A single question can transform your business, lead to more meaningful engagement with your market, and generate more revenue: “Who’s the main character of your story?”

Regardless of the industry you’re in, it's tempting to cast products or services as the main character. They're what you've poured your heart and soul into developing. 

One simple but powerful change will help your brand connect better: stop focusing so much on what your company does and start talking about what your customers are doing with your help. 

Why make the switch?

Information isn’t as powerful as it used to be (think: door-to-door vacuum sales).  In a world where you can find almost anything you need immediately, the real key to effective sales and marketing is creating connections and persuading people.

Putting customers at the heart of your sales and marketing efforts is crucial. When customers see themselves reflected in your stories, they can more easily imagine using your product or service. Treating customers as the main characters taps into a powerful, natural, and engaging narrative.

By making the customer the hero, you differentiate your business from competitors who may still be pushing product-centric narratives. This not only attracts attention but also fosters a unique brand identity that people remember and relate to.

This approach positions your offerings exactly where they need to be: as tools that empower the customer’s success.
 
Practical Steps to Shift the Focus

1. Understand their journey: Start by deeply understanding who your customers are and the challenges they face. Use surveys, interviews, and market research to gather this intelligence. This understanding will help you craft stories that genuinely reflect their struggles and aspirations, making your messaging feel personalized and authentic. The better you understand your main character, the more effectively you can serve them.Pro tip: It’s tempting to ask leading questions about the problem your product or service solves. Try not to. The more information you have about your customer, the better. Let them tell you what’s hardest for them. You’ll learn more and your messaging will ultimately be more impactful.
2. Tailor your messaging: Use the language and touchpoints that resonate most with your customer. Reflect their experiences and aspirations in your marketing materials, making it clear that their success is your product’s purpose. Make it about them. Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. One of the best examples of customer-centric messaging is on RedRover’s website. They could’ve led with “We have a k-12 employee                           management software platform that achieves x, y, and z....” What they said instead: “You deserve better.” 
3. Find what hurts: The most crucial step in making the customer the center of the story is identifying their pain points. This involves more than understanding their needs—it's about pinpointing the specific challenges that keep them awake at night.  Experts will offer varying methods but there’s one approach that always works: just ask. “Customer, what do you stress over? What’s frustrating about this? What’s one thing you wish was easier or better?” Pro tip: Change is hard, and our brains overestimate how difficult change will be. If you want a customer to buy your product or service, the pain of their problem must be greater than the pain of change. 
4. Celebrate their success: Showcase customer testimonials and case studies that highlight how real people have used your product or service to solve real problems. This not only provides social proof but also puts your customers front and center, celebrating their success instead of your product’s features.Pro tip: Involve them in the storytelling process. Encourage customers to share their stories and experiences with your brand. This not only provides you with authentic   content, but also makes customers feel valued and heard. 

A Final Note

Switching the narrative focus from your brand to your customer isn’t just about changing your marketing strategy; it’s about changing your mindset. It requires seeing your customer as they see themself—as the protagonist of their story. With your brand playing a crucial supporting role, you create a marketing dynamic that is more engaging, empathetic, and effective, leading to deeper customer relationships and more revenue. 

When your customers succeed in their stories, your brand succeeds in its mission.
 
References: 

About Us | Red Rover (redroverk12.com)
Marketing 101: Make the Customer the Hero | Inc.com

Conversations over coffee with our brilliant Marketing Director, Josh Nielson (10) Joshua Nielsen | LinkedIn
 
About APPROVE: 

APPROVE is an award-winning fintech startup and one of Wilmington's fastest-growing SaaS companies. You can learn more about working with us at https://www.approvepayments.com/careers.