Obstacles are Everywhere
Last fall, I virtually attended a writing conferences that was everything a professional development-focused event should be – invigorating, engaging, relevant, actionable, customizable, thorough, and resonant. The best lessons and tidbits of inspiration stuck with me and would pop up weeks or months later, whether I was facing a blank page with writer’s block, editing existing work, not thinking about it at all but had an idea hit me and refuse to be ignored, or any situation in between.
One such lesson was a technique for writing fiction: Identify the worst thing that could happen to your character, then make it happen.
As all good lessons do, it struck a chord in me, and I began wondering which authors had used this technique on me. Then, I started seeing it everywhere. I saw it in an episode of Superman & Lois – the budding football quarterback breaks the wrist on his dominant side and may never be able to throw away. I saw it on an episode of Loki – a god who thinks he is entitled to rule the entire universe is introduced to an otherworldly power that can easily rule him, and perhaps has been doing so all his life. I read it in Fahrenheit 451, with the main character’s hidden secret coming to light and his entire life changing because of his decisions. We see it time and time again – mysteries are compelling when an obstacle is placed in someone’s way, and they have to figure out how to overcome the challenge (read more about the process in our blog post about the hero’s journey here).
Overcoming challenges is a part of life. We deal with obstacles all day every day, and then, for some reason, when we want to be entertained, we succumb to the need to see others deal with their own obstacles. Perhaps we enjoy watching victories come to fruition. Perhaps we enjoy seeing that others share in similar hardships. And maybe if we see that they can experience happy endings, then we can envision that for ourselves, too.
Psychologically, it makes perfect sense. At first it may sound taxing – if we have to deal with our own troubles all day, wouldn’t we want to escape them in our entertainment? Escapism can work in some ways, but logic and reality eventually set in and recognize that obstacles will always be there; the fun (and emotional) part is watching the journey and sticking with our favorite characters until they triumph in the end. Because we all like to see people succeed, right?
Now For Something Completely Different… (Except Not So Much)
I bet not once while reading this blog post did you think about corporate marketing. That’s perfectly all right. But now, I’m going to challenge you to consider how this concept could be incorporated in a brand-building content asset to resonate with an audience member – even in B2B marketing.
Did you figure it out?
Essentially, your business exists and thrives because you solve a problem. Maybe it’s a dire problem, related to safety or privacy, or maybe it’s a subjective problem, such as a need for fun or fulfillment. But in some way, you are filling a gap – you are solving a problem and making someone else’s life better.
In fiction, the author has the power to make a character’s worst-case scenario become real.
In real life, this can happen on its own. Or, perhaps less pessimistically speaking, market conditions can cause this to come about.
Your brand becomes powerful when the worst-case scenario is identified and already exists, and you are the solution that can make your audience happy – or, in other words, make your characters triumph again.
Of course your audience members are not pawns in the scheme of your storytelling the way characters are for authors. But the common thread here is that there are challenges, and there are solutions, and there are stories that tie the two together, through the lives of characters who face the former by leveraging the latter. Take the leap and imagine that your audience members are the characters, the challenge may have already been dictated by industry threats or obstacles, and the solution is what your company provides. It is up to you to tell the story that connects these pieces together.
Make your company indispensable by solving your audience’s challenges. And even if your product already does this, it’s up to you to tell the appropriate story to help them realize that.
Connecting the Dots
Name your target audience.
Identify a challenge in the market that they are facing.
Now pinpoint which product or feature you provide that serves as a solution to that problem.
Explain how or why it is one possible solution.
Now explain how or why it is the BEST solution.
What do you want your audience to think when they read this content?
How do you want your audience to feel when they read this content?
Take a break. Then, read your content. Lastly, revisit your work here. What did YOU think? What did YOU feel? Try testing it on someone else – what they think and feel?
Was your story successful? Why or why not?
What can you do to make it stronger? To make it resonate better? To make its power undeniable?
Everyone faces obstacles. Make your company indispensable by solving your audience’s challenges. And even if your product already does this, it’s up to you to tell the appropriate story to help them realize that and feel it to the point where they choose to take action (i.e. buy your product). Like the author of a book or script, you have the power to tell the strongest story that will connect the dots for your readers and listeners and help them feel triumphant at the end of their journey.