You are not the hero. Your client is.
The most persuasive business stories put someone else at the centre.
Most business stories have the same hero: the business. "We were founded in…" "We are market leaders in…" "Our award-winning team…" The trouble is, your client isn't listening for your story. They're listening for theirs.
The mentor, not the hero
In Winning the Story Wars, Jonah Sachs argues that brands do their best storytelling when they stop casting themselves as the hero. The customer is the hero. The business plays the mentor: the wise guide who helps the hero get where they want to go.
Think of the stories that have lasted for centuries. The hero is the one who changes. The mentor gives them a tool, a piece of advice, a push at the right moment, and then steps back. The mentor is essential, but the story is never about them.
What this sounds like
The shift is often in a single sentence.
| Hero language | Mentor language | | "We transformed their leadership team." | "The team did the hard work. We helped them see what each other could see." | | "Our solution delivered 20% savings." | "They found 20% savings. Our job was to help them look in the right places." | | "We're experts in…" | "What's the biggest thing you're trying to achieve?" |
Mentor language is not false modesty. The mentor still has a strength, a "superpower", and the story makes it clear. But the strength is shown through what it made possible for someone else.
From A to B to C
A simple way to shape a mentor story:
A: where the hero started. What was the situation, the problem, the frustration?
B: what changed. What happened, and where did the mentor's help come in?
C: where the hero is now. What's different for them?
Then ask one question: in this story, who was the real hero? If the answer is you, retell it.
Why it persuades
When the listener is the hero, they can step into the story. They picture themselves at A, wanting to get to C. And they start to see you as the person who could help them get there. That's a far stronger position than the hero asking to be admired.
In our workshop, delegates take their proudest moment and retell it with the client as hero. It's often the moment the story stops sounding like a pitch and starts sounding like an invitation.
Next in the series: Small stories do the heavy lifting.
Find out more about storytelling with Co-Lab People.
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