Brand Website Strategy Questionnaire

Based on Donald Miller's StoryBrand Framework

Why this matters for your brand: Most brand websites focus on what the brand does instead of what their customers need. This questionnaire will help us position your brand as the helpful guide that solves your customer's real problems. We're not changing what you offer - we're changing how we talk about it to attract the right clients and support the overall company goals.

1. Brand Overview

1 Brand name and what you actually do for customers:

Don't use internal company jargon. Explain what your brand does like you're talking to a potential customer who doesn't work here.

Good Example: "Our Industrial Services brand helps manufacturing companies reduce equipment downtime and maintenance costs through predictive maintenance programs."

Bad Example: "We are the Industrial Services division responsible for comprehensive equipment lifecycle management solutions."

2 How long has this brand been serving customers?

3 How is your brand different from our other company divisions?

This helps us make sure your website doesn't compete with or confuse visitors who might need other company services.

2. Your Brand's Customers (The Hero)

StoryBrand Framework: Your customer is the HERO of the story, not your brand or company.

Even though you're part of a larger company, your brand likely serves a specific type of customer with specific needs. Understanding these customers deeply is crucial for effective marketing.

4 Who specifically are YOUR brand's customers? (Be specific)

Think about job titles, industries, company sizes that specifically need YOUR brand's services (not other company services).

Good Example: "Plant managers and maintenance directors at manufacturing facilities with 100+ employees, particularly in automotive, aerospace, and heavy machinery sectors. Companies with $50M+ annual revenue who have critical equipment that can't afford unexpected downtime."

5 What business outcome are they trying to achieve?

Think business results, not features. Are they trying to reduce costs? Improve efficiency? Meet compliance? Increase production? Reduce risk?

Good Examples:
• "Reduce unplanned equipment downtime by 50%"
• "Cut maintenance costs while improving equipment reliability"
• "Meet safety compliance requirements without production delays"
• "Increase production capacity without buying new equipment"

6 What keeps them up at night? (Their biggest business worries)

Think about the pressure they're under from their boss, board, or the people they serve.

Common B2B Fears:
• "Equipment failure during peak production periods"
• "Going over budget on maintenance and repairs"
• "Safety incidents due to equipment problems"
• "Having to explain production delays to executives"
• "Losing competitive advantage due to inefficient operations"

3. The Business Problems Your Brand Solves

Three Types of Problems: External (visible business issue), Internal (how it makes them feel), Philosophical (why it shouldn't be this way).

7 What's the EXTERNAL business problem your brand solves?

The visible, measurable business issue. What's broken? What's not working? What's costing them money or time?

Good Examples:
• "Production equipment breaks down unexpectedly"
• "Maintenance costs keep rising each year"
• "Can't predict when equipment will fail"
• "Too much time spent on reactive maintenance"

8 What's the INTERNAL problem? (How does this make them feel?)

How does the business problem make them feel as a professional? Stressed? Overwhelmed? Like they're failing at their job?

Internal Problems:
• "Stressed about explaining downtime to leadership"
• "Overwhelmed trying to predict equipment problems"
• "Frustrated they can't focus on strategic work"
• "Worried they'll look incompetent if major equipment fails"

9 What's the PHILOSOPHICAL problem? (Why this just isn't right)

What principle is being violated? Why shouldn't they have to deal with this? What should be different?

Good Examples:
• "Manufacturing companies shouldn't have to choose between production and equipment maintenance"
• "Plant managers shouldn't have to become fortune tellers to predict equipment failures"
• "Companies deserve reliable equipment that supports their growth, not limits it"

4. Your Brand as the Helpful Guide

Guide Requirements: Show EMPATHY (you understand their problem) and AUTHORITY (you can actually help them).

10 How does your brand show you understand their business challenges? (Empathy)

What would you say to demonstrate you "get it"? How do you show you understand the pressure they're under?

Good Empathy Examples:
• "We know what it's like when critical equipment fails during your busiest production period"
• "You shouldn't have to guess when equipment will break down"
• "We've seen too many plant managers stressed about maintenance budgets spiraling out of control"

11 What proves your brand can solve their problem? (Authority - be specific)

Years serving this market, number of successful projects, certifications, measurable results your brand has achieved, etc.

Authority Examples:
• "15+ years specializing in manufacturing equipment maintenance"
• "Managed preventive maintenance for 200+ manufacturing facilities"
• "Certified in [specific industry standards/equipment]"
• "Part of [company name] with 50+ years in industrial services"
• "Average 40% reduction in unplanned downtime for our clients"

12 Share your brand's best client success story:

Include: Type of client, what the problem was, what your brand did, and the specific business result. Use real numbers if possible.

