What It Means
An attractive character, in Russell Brunson's DotCom Secrets, is the person whose voice and storyUser storyA short description of something a product should do, written from the point of view of the person who needs it, often in the form "As a, I want, so that." See more a business uses to talk to its audience, often the founder or expert behind it. ClickFunnels' guide to the idea says the character is built from four elements: a backstory, parables (lessons taught through stories), character flaws the audience can relate to, and polarity, meaning clear opinions that some people will disagree with. The aim is to give customers a person to follow and come back to.
Try It: Turn Over the Four Elements
Tap each element from ClickFunnels' guide to see what it means, with an example from a made-up dog trainer.
Backstory
Where the person started and what they had to get past. Example: "My first rescue dog bit three people before I learned what he needed."
Parables
Teaching through stories instead of instructions. Example: the walk where one change of leash stopped the pulling.
Character flaws
Admitting imperfection, so the audience relates. Example: "My own dog still steals socks."
Polarity
Taking a clear position some people will disagree with. Example: "I don't use shock collars, and I'll tell you why."
How People Say It at Work
- "People follow her, not the brand. She's the attractive character."
- "Our emails have no attractive character. They read like a manual."
- "Tell the backstory before you pitch anything."
The Breakdown
Formula
There's no number to calculate. ClickFunnels' guide builds the character from four elements:
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| Backstory | Where the person came from and the obstacles they overcame |
| Parables | Lessons taught through stories and anecdotes |
| Character flaws | Admitted imperfections that make the person relatable |
| Polarity | Clear opinions that win fans and will also put some people off |
Identities. ClickFunnels' guide names identities a character can take. One is the Reporter, also called the Evangelist, which the guide recommends as a way to start a business in a field you don't yet know much about. Brunson's own is the Reluctant Hero: a humble person who would rather stay out of the spotlight but shares what they found because it matters.
Worked example. A dog trainer (made up) writes her weekly email as herself: the rescue dog that started it all (backstory), one short training story each week (parable), her own dog's sock habit (flaw) and her stand against shock collars (polarity).
Benchmark. None. It's a writing and branding approach from one author, with no published measure of success.
Where It Comes From
Russell Brunson describes the attractive character in DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online with Sales Funnels, first published in 2015, with an updated Hay House edition on August 9, 2022. ClickFunnels, the company he co-founded, explains it in a guide on building your own.
Good to Know
The character should be a real person telling true stories. Invented hardships or borrowed results mislead customers, and an audience that learns the story was made up stops trusting everything else. Polarity means holding real opinions about your field, so pick positions you'll stand behind and keep them about the work, never about groups of people.
FAQ
What are the four elements of an attractive character?
Backstory, parables, character flaws and polarity, according to ClickFunnels' guide to Russell Brunson's idea from DotCom Secrets.
Does the attractive character have to be the business owner?
Often it is, since the stories need to be true and personal. ClickFunnels' guide also describes the Reporter identity as a good way to start in a field you don't know much about yet.
What identity does Russell Brunson use?
The Reluctant Hero, per ClickFunnels' guide: someone who would rather avoid the spotlight but shares what they found because they believe it's too important to keep quiet.
Do It in Buhata
Team Space
Keep your attractive character's backstory, parables and positions in a pinned thread in your Team Space in Buhata, so everyone writing for the brand tells the same true stories.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Hook, story, offer
Russell Brunson's three-part formula from DotCom Secrets for any sales message: a hook to get attention, a story to build trust, then the offer.
- Epiphany bridge
Russell Brunson's storytelling method from Expert Secrets for passing on the moment you came to believe in something, so the listener reaches the same belief.
- Soap opera sequence
Russell Brunson's welcome email series from DotCom Secrets, usually five emails over five days that tell a story and build to an offer.
Sources
Russell Brunson, DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online with Sales Funnels (Hay House, updated edition 2022; first published 2015); Google Books, "Dotcom Secrets"; Hay House, "Dotcom Secrets"; ClickFunnels, "The Attractive Character: How to Build Your Own From Scratch"
- books.google.com/books/about/Dotcom_Secrets.html?id=yQhlEAAAQBAJ
- www.hayhouse.com/dotcom-secrets-audiodownload
- www.clickfunnels.com/blog/attractive-character
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