Clarify Your Why to Engage
Adapted from StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Step 1: Describe the Problem. What’s the pain point you help resolve?
In this step, identify who you want to engage and the major problem you help them
eliminate. Where is life painful or uncomfortable? You can get specific, but keep it concise.
Here’s an example for a premade dinner delivery service so you can see how this might
look:
Parents are so busy in the evening with kids’ activities and homework that they don’t
have time to make a healthy dinner. They end up ordering takeout or eating processed
stuff from the freezer.
There’s the target, there’s the pain. It’s clear, it’s relatable, it’s specific.
Step 2: What’s Your Solution? What’s your unique solution to that pain point?
In this step, show how you take that pain away. What’s your solution? The key here is
to show how your solution is different than other options.
Back to our meal delivery service:
So, I deliver pre-made wholesome frozen dinners at an affordable weekly price — not
just a box of ingredients with a recipe.
This service takes away the pain of scrambling to make dinner or ordering take-out instead. And it’s different from other meal-delivery services because the meals are already
prepared. There’s no extra effort involved for our busy moms and dads.
Step 3: The Reward. How does life look after the pain is resolved?
Finally, your one-liner needs to describe how life changes as a result. This is where you
get to describe the transformation of what’s possible when that pain goes away.
So, one last time with our meal delivery service example:
With dinner handled, parents can stop stressing about it, relax, and enjoy time with their
family.
There’s the transformation — because those who say “yes” to this service aren’t saying
“yes” to dinner. They want that stress-free time around the table with people they love.
Here’s how I describe StoryBrand. See if you can spot the three steps:
Most business leaders have trouble explaining what they offer. They’re too close to it and
they fumble their words. So, we have a seven-part framework that helps business leaders
clarify their message. When they do, customers engage. It’s the fastest way to grow your
business.
Here’s another example from DecisionGrid with our Why.
1
You want to change the world. We’ve got your back.
DecisionGrid handles the strategically important organizational details that may not make it
to the top of your priority list. We are the perfect partner to help you grow your passion with
deep resources of experience and knowledge in bookkeeping and financial reporting, as well as
clarifying your mission message and sharing that story with those that need to hear it.
DecisionGrid Financial delivers bookkeeping and reporting services that give you practical,
accurate, and timely information about how your organization is stewarding its financial resources.
2
Clarify Your Why to Engage - Exercise
Step 1: Describe the Problem. What’s the pain point you help resolve?
In this step, identify who you want to engage and the major problem you help them
eliminate. Where is life painful or uncomfortable? You can get specific, but keep it concise.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Step 2: What’s Your Solution? What’s your unique solution to that pain point?
In this step, show how you take that pain away. What’s your solution? The key here is
to show how your solution is different than other options.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: The Reward. How does life look after the pain is resolved?
Finally, your one-liner needs to describe how life changes as a result. This is where you
get to describe the transformation of what’s possible when that pain goes away.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Step 4: Put it all together in a concise paragraph (your value proposition):
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Step 5: Now, get concise and reduce the above into 8 words or less, verb/target/outcome (your
why statement).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4