The Ordinary World: Define Your Hero
Mapping your hero’s starting point. Before you can tell any story, you need to set the scene. In social media, that scene is your audience’s everyday life, their habits, struggles, and environment. This is the Ordinary World in the Hero’s Journey: the starting point before change begins.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Because your content doesn’t exist in a vacuum. People are already living with challenges, patterns, and ways of speaking that shape how they see the world. If you skip this stage, you risk creating content that feels disconnected or irrelevant.
By investing time here, you:
Anchor your content to your purpose (from Stage 0).
Define who your hero really is (your customer).
Understand where they spend time and who they listen to.
Recognise the pains and patterns that drive their decisions.
Learn to speak their language, so your message lands.
Think of Stage 1 as the groundwork. Without it, you’re shouting into the void. With it, you’re creating content that feels personal, timely, and trustworthy, the kind of content that builds leads, not just likes.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Real or imaginary? Base your “hero” on a real customer type, someone you’ve actually worked with or met. If you don’t have one yet, base it on the type of person you most want to work with. The clearer you picture them, the easier this gets.
How detailed? Start simple: just name, role, challenge, and goal. Add more detail later if needed.
Too many pains? If your audience has lots of struggles, just pick the one that’s most urgent or most relevant to your Stage 0 purpose.
Overload: Don’t overthink this. A simple draft is better than nothing. You can refine as you go.
Evolving profile: This isn’t one-and-done. Think of this as a living profile you’ll return to and sharpen over time.
💡 Tip: Ask yourself, “What problem do my best clients complain about most often?”
01. Define the Hero
Why This Matters
If you don’t know exactly who your hero is, your content becomes vague. A clear hero ensures your story has direction, and your marketing effort has focus.
Steps
Look back at your Stage 0 purpose. Who must see this content for that goal to succeed?
Write down your top 3 customer types.
Give each one a name and short bio.
Note their job role or life stage.
Choose the one hero that best aligns with your purpose.
Purpose Check
👉 If this hero solved their challenge, would it directly help me achieve the purpose I defined in Stage 0?
If yes → proceed.
If no → choose a different hero.
Bad vs Good Example
❌ Bad: “My audience is small business owners.”
✅ Good: “Sarah, a business consultant with a small team, working 50+ hours a week, struggling to balance growth and family time.”
Applied Example
Awareness → Hero: “New consultants unsure where to start.”
Nurture → Hero: “Past clients who need reminders to keep implementing.”
Hero Profile Template (Fill-in-the-blanks)
Hero’s Name: ________
Who they are (role/life stage): ________
Their big challenge right now: ________
What they want to achieve: ________
Where they are starting from (Ordinary World): ________
Example Template
Hero’s Name: Sarah
Who they are: Owner of a coaching business, 42
Their big challenge right now: Moving training online without losing reputation
What they want to achieve: Deliver engaging online courses to scale her business
Where they are starting from: High-quality in-person delivery, PDF training packs only
-
Here is a prompt for AI that should help:
I am creating a customer profile for my business.My purpose is to help [insert your purpose statement from Stage 0].
Can you write a short, clear bio for my target customer, including their job role, daily frustrations, what they want to achieve, and what success looks like for them? Please make it specific and relatable. Write it as if describing a real person, not a generic persona.
02. Identify the Setting
Why This Matters
Even the best story falls flat if told in the wrong place. By knowing their setting, you’ll know where to show up so your content is seen and trusted.
Steps
Describe where they spend time (online/offline).
Note what content they already consume.
Identify who or what they trust.
Capture 3 “day-in-the-life” details.
Ask: Which of these settings matters most for my purpose?
Bad vs Good Example
❌ Bad: “They’re on social media.”
✅ Good: “Sarah spends time in LinkedIn groups for consultants, reads Harvard Business Review online, and attends a monthly networking breakfast in Cardiff.”
Applied Example
Leads → Post on LinkedIn where they seek solutions.
Awareness → Post on Instagram/YouTube where they browse casually.
Template (Fill-in-the-blanks)
My hero spends time on ________, reads/watches ________, and trusts ________. In their day-to-day, they often ________, ________, and ________.
