Can I implement StoryBrand myself based on the books?

You have StoryBrand (and perhaps its successor Marketing Made Simple read. The method appeals to you and you would like to use it in your business. But you're not sure how. After all, why pay for professional guidance when you can do it yourself using the books?

Yet something gnaws at you. What if you overlook important things? Or if you don't implement it quite right? And is that professional guidance really that much better that it's worth the investment?

As a StoryBrand-certified guide since 2019 and co-owner of StoryBrand Netherlands and Buzzlytics, I have already given many workshops and guided implementation processes. I regularly help companies that first started working on their own and later needed help anyway. I know both the success stories and pitfalls of independent implementation and can tell you exactly when professional guidance is or is not needed.

In this article I tell you honestly whether you can implement StoryBrand yourself and what it takes to do so. I will also show you in which situations professional guidance really adds value and why. After reading this article you will know exactly which implementation route suits your situation best and you can make an informed decision.

A BrandScript created under the guidance of a guide is of higher quality than a BrandScript from someone who has never done it before.

To immediately answer the question above this article: yes, you can implement StoryBrand yourself. You don't need much for this. The basics consist of the books StoryBrand and Marketing Made Simple.

These two books complement each other perfectly: the first book explains the StoryBrand framework and the second goes into detail about practical implementation.

If you combine this with the free tools on our website (see heading Free resources) and time, dedication and an enthusiastic team, you'll come a long way.

So while you can certainly implement StoryBrand independently, there are three specific situations where professional guidance can really make a difference.

The first is in developing your BrandScript. The StoryBrand framework may seem simple when you see me or Donald Miller explaining it, but tennis and golf also seem simple when you see Rafael Nadal and Tiger Woods at work. But reality is a lot more complex, or we would all have become professional tennis players or golfers.

Similarly, sometimes a StoryBrand-certified guide has already created hundreds of BrandScripts, so a BrandScript created under the guidance of a guide is of higher quality than a BrandScript from someone who has never done it before. And the quality of your BrandScript determines the quality of your implementation.

Want help with the BrandScript, but want to do the implementation yourself? Then you can also attend a live workshop or private workshop at our sister company StoryBrand Netherlands.

Also read: The 9 most common BrandScript mistakes (and how to fix them)

The second situation in which guidance is valuable concerns the practical implementation in your marketing and sales. Where the books cover the basics, in practice you often encounter specific issues about, for example, how to apply StoryBrand in offers, how to deal with different target groups, or how to ensure consistency in your sales funnel. A guide that works with these issues on a daily basis can save you a lot of time.

The third situation involves an enterprise-wide implementation at larger organizations. Here you often see that different specialists have their own ideas about the implementation of StoryBrand. An external guide can then stand above the specialists as a neutral party, make decisions, explain choices and monitor the bigger picture.

Also read: These 7 factors determine whether your StoryBrand implementation will be a success

The books cover the basics of a StoryBrand implementation, but companies often have specific issues that are not covered in the books.

When implementing StoryBrand yourself, there is a risk that you will skip certain parts because you think they are not relevant to your situation. Perhaps you implement only the basics when so much more is possible. The result is that you don't get the maximum return on your efforts and miss opportunities to make your marketing truly effective.

Although at first glance it may seem cheaper to implement StoryBrand yourself, there are several hidden costs you need to consider.

Because you have to invent the wheel yourself, you often take longer than necessary. You also have to involve more people in the process to cover all aspects properly. And if you make mistakes during implementation, you have to fix them later.

But perhaps most importantly, you are losing sales because your website is not converting optimally while experimenting.

When you implement StoryBrand yourself, you're never quite sure if you're doing it right. As a result, you keep tweaking things that were actually already good, you are not consistent in your implementation because you keep getting new insights that you want to implement, and you end up losing the momentum that is so important when making changes in your marketing.

StoryBrand is not a static framework but continues to evolve. A good example of this is the use of AI. This is not covered in the books because this development was not in play at the time. At Buzzlytics, we now know how to use AI to accelerate StoryBrand implementations. By implementing StoryBrand yourself, you miss out on these innovations and improvements that make the framework even more effective.

Below I summarize again in which situations you can implement StoryBrand yourself and when I would still recommend choosing professional guidance.

Self-implementation may be a good choice if:

• you have a limited budget
• you have all the time you need to immerse yourself in the framework
• you only want to implement the basics
• You have experience with similar implementations

Professional counseling is especially valuable if:

• you want to see results quickly
• you want to implement the framework company-wide
• you have specific challenges not covered in the books
• you want to take advantage of the latest developments and best practices
• you need accountability

You face an important choice that could determine the success of your StoryBrand implementation. Will you go for the do-it-yourself approach and take the time to figure everything out on your own? Or do you opt for professional guidance that will get you results faster and ensure you don't overlook anything?

As mentioned, you can implement StoryBrand yourself using the books and online tools. But whether this is the best choice depends on your situation. With the right knowledge, time and dedication, you can certainly get results, but professional guidance can help you get faster and better results.

Doing it yourself is the best solution for companies with limited budgets who have time to delve into the framework.

At Buzzlytics, we have helped many companies implement StoryBrand. Time and again, we see that companies who choose professional guidance achieve faster and better results than those who do it themselves. Not because they can't do it themselves, but because our expertise and experience helps them avoid pitfalls and get the most out of the framework.

Want to spar about the best approach for your situation? Then schedule a no-obligation consultation with one of our StoryBrand guides. We will be happy to think with you about the route that suits you best.