Do I need to do a StoryBrand implementation before I can do TAYA?

Are you already familiar with StoryBrand and They Ask, You Answer (TAYA) and now wondering where best to start within your organization?

Then this article is for you.

As a head coach at Buzzlytics, I've mentored several companies that had the same question as you. Some did StoryBrand first, some started directly with TAYA, and some took a combined approach. I've seen firsthand what works - and what doesn't.

In this article, I'll help you make the right choice for your situation. I explain how both methods reinforce each other, what the pros and cons of different routes are, and how you can determine which approach is best for your business. After reading this article, you will know exactly in which situation it is better to do a StoryBrand implementation first and when you can start with TAYA right away.

If you approach StoryBrand and TAYA as two separate pathways, you miss out on valuable synergy benefits.

At Buzzlytics, we are increasingly seeing a blurring of the line between StoryBrand and TAYA. Instead of seeing them as two separate pathways, we increasingly treat them as complementary parts of one overarching marketing and sales program.

After all, if you approach StoryBrand and TAYA as two completely separate tracks, you're missing out on valuable synergy benefits. StoryBrand helps you clarify your message, while TAYA helps you get that message to your target audience through content. By combining them, you strengthen both methods.

For this reason, we deliberately weave elements from both methods into our Mastery program. For example, we use StoryBrand principles in our sales training along with TAYA elements. This integrated approach ensures that your marketing and sales are truly aligned.

The advantage of doing StoryBrand first is that you have a clear guide for all your content creation.

If you do choose to go separate ways, it is important to know the pros and cons of both routes.

By first creating your StoryBrand BrandScript, you have a clear guide for all your content creation. You'll know exactly how you want to position your company and what message you want to convey. With StoryBrand, you'll also learn how to show your authority without coming across as pushy. You can later incorporate this knowledge into your TAYA content, for example in your introductions and conclusions.

One of the biggest pitfalls of doing StoryBrand first is that it can feel like a finished project. You've got your BrandScript, your new website and your lead generators - and then it can be tempting to think you're done. But then it actually begins. Because you can apply the principles of StoryBrand to many more things. In your quotes, in your sales decks, in your articles, in your videos, and so on.

There are also advantages and disadvantages to starting TAYA right away.

With TAYA, you can get concrete results very quickly. A good article written today can generate leads as early as tomorrow. This is in contrast to a StoryBrand implementation, which is often a longer process. Also, by starting with content right away, you build a lot of market knowledge quickly. Your content manager does interviews, writes articles and gets to know the organization and the market inside out. This knowledge can be valuable later when creating your BrandScript.

Without StoryBrand s messaging principles, your lead generation may lag a bit. You will get organic traffic on your content, but the conversion to appointments may be lower than when you apply StoryBrand principles. You'll also see that without StoryBrand training, empathy is very evident in content and authority somewhat less so. But you need both for strong content.

The best approach: combine components of both methods.

There are several situations in which it makes sense to get started with StoryBrand first. For example, if your website is converting very poorly, if you don't have a content team yet and don't plan to put one together, or if you have a limited budget and want to start small.

Starting TAYA right away can work just fine if you already have a strong team in place, your website is converting reasonably well, you want to see results quickly, or if you have a lot of urgent sales inquiries lying around.

In practice, however, we find that it often works best to combine parts of both methods. For example, you can create your BrandScript in the first quarter, hire a content manager at the same time, and start your first articles right away. You can also address your homepage if it's really not good. This way you tackle the most important things first, without being stuck with a rigid order.

At Buzzlytics, we have helped many different companies with both StoryBrand and TAYA. In our experience, the big picture is more important than the order: where do you want to go with your business and how do you make it future-proof and scalable? Start by answering that question, and it often becomes clear which elements you need to address first.

We see in practice that an integrated approach, combining elements of both methods, often works best. By not sticking to a rigid order, but looking at what your business needs at the moment, you can get the best results.

The most important question to ask yourself: where do you want to go with your business and how do you make it future-proof and scalable?

So in our Mastery program, we combine the best of both methods, along with other proven marketing and sales principles. We look at each situation to see what a company needs and in what order we can best implement the various elements.

Would you like a sparring session on how we can help you with your marketing and sales? Then schedule a meeting with one of our consultants. We'll be happy to help you make the right choice for your business.