Example Template
Sarah spends time on LinkedIn and industry webinars, reads Harvard Business Review, and trusts a local business network. In her day-to-day, she runs workshops, networks with peers, and squeezes admin into evenings.
-
Here is a prompt for AI that should help:
I’ve created a customer profile for my business.Here’s their bio: [insert Hero bio].
My purpose is: [insert Purpose Statement].
Can you describe this person’s ‘setting’? Please include:
Where they spend time (online and offline).
What kind of content they already consume.
Who or what they trust when making decisions.
Three day-in-the-life details that capture how they work or live.
Write it as if describing a real person, so it feels specific and relatable. End by highlighting which of these settings matters most for my purpose.
03. Pinpoint the Pain
Why This Matters
People pay attention when they feel understood. By showing you know their pain, you earn trust, and you create the “tension” your story needs.
⚠️ But here’s the key: this tension must come from a place of empathy, not exploitation. You’re not trying to scare or shame your audience into action, you’re showing them you see their struggle and that they’re not alone in it. Handled with empathy, tension is simply a mirror. It reflects what your hero is already experiencing and gently signals that change is possible. That’s why it builds trust rather than resistance.
❌ Exploitative Tension
“If you don’t fix this, you’ll fall behind, lose clients, and your business will suffer.”
➡ This approach uses fear and shame. It may grab attention, but it damages trust and makes your audience defensive.
✅ Empathetic Tension
“It’s exhausting trying to keep up with content when you’re already working 50+ hours a week. Most business owners feel the same, but the good news is there’s a way to simplify and make it sustainable.”
➡ This approach acknowledges the struggle without blame. It creates tension by reflecting a real challenge, then points to possibility with compassion.
Pinpoint the Pain Steps
Gather frustrations your customers share (surveys, calls, reviews).
Observe social media conversations - comments and replies on others’ posts are a goldmine of unfiltered pain points.
Note common struggles.
Group pains into: time, money, energy, reputation.
Pick one pain to focus on.
Check: Does this pain connect directly to my Stage 0 purpose?
Bad vs Good Example
❌ Bad: “They find marketing annoying.”
✅ Good: “Sarah feels frustrated staying up until midnight writing LinkedIn posts that don’t bring enquiries.”
Applied Example
Awareness → Highlight pains that make people stop scrolling.
Leads → Highlight pains only your service fixes.
Template (Fill-in-the-blanks)
The biggest pain my hero feels is ________. It costs them ________ in time/money/energy/reputation and leaves them feeling ________.
Example Template
The biggest pain Sarah feels is spending too much time adapting materials for each client. It costs her 5+ hours a week and leaves her feeling frustrated and unproductive.
-
Here is a prompt for AI that should help:
Based on this customer profile: [insert your hero’s bio].
Identify their biggest pains and frustrations in their day-to-day work. Group these pains under time, money, energy, and reputation. For each category, list at least 3 specific frustrations. Write them in the customer’s own voice, as if they were real quotes or thoughts from their day, not in corporate or generic terms. Make them relatable and emotionally true, like things they’d say to a colleague or friend.
04. Spot the Patterns
Why This Matters
Patterns show your audience you “get” their world. It proves your advice isn’t random, it’s based on lived experience and trends that affect people like them.
Steps
Review 5-10 client stories.
Identify recurring triggers (seasonal, financial, industry-wide).
Look for repeated mistakes or missed opportunities.
Highlight trends shaping their behaviour.
Ask: Which pattern can I spotlight that supports my content’s purpose?
Bad vs Good Example
❌ Bad: “People often get busy.”
✅ Good: “Every January, Sarah commits to posting more content, but by February she’s dropped it because client work takes over.”
Applied Example
Awareness → Use patterns to normalise (“you’re not alone”).
Leads → Use patterns to build urgency (“this is when most fail, here’s how to avoid it”).
Template (Fill-in-the-blanks)
A common pattern I see is ________. This usually happens when ________. It leads to ________, which most clients don’t realise until ________.
Example Template
A common pattern I see is business owners waiting until they’re overwhelmed before creating online content. This usually happens when client work ramps up. It leads to burnout and inconsistent marketing, which most clients don’t realise until sales slow down.
