STORYBRAND CERTIFIED
Agreement made [DATE] between Donald Miller Words, LLC (hereafter StoryBrand) and [GUIDE NAME] (hereafter Guide).
Term for Certified Guide License
Pending completion of the certification training and approval from the StoryBrand team on the last day of your certification training, this Agreement certifies [GUIDE NAME] as a StoryBrand Certified Guide through the fifteenth day of the twelfth (12) month following certification. Thereafter, the terms of this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one (1) year terms. The Guide’s renewal payment plan will always begin on the 15th of the month in which they were trained. If the Guide does not wish to renew the terms of this Agreement, the Guide must provide written notice to StoryBrand at certified@storybrand.com by the 1st of the month in which they were trained. At that point, the Guide’s license will expire on the 15th of the month they were trained.
For example, if the Guide attended Guide Training in July 2023, they could anticipate their renewal payment plan beginning on July 15, 2024. If they did not wish to renew the terms of this Agreement, they need to provide written notice to StoryBrand at certified@storybrand.com by July 1, 2024.
Guide Certification Non-Refundable Licensing Fees
First year — $12,000 USD for an individual Guide license
Annual renewal — $5,000 USD
What is a StoryBrand Certified Guide?
An individual trained and licensed by StoryBrand to create marketing collateral for their customers using the StoryBrand Messaging Framework, the Marketing Made Simple Framework, and The Customer is the Hero Framework.
Ownership and Rights of Usage
StoryBrand maintains ownership of all StoryBrand intellectual property content and rights. A StoryBrand Certified Guide is licensed during the term to use StoryBrand content to fulfill their duties and utilize the accompanying privileges as a Certified Guide. It is expressly agreed that the purchase of a license is not a purchase or transfer of ownership of any StoryBrand proprietary materials or intellectual property.
Intellectual Property License Notice
Becoming a StoryBrand Certified Guide creates a limited, revocable license for the use and presentation of StoryBrand materials exclusively as provided herein. All other rights are expressly reserved by StoryBrand. The StoryBrand materials are protected in whole and/or in part by state and federal copyright laws, trademark laws, and international treaty provisions. All title and copyrights in and to the StoryBrand materials, including but not limited to any images, photographs, animations, video, audio, music, text, electronic applications, and accompanying printed materials incorporated into StoryBrand materials and any copies of materials associated with the StoryBrand materials, are owned by StoryBrand. No one is authorized to copy any audio, video, lesson, or Guide materials without the prior written consent of StoryBrand. If violated, StoryBrand may commence civil action seeking monetary damages, attorneys’ fees, injunctive relief, and, in appropriate circumstances, criminal prosecution, with all reasonable legal and attorneys’ fees to be paid by the infringer and/or third parties.
Licenses included in the Guide Program
• One (1) license to Business Made Simple
• One (1) license to Small Business Flight School
• One (1) registration to the StoryBrand Guide Certification Training
• One (1) profile listed in Guide’s name on MarketingMadeSimple.com
• A limited license to reference or use StoryBrand materials in the creation of marketing collateral
• A limited license to utilize the StoryBrand Messaging Framework, StoryBrand BrandScript, and StoryBrand SalesScript in the creation of marketing collateral
• A limited license to present the StoryBrand Keynote, Marketing Made Simple Keynote and The Customer is the Hero Keynote, as a means to generate leads for a Guide’s business (Guides must use approved slide deck)
Guide Commissions
As a StoryBrand Certified Guide, you will receive a commission for the following item when you sell it using your custom affiliate URL. Purchases made without the affiliate URL will not be eligible for commissions.
• Live StoryBrand Marketing Workshop, $250 USD per registrant
• Business Made Simple Subscription, 50% commission for the initial sale, then 25% commission for client renewals
• Small Business Flight School, $1,950 USD for a $2,495 USD sale, or $1,750 USD for a $2,200 USD sale
To receive commission for the following products, the Certified Guide is responsible for facilitating the hand-off of the prospect to the StoryBrand sales team.