Good Success Story:
"Automotive parts manufacturer (500 employees) had equipment breakdowns costing $50K/month in lost production. Our brand implemented predictive maintenance program with IoT sensors and data analytics. Result: 65% reduction in unplanned downtime, $30K/month savings, and production increased 12% with same equipment."

5. Your Brand's Simple Process

The Plan: Give customers a simple 3-step process to work with your brand. Remove confusion and show them exactly what happens.

13 What are the 3 simple steps to work with your brand?

Keep it simple. What happens from first contact to successful completion? Use action words.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Good Process Example:
Step 1: Assess Your Equipment - We evaluate your current equipment and identify potential failure points
Step 2: Create Custom Maintenance Plan - We design a predictive maintenance program specific to your operation
Step 3: Implement & Monitor - We install monitoring systems and provide ongoing support to prevent breakdowns

6. Getting Customers to Take Action

Two Types of CTAs: Direct (for ready buyers) and Transitional (for people still researching).

14 What should customers do if they're ready to work with your brand? (Direct CTA)

The main action for people ready to buy. Be specific about what happens next.

Good Direct CTAs:
• "Schedule Your Equipment Assessment"
• "Get Your Maintenance Cost Analysis"
• "Book Strategy Consultation"

15 What can people download if they're still researching? (Transitional CTA)

Something valuable they can get without talking to you yet. Should solve a real problem.

Good Transitional CTAs:
• "Download Equipment Maintenance Checklist"
• "Get Maintenance Budget Planning Guide"
• "Download Downtime Cost Calculator"

16 Your brand's contact information:

7. Business Success vs. Failure

Show the Stakes: What does business success look like vs. what happens if they don't solve this problem?

17 What does business success look like after working with your brand?

Paint a picture of their business AFTER the project. How is their operation better? What can they focus on instead?

Success Examples:
• "Equipment runs smoothly with predictable maintenance schedules, no surprise breakdowns"
• "You can focus on production optimization instead of fixing equipment problems"
• "Maintenance budget is predictable and controlled, no emergency repair costs"
• "Production goals are met consistently without equipment-related delays"

18 What's the cost of NOT working with your brand?

What gets worse if they don't solve this problem? Think about financial costs, operational problems, and professional impact.

Costs of Inaction:
• "Equipment failures multiply - one problem leads to cascading breakdowns"
• "Emergency repairs cost 3x more than planned maintenance"
• "Production delays damage customer relationships and revenue"
• "Maintenance team gets overwhelmed putting out fires instead of preventing them"

8. Key Messages for Your Brand Website

19 Complete this sentence: "Our [brand name] helps [customer type] ___________"

This becomes your main headline. Keep it under 10 words after "helps [customer type]"

Good Headlines:
• "Our Industrial Services helps manufacturers eliminate unexpected equipment downtime"
• "Our Engineering Brand helps companies design facilities that actually work"
• "Our Compliance Division helps businesses avoid costly regulatory violations"

20 What are 3 specific benefits customers get from your brand? (Not what you do, but what they GET)

These become bullets on your homepage. Focus on outcomes they receive.

Good Benefits (what they GET):
• "Predictable maintenance costs with no surprise repairs"
• "Equipment that runs reliably during peak production periods"
• "24/7 monitoring so problems are caught before they cause downtime"

Bad Examples (what you DO):
• "Comprehensive maintenance programs"
• "Quality service delivery"
• "Professional expertise"

9. Brand Services

21 What services/solutions does your brand offer? (Each becomes a webpage)

List your main service areas. We'll create a separate page for each one using the StoryBrand formula.

22 Do you have photos of your brand's actual work/projects?

Business buyers want to see proof of your work. Before/after photos, completed projects, team in action, etc.

23 Does your brand use the company brand, or do you need separate branding?

10. Competitive Landscape

24 Who are your brand's main competitors? (Companies that offer similar services)

25 What does your brand do that competitors DON'T do? (Or do differently)

This helps us position your brand uniquely. Think process, experience, results, company backing, etc.

11. Brand Goals

26 What's your brand's main goal for having a website?

27 How many new customers does your brand want per month?

28 What's the average value of a new customer to your brand?

29 How long is your brand's typical sales process?

12. Anything Else?

30 Is there anything important about your brand or customers that we haven't covered?

31 What questions do you have about this website process?

Thank you for your detailed responses!
This information will help us create a website that positions your brand as the helpful guide your customers need, focuses on their business problems, and shows clear value for working with you.