You're Not the Hero of Your Story

The greatest brands, like the greatest heroes, live to serve.

The Number One Hero of All Time

One of my favorite books, one of my favorite movies, and one of my favorite plays all come from the same source: To Kill a Mockingbird. It's because the hero of the story, Atticus Finch, speaks to me at the deepest level.

I'm not alone in this. The American Film Institute ranks Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck, as the number one hero in movie history. This is one movie you have to see. And one book worth reading this year.

Why He Stands at the Top

The greatest heroes are never focused on themselves.

They live to be of service to others — to fight for them, support them, guide them, and help them succeed.

The same is true of the greatest brands. I learned that lesson early in my career, and it changed everything I know about building a business, a reputation, and a compelling story.

Your Client Is the Hero. First, Last, and Always.

If there is only one thing to remember about your brand, it's this:

Your brand exists to be of service to your client. They are the hero of your story. First, last, and always.

It sounds simple. It isn't.

If Your Story Is All About You, It Loses the Audience

When someone asks what you do, or you sit down to write about your business or yourself, it's hard not to talk about yourself. Your process. Your features. What you do better than the competition. It feels like the right story to tell.

But no one cares about your process. They care about their problem. The moment you lead with yourself, you lose them. It's like a bad first date, where one person only talks about themselves. Would you ever go on another one?

The story only starts to build when you understand how you matter in their lives. That's when your business grows.

The very best executives, coaches, and entrepreneurs I've ever branded all share this. They have a clear sense of service in their purpose and in their core story. They are focused on helping others.

Just like Atticus.

The Old Spice Men Who Taught Me the Lesson

One of the first brands I ever worked on was Old Spice, my grandfather's favorite cologne. But by then, the brand was how I feel some days: a little out of date, dusty, and a bit tired.

We had a brilliant new antiperspirant technology, and we knew it was better. So we told men exactly that. How it worked. Why it outperformed everything else on the shelf.

The more we talked about our technology, the more we lost them.

So we stopped talking and started listening.

We found a group of men who simply sweat more than everyone else. They told us how it messed with their self-confidence and their ability to be at their best. These were the guys who knew never to wear a blue shirt to the office. Who kept multiple antiperspirants close so they could reapply during the day. One man never walked into his boss's office without putting on a blazer first.

To these men, our new technology could change their working lives. And the moment we understood how we mattered in their lives — the moment we climbed into their skin — the story started to build, and so did the business.

The heroes of our story were never us. They were the men we served.

First, Last, and Always

Atticus Finch never set out to be a hero. He set out to serve. And that is exactly why he stands at the top of the list.

Your brand works the same way. Make your client the hero of your story — first, last, and always — and the right people will see themselves in it. They'll remember you. They'll choose you.