• Private Workshop, 10% commission
• Guide Certification Referral, $1000 commission (unique leads only)
To note:
* Commissions for all items are paid on the 15th of the following month, no sooner than 15 days after the completion of the event.
* Commission links are tracked through the use of cookies. If your client has a cookie blocker on their computer, declines the cookies, clears their cookies, or changes devices, the Guide will not receive commission or credit for that sale. The affiliate cookie expires after 90 days.
The StoryBrand Certified Guide program is built on a powerful partnership between StoryBrand HQ and the professionals and agencies who become certified. Both work together to help companies create clear messaging and grow their business. Because StoryBrand Certified Guides have a license to generously use the StoryBrand Intellectual Property (IP) in creating marketing materials and promoting their own business, sometimes there is confusion in the marketplace between the two.
This section is designed to help create clarity around the different functions of HQ and StoryBrand Certified Guides. While there is some crossover, each group functions a little differently. To put it most simply, StoryBrand HQ teaches the StoryBrand Framework through books, workshops and online courses. StoryBrand Certified Guides help companies execute and implement the framework with clear marketing copy and materials. These distinctions are here in order to help the brand stay strong, protect the IP, and protect the value of a certification.
Download a copy of the below table HERE.
1. Register or use domain names associated with the StoryBrand and Business Made Simple brands, including: StoryBrand, Clarify Your Message, Be the Guide, Business Made Simple, Made Simple, Marketing Made Simple, The Customer is the Hero, Small Business Flight School, Flight School, Flight Plan, and any additional phrases, taglines, or slogans StoryBrand and Business Made Simple use in marketing. This also applies to social media handles and group names as well as headline copy for paid advertisements. Guides should use their own proprietary phrases, taglines, and slogans when marketing their business.
2. Point paid advertisements directly to their Guide profile on ClarifyYourMessage.com or MarketingMadeSimple.com. The URL shown in any paid advertisement may not include ClarifyYourMessage.com, MarketingMadeSimple.com, BusinessMadeSimple.com, or StoryBrand.com.
3. Remove the StoryBrand copyright and/or logo from provided StoryBrand materials. Doing so would infer the content to be the Guide’s original content, ideas, or copyright. (For example, you can add your logo as long as the StoryBrand copyright and logo are still on the provided materials.)
4. Perform a “StoryBrand Private Workshop” with the sole purpose of teaching people the StoryBrand Messaging Framework, as that product is exclusively offered by HQ. They may, however, conduct messaging strategy sessions in a group setting to help clients create clear messaging using the StoryBrand Framework.
5. Claim themselves as a StoryBrand representative in any other capacity than a StoryBrand Certified Guide.
6. Change, modify, edit, transfer to another format, add to, or alter in any way StoryBrand materials (other than adding your logo to it) without the express written consent of StoryBrand.
7. Reproduce, copy, or disseminate StoryBrand materials (including an audio or video presentation of the StoryBrand keynote) in any manner or medium not authorized by StoryBrand. This prohibition includes any digital posting, reverse engineering, copying, or distribution on any web platform, YouTube, social media, or any other means of digital dissemination.
8. Use the StoryBrand logo in any way aside from on provided StoryBrand materials.
9. Display their Certified Guide badge after their term has expired.
10. Bind StoryBrand to any contract, obligation, or pledge of any nature. Guide is prohibited from entering into any agreements or making any representation that may infer liability or cause financial responsibility on behalf of StoryBrand, its employees, or assigns.
11. Make any statement or representation that would suggest or state that the Guide is employed by StoryBrand or is otherwise an agent for StoryBrand.
12. Teach the StoryBrand Messaging Framework, Marketing Made Simple Messaging Framework, The Customer is the Hero Messaging Framework or any other content within Business Made Simple in podcast interviews or other media appearances.
a. NOTE: We do encourage you to talk about the framework on podcast interviews and other media appearances as long as you give credit to StoryBrand as the creators of the frameworks.
13 – Violate the Certified Community Commitment.
