Make Your Customer the Hero: The Storytelling Framework That Sells | Henry DeVries

Welcome to Inside Marketing with MarketSurge — your front-row seat to the boldest ideas and smartest strategies in modern marketing.In this episode, Reed Hansen sits down with Henry DeVries, bestselling author of Persuade with a Story, Forbes columnist, and one of the most influential behind-the-scenes voices in business publishing and storytelling.Henry has helped publish and ghostwrite more than 300 business books, doubled agency revenues, increased brand awareness for billion-dollar companies, and taught leaders, marketers, and sales teams how to stop making themselves the hero — and start persuading audiences through story.This conversation dives deep into why most marketing fails, not because the product is bad, but because the story is boring, self-centered, or emotionally empty.What we cover in this episode:• Why humans are hardwired for stories and how that impacts buying decisions• The eight story frameworks that show up in great books, movies, and marketing• Why marketers make a critical mistake by making themselves the hero• How to position your customer as the hero and your brand as the mentor• The neuroscience behind emotion, persuasion, and decision-making• How to uncover your defining problem-solution stories• Why AI can’t replace human storytelling (and where it falls short)• The role of humor in persuasion and credibility• Real-world examples of storytelling driving massive business growthHenry also shares powerful case studies, practical frameworks, and actionable advice that will permanently change how you think about marketing, sales, and communication.Learn more about Henry DeVries and book him as a speaker:https://persuadewithastory.com/speaker/Visit Henry’s website for articles, videos, and storytelling resources:https://persuadewithastory.comTo stay ahead of what’s actually working in marketing today, visit MarketSurge:https://marketsurge.ioBook a 15-minute Value or Free Coffee strategy call:https://link.marketsurge.io/widget/bookings/15minutevalueorfreecoffeeFollow MarketSurge:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100035121171654https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsurgeiohttps://x.com/marketsurginghttps://www.instagram.com/marketsurging/Listen to the podcast:https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/Inside Marketing with MarketSurge is hosted by Reed Hansen, Chief Growth Officer at MarketSurge, where we help businesses grow smarter, faster, and louder.Subscribe for more conversations on marketing, growth, storytelling, and what it really takes to persuade and scale.