Give your eyes a break, listen to the audio version:
More?
That’s right, we’re not through yet. In fact, we’re only just getting warmed up.
So far, we’ve taught, preached, and proposed a WHOLE HEAP of killer storytelling techniques, but today, we’re going to do something a little different…
…keep on reading and in just a few moments, you’re going to receive a downloadable (no reg/subscription/money/email needed) template/worksheet that will propel a CREATIVE DUNCE, into a Pablo Picasso of the content marketing world.
Sound good?
Sure it does.
If you’re not convinced yet, a flock of return readers, a SKY-ROCKET in your engagement stats, and a huge boost in your traffic and search ranking, should prove our point.
A Polite Reminder
This lesson, combined with our worksheet/template guarantees to give you a ton of actionable tactics, and a bucket load of new ideas for your content strategies, but…
…you’ll only get the most from it, if you’ve already completed LESSON 1 and LESSON 2, in our Storytelling series.
So, if you haven’t already, click on the appropriate link and prepare yourself for LESSON 3.
This series was put together in a specific order, so YOU could get the most out of it.
You’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t.
Here are the links:
Storytelling for Marketers Part 1
Storytelling for Marketers Part 2
You’ve got no excuse now.
Storytelling Lesson 3
To complete this Lesson and worksheet, you’re going to need three elements:
…puzzled by that third bullet point?
No sweat. Einstein Marketer’s got the low down.
The Antagonist
In layman’s terms, an antagonist stands in opposition to your protagonist.
They’re the BAD GUY.
Think Darth Vader (Star Wars), Scar (The Lion King) or the Joker (Batman).
But, how in the hell does this apply to content marketing?
Unless your business offers salvation from a revenge seeking villain who’s been deformed in a tragic accident, you’re going to have to look harder to find an emotion stirring ANTAGONIST.
Don’t worry, it’s easy.
An antagonist doesn’t have to be a person. It can be a concept, an institution, a dirty pair of knickers…
…just about anything!
Its sole purpose is to block your PROTAGONIST from reaching their HAPPY ENDING.
An Einstein Marketer example:
Let’s pretend we sell ab crunchers.
Sally (PROTAGONIST) wants to get fit so she looks good on her beach holiday.
Her HAPPY ENDING is a beautiful beach body. Her ANTAGONIST is the extra weight she’s carrying.
Get it?
The extra weight is BLOCKING her happy ending.
Here’s another Einstein Marketer example (just to make sure you understand):
We’ve got a new Dating Website.
Our protagonist wants to get a girlfriend, because he’s lonely. He always gets nervous, and basically sucks at talking to women.
His happy ending is a loving relationship. His ANTAGONIST is his unconfident/awkward nature.
The antagonist is NOT loneliness (it’s not blocking his happy ending!), it is just a side-effect of being unable to reach his HAPPY ENDING.
If you still don’t understand, dig out your CUSTOMER AVATAR and use your target market’s biggest pain points.
Remember, they must BLOCK the HAPPY ENDING.
Storytelling Creation
Check this out:
It might not look like much, but this worksheet is not only going to give you bucket loads of story ideas, it’s going to provide your content marketing strategy with bags and bags of new ideas.
We’d suggest printing off MULTIPLE copies of Einstein Marketer’s STORY CREATION WORKSHEET…
…because once you’ve got started, the ideas tend to just fall out.
It’s like AH-HA, after AH-HA.
Completing the Worksheet
Lazy entrepreneurs, marketers or bloggers that aren’t going to use the worksheet, please LEAVE NOW.
We’re not spending our precious time sharing this VALUABLE and CRUCIAL content creation technique, just for you to read it and disappear.
This worksheet is not for those who talk a good game, but don’t put in the work to back it up.
Now they’ve crawled back into their holes, we can get to the meat in our sandwich.
STAGE 1
Let’s start with the PROTAGONIST (BOX 1).