Additional Certification Terms
If Guide chooses to obtain the following additional certification, they agree to the following terms:
StoryBrand Agency Certification
StoryBrand authorizes Guide that undergoes a team training and who is willing to undertake the required investment and effort for their use, the right to obtain a StoryBrand Agency Certification. This Certification allows members of Guide’s marketing agency to create marketing collateral for their customers using the StoryBrand Messaging Framework, Marketing Made Simple Framework, and The Customer is the Hero Messaging Framework.
This additional certification includes:
• Team access to Business Made Simple for Guide’s full-time team members, which are non-transferable to parties outside of agency
• One (1) team training with a StoryBrand HQ trainer
• StoryBrand Agency Certification designation on Guide’s profile listed in MarketingMadeSimple.com
• StoryBrand Agency Certification badge to display on Guide’s website
Guide ensures all team members adhere to the terms within this Agreement.
Payment Terms
One-Time Agency Certification Training Fee:
$15,000 USD
Ongoing Payments
a) After the completion of Agency Certification Training, StoryBrand Certified Guide agrees to pay Four Hundred Seventeen Dollars and No Cents ($417 USD) per month for a consecutive twelve (12) months by credit card. These payments will be run on the 15th of each month excluding the month the actual Agency Certification Training occurs. (For example: Agency Certification Training is completed on August 11th, the first ongoing payment of $417 USD will occur on September 15th and the 15th of every month thereafter).
b) The Agency Certification shall automatically renew on a month-to-month basis unless StoryBrand Certified Guide provides written notice to StoryBrand by the 1st of the month that it does not wish to renew the Agency Certification.
Assignment
The limited rights granted to Guide hereunder are not assignable or transferable absent the express written Consent of StoryBrand. Any unauthorized transfer or assignment will be deemed void.
No Warranty
The StoryBrand site, its content, and all services, materials, and products associated with the site or any content or materials provided are provided on an “as-is” and “as-available” basis.
StoryBrand makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the content or operation of our site or of the services. Guide expressly agrees that their use of StoryBrand’s sites or services is at their sole risk. StoryBrand makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the content on our site or of the services, and expressly disclaim any warranties of non-infringement or fitness for a particular purpose. StoryBrand makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee that the content that may be available through the services is free of infection from any viruses or other code or computer programming routines that contain contaminating or destructive properties or that are intended to damage, surreptitiously intercept, or expropriate any system, data, or personal information. Access and use of the StoryBrand site may be interrupted from time to time for any of several reasons, including without limitation the malfunction of equipment, periodic updating, maintenance or repair of the site, or other actions that StoryBrand, in its sole discretion, may elect to take.
Indemnity and Waiver
Without waiving any other limitations or indemnity rights of StoryBrand herein, StoryBrand assumes no liability and Guide waives any claim against StoryBrand for Guide’s use of any training or materials, including any claims by individuals arising from Guide’s coaching or consulting activities. Guide hereby releases, indemnifies, and holds StoryBrand harmless from any and all claims related to Guide’s use of the training, StoryBrand materials, or any other claim arising from or related to any aspect of Guide’s activities. Guide agrees to indemnify and hold StoryBrand and its Affiliates, Officers, Agents, Employees, Members, and Third-Party Vendors harmless from any and all claims, liability, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, arising out of Guide’s use of the StoryBrand site, services, materials, or breach of this Agreement (collectively referred to as “Claims”). StoryBrand reserves the right, in our sole discretion and at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any Claims. Guide agrees to reasonably cooperate as requested by us in the defense of any Claims.
Neither StoryBrand, nor any third-party vendor shall be responsible or liable to Guide or to any third party, whether in contract, warranty, or tort (including negligence) arising in whole or in part from Guide’s access to our site, use of our services or materials, or this agreement.
