This is the place to start to get to know all about the Story Funnel
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Welcome to The Story Funnel!
Below are all the posts about the Story Funnel in order of how they should be read as well as a brief description. We'll also put in some examples as we make them. This page will be updated as we post more.
The basics of what Story Funnel is and how we'll go about building one.
Part one of the Story Funnel is hooking prospects. We do this with Pathos or an emotional appeal.
Val·ue: something (such as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable -- Merriam-Webster. Your Brand's Core Value is the first thing to understand before you can get your story straight.
The big idea is your brand's north star. Without one, you will be lost in the sea of noise that is the internet.
The hook stage is the noisiest stage of the Story Funnel because it’s the one with the most amount of competition and literal noise.
At this stage, we want our new customers to be so happy with their purchase, that they don’t unsubscribe or return our offering. The way to do this is to make it as easy as possible to start using your offering to do the intended job.
Your messaging needs to pull at the need while also giving the dopamine hit of want. You can never get to the need without the want satisfied. It’s like the gatekeeper to the inner sanctum.
What are you selling and who do you sell it to. That seems like a simple question but if you don't have your story straight, it can get confusing.
Ethos is all about the credibility of the messenger or their bonafide’s. We look up to those that have achieved what we want to achieve or look/act/like what we like. That’s part of the reason celebrities endorse products and services -- it signals that said brand can be trusted.
Conventions and Requirements are the frameworks in which all similar offerings must adhere. If an offering does not comply with generally accepted conventions (e.g. testimonials from medical doctors) then prospects will be skeptical.
A thru-line is a theme or idea that runs from the beginning to the end of a story. For us story nerds, it’s the story arc/spine that hooks us in in act one, builds our suspense in act two, and payoffs the result in act three.
The future health of your brand and your follow on products and services you provide heavily depends on this stage because your fans and advocates are the ones that will tell their friends and family about your brand and are the most likely folks to buy from you again.