-
Here is a prompt for AI that should help:
Based on this customer profile [insert your hero’s bio].
Review common challenges they face and identify recurring patterns that show up across multiple clients. Organise your answer into 4 categories:
Recurring Triggers (seasonal, financial, or situational events that push them into action).
Repeated Mistakes (the things they keep getting wrong).
Missed Opportunities (things they overlook or avoid that could help them).
Shaping Trends (industry-wide or cultural shifts affecting their behaviour).
For each category, give at least 2-3 clear examples. Write them in plain, conversational language, as if you were explaining to a colleague who works with the same type of client. Keep it specific and practical, not generic.
05. Speak Their Language
Why This Matters
Language builds connection. If you speak in their words, you’ll never sound like “just another marketer.” You’ll sound like someone who understands.
Steps
Collect real client phrases (calls, DMs, reviews).
Avoid jargon unless they use it.
Use metaphors from their world.
Test your draft copy out loud.
Ask: Does this language invite them closer to my purpose?
Bad vs Good Example
❌ Bad: “Maximise ROI with scalable frameworks.”
✅ Good: “I just want more clients without burning out posting every day.”
Applied Example
Awareness → Use simple, clear, scroll-stopping phrasing.
Leads → Use urgent, problem-solving words.
Nurture → Use warm, familiar phrases from past conversations.
Template (Fill-in-the-blanks)
My hero often says: “I wish I could ________ without ________.” Or: “I’m tired of ________.” I’ll use this phrase directly in my content.
Example Template
Sarah often says: “I wish I could take my training online without losing quality.”
I’ll use this phrase directly: “Here’s how to take your training online without losing quality.”
-
Here is a prompt for AI that should help:
I am creating content for [insert your hero’s bio].
My purpose is [insert Stage 0 purpose].
Please give me a list of phrases, metaphors, and everyday language this type of person would naturally use when talking about their struggles and goals.
Organise the output into 3 categories:
Exact Phrases & Expressions - common things they say in calls, reviews, or messages (e.g. ‘I just don’t have the time’).
Metaphors from Their World - ways they describe challenges using imagery from their work or daily life (e.g. ‘It feels like spinning plates’).
Inviting Phrasing - softer, empathetic ways of framing advice that would resonate with them (e.g. ‘You don’t need to be perfect, just consistent’).
Write everything in plain, conversational English. Keep it specific to their world, no generic marketing jargon.
Reflection & Action
At this point, you’ve mapped out your hero, their world, their struggles, and their language. You’re no longer creating content in the dark, you know exactly who you’re speaking to and what matters to them.
✅ Depth Check:
Can I describe my hero in two sentences without sounding vague?
Could I recognise them in a real-life scenario?
Does this profile tie directly back to my Stage 0 purpose?
CASE STUDY: SARAH’S HERO
Sarah now zooms in on her audience, the “hero” of her content.
Hero’s Name: Tom
Who they are: Leadership trainer, mid-40s, delivers in-person workshops.
Their big challenge right now: Wants to scale but feels stuck delivering everything himself.
What they want to achieve: Deliver hybrid or online workshops without sacrificing quality.
Where they’re starting from (Ordinary World): Travelling constantly, stuck using PDFs, frustrated that competitors are moving faster online.
Hero Snapshot
Tom is tired of missing family time because every session requires him in the room. He knows online delivery is possible but doesn’t know where to start.
✅ Why this matters: Sarah now has a clear picture of who she’s speaking to and why it matters to them.
WHATS NEXT?
Stage 1 is where everything begins. This isn’t just about creating content, it’s about grounding yourself in your Purpose and identifying your Hero.
Here’s how to decide what to do next for your audience:
If they’re curious but hesitant → Stage 2. (Call To Adventure)
If they trust you but aren’t acting → Stage 3. (Meet The Mentor)
If they’re testing first steps → Stage 4. (Crossing The Threshold)
If they need proof → Stage 5. (Transformation)
But whatever stage you enter, check back here:
Purpose: Does this piece of content still connect to the bigger “why” of my business?
Hero: Am I showing the audience that they matter more than the message itself?