Subject to applicable law, StoryBrand, is not liable for any of the following: (a) any indirect, special, incidental, consequential, exemplary, liquidated, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profit, revenue, or business; (b) damages relating to failures of telecommunications, the internet, electronic communications, corruption, security, loss or theft of data, viruses, spyware, loss of business, revenue, profits or investment, or use of software or hardware that does not meet system requirements; (c) damages or losses related to professional services or advice of third parties, including advertisers. The above limitations apply even if StoryBrand, has been advised of the possibility of such damages. This agreement sets forth the entire liability of StoryBrand, and is Guide’s exclusive remedy with respect to the services and materials referenced herein. In no event may Guide bring any claim or cause of action against StoryBrand more than one year after such claim or cause of action arises.
The maximum amount to which StoryBrand, and its affiliates, officers, employees, agents, and third-party vendors may be liable to Guide in any circumstance shall not exceed the lesser of (a) the sums paid by Guide in the preceding twelve (12) months for our services or materials or (b) five hundred dollars ($500 USD).
Relationship of the Parties; Required Disclaimer
Guide agrees that StoryBrand may use Guide’s feedback, suggestions, Slack profile avatar, and ideas in any way, including in future modifications of materials, other products or services, advertising, social media, and marketing. Guide grants us a perpetual, worldwide, fully transferable, sub-licensable, irrevocable, fully paid-up, royalty-free license to use the feedback Guide provides to us in any way.
Nothing herein shall be construed as an employment or agency relationship between the parties. Guide will in no way be entitled to act on behalf of or otherwise bind StoryBrand to any obligation or liability whatsoever. These parties at all times are independent contracting parties.
Termination
StoryBrand may terminate training, any service, license, or any privilege (e.g., StoryBrand Certified Guide Directory listing) without liability or refund of any fees to Guide as follows:
• StoryBrand may terminate due to a material breach of any provision of this Agreement.
• StoryBrand may terminate this Agreement due to events of force majeure, including but not limited to acts of God, death or sickness of key personnel, natural disaster, weather, terrorism, acts of war, or other events beyond StoryBrand’s control.
• StoryBrand may revoke any licenses granted hereunder at any time if, in StoryBrand’s sole discretion, Guide misuses any license, engages in character unbecoming of a StoryBrand Guide, or if StoryBrand discovers any defect or infringement of any licensed material. Additionally, Guide is not to engage companies that are selling or promoting goods or services, which are illegal, or have, in StoryBrand’s sole discretion, immoral objectives or motives.
• In the event Guide is publicly accused of: (a) an act of moral turpitude; (b) violation of any law; (c) any other conduct which subjects or could subject StoryBrand to public ridicule, contempt, scorn, hatred or censure; or (d) conduct that could, in StoryBrand’s sole discretion, materially diminish potential sales of StoryBrand’s services or materials, then StoryBrand shall have the right to terminate this Agreement.
Additional information outlining Guide termination and refund policies can be found at https://storybrand.com/online-services-cancellation-policy/.
Governing Law and Venue
This Agreement, all transactions or other interactions between and among the parties will be governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee without regard to its conflict or choice of laws provisions. Any dispute with StoryBrand, or its officers, directors, employees, agents, or affiliates, arising under or in relation to this Agreement will be resolved exclusively through the state or federal courts located in Davidson County, Tennessee.
Miscellaneous
If any portion of this Agreement is deemed unlawful, void, or unenforceable by any arbitrator or court of competent jurisdiction, this Agreement as a whole shall not be deemed unlawful, void, or unenforceable, but only that portion of this Agreement that is unlawful, void, or unenforceable shall be stricken from this Agreement.
If StoryBrand does not exercise or enforce any legal right or remedy that is contained in the Agreement, such decision on StoryBrand’s part will not serve as formal waiver of our rights and that those rights or remedies will still be available to StoryBrand.
All covenants, agreements, representations, and warranties made in this Agreement shall survive Guide’s acceptance of this Agreement and the termination of this Agreement.
This Agreement represents the entire understanding and agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter of the same, and supersedes all other previous agreements.
StoryBrand may modify this Agreement from time to time. Any and all changes to this Agreement will be sent to Guide via email. Guide is deemed to accept and agree to be bound by any changes to the Agreement when Guide uses our services and materials after those changes are sent.
Signing this Agreement acknowledges that you understand the above and are competent to enter into this binding Agreement.