You’ll need to use one of the two methods we gave you in LESSON 1. Ideally, you’ll print out multiple WORKSHEETS and use both.
When you’ve got a clear protagonist in mind, you’ll need to think of their HAPPY ENDING.
What do they really want? What’s their end goal? What are they dreaming of?
N.B: Your target market’s goals will NOT be the same as yours. You might think their dream is to buy your product, but it isn’t! It’s to achieve the results or solve the problem that your product/service offers.
Got that HAPPY ENDING?
Sweet, write it in BOX 3.
STAGE 2
Can you see the wall that’s blocking the protagonists straight path to the HAPPY ENDING?
That’s the ANTAGONIST (BOX 2).
Remember, it’s blocking an easy route to their PROMISED LAND.
The antagonist MUST BE a barrier/wall/blockade.
STAGE 3
This is where the magic happens.
You’ll notice that there are 3 ASCENDING STEPPING STONES, that our protagonist can take to lift themselves over the wall.
This is our story.
We’re going to take what we know about our market/niche/industry and use our expertise to take our PROTAGONIST over the ANTAGONIST WALL.
There are many ways of using these steps. We suggest a beginning, middle and end to your stories.
But…if you think your PROTAGONIST can conquer the wall with just one, then use one.
If you’re short on content ideas, this WORKSHEET will DESTROY creative blocks.
An Einstein Marketer Example:
Remember the ab cruncher?
Sally wanted to achieve the perfect beach body.
Box 1 (protagonist)- Sally
Box 2 (antagonist)- Extra weight
Box 3 (Happy Ending)- Beach Body
We’d use our STEPPING STONES to envisage Sally’s story from overweight, to fit as a fiddle.
What does she do along the way? How does she start? When does she find our ab cruncher? What emotions does she feel?
Perhaps, she goes on a diet and spends loads of money at the gym (STEP 1) but doesn’t get results fast enough.
Then she finds our ab cruncher (STEP 2), and it kicks her fitness program into overdrive.
She combines our ab cruncher with a diet recommended by us (STEP 3), because we’re killing it at content marketing.
And…
…HAPPY ENDING!
Or…
…you can forget that beginning, middle and end…
…and use the worksheet to create a ton of new ideas, that you can shape into stories.
HOW MANY different ways are there for Sally to CONQUER that barrier?
Write them all down and create content stories around them.
Use your SOLUTIONS to create blogs, videos, audio and visual content to draw your target market towards your solution.
Found Your Story?
So, you’ve got the steps that will help your PROTAGONIST reach their HAPPY ENDING.
Hopefully, you’ve got a whole host of different methods.
Now, you’ll need to dip back into the 7 plots of storytelling in LESSON 2 and apply the one that feels natural.
Perhaps you could REINVENT one story by using it with numerous plot types. Thus creating, multiple stories from one.
Ideas percolating yet?
They should be.
Storytelling for Marketers
If you’ve completed the worksheet already, CONGRATULATIONS on your story.
You’re one step closer to increasing return readership, traffic and engagement rates.
But wait…
…we’ve got more coming soon!
That’s right, our storytelling series isn’t through yet, this is just Part 3 of 5.
Next up, we’re going to explain exactly how to use these stories to achieve MAXIMUM RESULTS.
We’re talking publishing, structure, promotion tactics, story strategy…
…basically, a ton of stuff that nobody else is prepared to give away for FREE.
So, keep an eye out.
And well done, you’ve made it to the middle of our story. It’s not long until you’ve reached your HAPPY ENDING too.
Oh, and if you’re confident and would like some EXTRA EXPOSURE, send us a completed picture of your story creation worksheet. Our audience would love to see it.
Did you enjoy this blog? What do you think of Einstein Marketer’s worksheet? Leave a comment, or send us a message and we’ll reply as soon as our Social Media Manager has stopped picking his nose.
Storytelling for Marketers Part 4, is PUBLISHED. Check it out.
