Story Structures That Sell — Guide #2
Story Structures That Sell — Guide #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.
Positioning is the place you occupy in the buyer’s mind relative to alternatives.
Steps
- List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
- Document decisions in one page — People use what they can read in two minutes.
- Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.
- State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: People use what they can read in two minutes. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Toolkit
- Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].
- Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.
- Palette tokens — CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps.
How to use it: For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof]. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
Example
A founder started writing one LinkedIn tip daily; inbound doubled in 90 days without ads.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
- Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
- Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
Related Articles
- Personas That Don’t Lie — Guide #2
- Brand Guidelines in One Page — Pro Tips #2
- Messaging Hierarchy for Landing Pages — Field Notes #2
- Brand Audits in 60 Minutes
← Previous: Category Design for Mortals — Deep Dive #2 Next: UX Writing That Sounds Like You — Deep Dive #2 →
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- Type Pairing That Works Everywhere — Playbook #2
- Case Studies with a Plot — Playbook #2
- ICP vs Buyer Persona: What’s the Difference?
- Taglines: Short, Sharp, True — Case Files #2
← Previous: Category Design for Mortals — Guide #2 Next: UX Writing That Sounds Like You — Guide #2 →