Marketing Made Simple: Why That Worked #20 – Snipd—What Your Brand Name is Really Saying to Customers

Release Date: May 21, 2025

In the twentieth episode of the "Why That Worked" podcast, hosted by Donald Miller and Kyle Reed and presented by StoryBrand AI, the discussion centers around the strategic importance of brand naming and clear messaging. The episode delves into how a brand name can significantly influence customer perception and engagement, using the podcasting app Snipd as a case study.

Introduction to the Episode

Bobby Richards opens the episode by introducing the new format of the podcast, emphasizing the delivery of actionable insights and key takeaways each week to help listeners implement effective marketing strategies. He highlights that new episodes are available on the StoryBrand YouTube channel and various podcast platforms.

The Naming Game: Snipd

Kyle Reed initiates the main discussion by introducing a product he is passionate about, albeit without revealing its purpose initially. This interactive approach engages Donald Miller and, subsequently, the audience to guess the product based solely on its name: "Snipd."

• Kyle Reed [01:24]: "Today, I am talking about a product, Don, that I'm obsessed with, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. I'm just going to give you the name."

• Donald Miller [01:58]: "Snipt is a podcasting app that uses AI to gather information of things you've listened to."

Through this dialogue, the hosts explore the effectiveness of the name "Snipd" in conveying the product’s functionality. Initially, Donald humorously guesses a completely unrelated product, illustrating the challenges of brand naming.

The Curse of Knowledge in Branding

A significant portion of the episode addresses the "curse of knowledge," a concept introduced by Lee LeFever in his book The Art of Explanation. Donald Miller explains how being too close to a product can hinder the ability to communicate its essence clearly to customers.

• Donald Miller [05:40]: "The curse of knowledge is... most people are so close to their products and services, their ideas, they project that knowledge on the person they're talking to."

He uses the analogy of trying to convey a song by tapping the table, highlighting how internal familiarity with a product can make it difficult to articulate its value to others without confusion.

Enhancing Brand Clarity

The hosts emphasize the importance of clear and straightforward messaging. They critique "Snipd’s" tagline, "Remember everything you learned from podcasts," suggesting it still lacks clarity in conveying the core function of the app.

• Donald Miller [03:10]: "Because you're not around every customer who's hearing about you to explain it."

Kyle Reed responds by explaining Snipd's functionality in detail, noting its use of AI to allow users to clip and remember specific parts of podcasts, thereby providing practical utility.

• Kyle Reed [03:48]: "It uses AI to analyze the podcast and then as you're listening to it, you can click this, the snipped button, and it will remember what you click."

Community Learning and User Engagement

Kyle Reed introduces the concept of community learning in Snipd, where user-generated highlights enhance the app's functionality. This feature allows users to benefit from collective insights, similar to highlighting in Kindle.

• Kyle Reed [05:03]: "But if someone has listened to it, it's broken it all down, and it will give you all these different community highlights."

Donald Miller commends this feature but remains critical of the app's branding clarity, rating Snipd as a "C plus, B minus."

Practical Messaging Tips for Businesses

The conversation shifts towards actionable advice for business owners to avoid the curse of knowledge by ensuring their messaging is clear and direct. Donald Miller stresses the necessity of specifying what a product does without assuming prior knowledge.

• Donald Miller [08:52]: "You don't want to have to say what it is. Is."

They discuss effective taglines through various examples, such as the importance of specificity in advertising messages.

• Donald Miller [19:12]: "So if I have a restaurant and I have order our cheeseburger, it's the best in town."

• Donald Miller [21:10]: "Don't ask them to put the thoughts you want them to think."

These examples illustrate how clear, concise messaging can significantly improve customer understanding and engagement.

Overcoming Messaging Challenges

The hosts explore common pitfalls in brand messaging, such as using ambiguous language that doesn't clearly communicate the product's value. They highlight the necessity of external perspectives in crafting effective messages.

• Donald Miller [09:56]: "When you're writing a book, you have to always do that the whole time you're writing. You have to sit down and understand it, what you're saying from the reader's perspective."

Call to Action: StoryBrand AI

Throughout the episode, there are natural incorporations of StoryBrand AI's offerings, encouraging listeners to utilize their services for clarifying brand messaging. Donald Miller and Kyle Reed consistently advocate for the tool's ability to help businesses articulate their value propositions effectively.

• Donald Miller [24:35]: "The controlling idea is say it clearly."

• Kyle Reed [24:43]: "And you can say it clearly at StoryBrand AI. Save you a lot of money there."

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In wrapping up, the hosts reiterate the critical takeaways:

1. Avoid the Curse of Knowledge: Ensure that messaging is clear and understandable to those unfamiliar with your product.
2. Be Specific: Clearly state what your product or service does without relying on assumptions.
3. Utilize Community Insights: Leverage user-generated content to enhance product functionality and appeal.
4. Seek External Feedback: Regularly evaluate your messaging from an outsider’s perspective to identify and rectify ambiguities.

The episode serves as a comprehensive guide for businesses aiming to refine their brand names and messaging strategies to better connect with their target audiences.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Miller [05:40]: "The curse of knowledge is... most people are so close to their products and services, their ideas, they project that knowledge on the person they're talking to."

• Donald Miller [21:10]: "Don't ask them to put the thoughts you want them to think."

• Kyle Reed [05:03]: "But if someone has listened to it, it's broken it all down, and it will give you all these different community highlights."

This episode of "Why That Worked" underscores the pivotal role of clear, well-thought-out branding and messaging in the success of a product. By dissecting Snipd's branding challenges and providing actionable insights, Donald Miller and Kyle Reed offer valuable lessons for marketers and business owners striving to communicate their offerings effectively.