“If you confuse, you lose,” Donald Miller reminds us in his StoryBrand framework. When visitors land on your website and can’t immediately tell what you do, they leave. Clever taglines and vague messaging might feel creative, but in reality, they leave prospects thinking: Okay, but how can you actually help me? That moment of confusion is often all it takes for a potential customer to click away and look elsewhere.
The truth is, your website has just a few seconds to capture attention and build trust. Buyers don’t want to puzzle through industry jargon or guess what problem you solve. They want a clear, simple answer to the question: Why should I choose you?
In this episode of Endless Customers, I sat down with Mary Brown, IMPACT’s lead web strategist, to dig into how businesses can avoid these costly mistakes. Together, they break down how StoryBrand principles can help companies simplify their message, connect emotionally with buyers, and transform a confusing website into one that not only communicates clearly—but also converts more leads into customers.
Mary explains that attention spans online are brutally short: “People naturally connect with stories, and they want to know immediately what problem you solve for them.” Without clarity, you risk losing qualified leads who don’t have time to dig for answers.
She advises businesses to leverage stories to help people emotionally connect to your messaging.
Unlike traditional marketing that focuses on a company’s achievements, StoryBrand flips the script:
The customer is the hero: your product or service is the guide that helps them succeed.
The story focuses on their problem: not your accolades.
The stakes are clear: what they stand to gain if they choose you, and what they risk losing if they don’t.
This framework creates emotional connection, builds trust, and helps prospects see themselves in the story your website is telling.
Mary suggests starting small:
Simplify your homepage headline so it answers: What do you do, and who do you help?
Use supporting visuals and copy to show, not tell, the transformation customers can expect.
Keep your calls-to-action clear, direct, and customer-focused.
If you’re wondering how to make your website clearer and more customer-focused, the StoryBrand framework is the place to start. Our team at IMPACT helps businesses apply StoryBrand messaging so their websites work harder, convert better, and build trust faster. Let's talk about your website strategy.
Mary Brown is the lead website strategist at IMPACT, and she has lent her expertise to website projects in dozens of industries.
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What is the StoryBrand framework?
StoryBrand is a messaging strategy created by Donald Miller that flips the script: instead of positioning your company as the hero, it places the buyer at the center of the story. Your business becomes the guide; clear, trustworthy, and focused on helping them solve a problem. That shift in perspective eliminates noise, highlights value, and makes your website resonate instantly with buyers.
Why does StoryBrand work so well for websites?
Because buyers don’t stick around to figure things out. They’re scanning, not studying. Story-driven messaging reduces the cognitive load by answering three questions in seconds: What do you offer? How does it help me? What do I do next? When those answers are obvious, visitors stay engaged, confidence rises, and conversions follow.
Do I need to rewrite my whole website to use StoryBrand?
No, you can start small. Many companies see a lift just by applying StoryBrand to their homepage and a few high-traffic service pages. Over time, extending those principles across your site creates a unified buyer experience where every page feels consistent and purposeful. Step by step, your website shifts from being a brochure to becoming a 24/7 sales engine.