the best marketers in the world. Hire a guide to help clarify your marketing and messaging at MarketingMadeSimple.com.

When running a growing team, developing your employees is no small feat. Today’s conversation with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee offers guidance and a solid example of how you can educate and strengthen your workforce to position your business for massive growth!   --   At Business Made Simple we help you understand what’s wrong with your business and show you how to fix it. Just go to BusinessMadeSimple.com and 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 a story, a character never takes action on their own. They need to be challenged. The same is true for your customer! As the guide in your customer’s story, you must let them know what’s at stake if they don’t buy your product then clearly call them to action by asking for a commitment to buy.   This week, J.J. and April unpack the Call To Action, or CTA, section of the StoryBrand framework and show you:    How to create a strong Call To Action or CTA for your customer   Specific examples of effective CTAs    Exactly where to position CTAs in your website to increase customer engagement   We also talk with Angie Schultz, one of our amazing StoryBrand Certified Marketing Guides, who shares how clarifying her client’s CTA lead to amazing results! Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Angie Schultz directly at ClarifyYourMessage.com/Angie-Schultz.   --   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.

When one of your team members decides to leave your company, even for the best reasons, it is crucial to conduct a great exit interview. Without one you are missing an opportunity to collect valuable feedback for improving how you hire and retain top talent.  Today Don, J.J. and Koula discuss exactly what’s needed in an effective exit interview and provide a list of strategic questions to capture honest feedback while also positioning your team member to leave with a great sense of closure.    Sadly, today’s conversation also acts an exit interview for our co-host Koula Callahan. Koula is truly a foundational pillar at Business Made Simple and is off to new and fantastic opportunities! But before she leaves, we are extremely grateful she has allowed this personal conversation to air on the podcast, giving you an inside look at how to craft and conduct a great exit interview.    --   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.

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.