The art of storytelling. Whether you want to touch a nerve, reach a new audience, or boost your sales, storytelling is the most powerful tool in your arsenal.
As humans, we love a good story, and when it resonates with us, it can drive us to take action when nothing else can.
Think about it. Which would you rather read, an interesting story or a sales letter? Which are you more likely to remember a week from now, a compelling story or a features and benefits comparison?
And which are you more likely to buy, a story you can see yourself in or a product that does x, y, and z?
If you think back on your most recent purchases, from the business coach you hired to the car you bought last summer, you’ll find a story that resonated with you and drove your decision to purchase.
Related: Change Your Story Change Your Life
The Art of Storytelling
Stories About You
You’ve heard it repeatedly: People buy from those they know, like, and trust. And part of getting to know you is hearing your stories.
Your potential clients want to know how you came to be in business, what experiences drove your decisions, and what lessons you learned along the way.
Your stories don’t have to be directly related to business to be powerful.
For example, that anecdote about when you nearly got arrested for not having a valid driver’s license is the perfect lead to a blog post about better record keeping.
Or the story about how you accidentally seated two warring families together at your wedding reception? It’s just what you need to drive home a point about relationship building.
Stories About Your Clients
Otherwise known as social proof, stories about your clients are incredibly useful in your marketing and branding strategy.
Testimonials, white papers, case studies, and the like are just stories, and they showcase how you and your products have changed a life or business for the better.
Stories About Your Products
Yes, even your products have stories to tell. So why did you decide to create that new coaching program? What will it help your clients achieve? Who is it not suited to?
These stories can show your potential clients more about your products and services than any sales page.
When you openly share your thought processes as you are creating your program, buyers will instantly know if it’s a product that will work for them or not.
Stories have great power in branding and marketing, but you must use caution. Beware of the awkward insertion of a story just because you’ve heard it’s good for your marketing.
For example, if you find yourself midway through a blog post and write something like, “but anyway, enough of that, let’s get on with business,” and then shift to a completely different subject, chances are the story isn’t working.
But if you can tie your story in naturally to what follows, that’s your golden ticket to better branding, more sales, and a more profitable business. We love stories. Don’t be afraid to tell yours!
Here’s secret successful marketers know: customers don’t buy a product. They buy you.
Your personality.
Your experience.
The unique qualities only you possess.
There was a time when “branding” meant a corporate-looking logo and a slick catalog, but in today’s online marketplace, the real value is not in appearing to be a big company but rather in just being you.
And your personality shines through in a variety of ways.
Your Authentic Voice
How you speak and write and even how you act on camera or in an audio interview has the power to identify you to your audience instantly.
You can see this in action if you scroll through your Facebook feed. It’s easy to know who has posted a particular image or status update just by recognizing the voice with which they generally speak.
Here’s an even more important aspect of your “voice,” though: it has the power to attract a specific audience.
Recently, a few high-profile coaches and product sellers have become celebrities because of their harsh, “don’t hold back” language.
Ash Ambirge over at www.TheMiddleFingerProject.org makes no apologies for using offensive words, and her fans love her for it.
And those that don’t? Well, as she says on her home page, her site and services are “not for humorless bores.”
Snarkiness and foul language are not the only way to go, though. Carrie Wilkerson has built her brand almost entirely on her ability to be kind and generous.
She always has a nice words, never appears defeated or overwhelmed, and is an inspiration to her fans and clients.
While very different in their approach, these two women have one thing in common: authenticity.
It’s clear that if you were to meet either of them in person, they would speak and act exactly as they do online. And their brands are stronger for it.
Art of Storytelling | Your Story
How did you get to where you are today? The backstory—which to you might seem boring and uneventful—is a powerful tool that can help solidify your brand and attract the right audience.
Melissa Ingold tells of being a struggling single mother and of creating an online business rather than simply choosing to work one dead-end job after another. Her success inspires her audience and is a huge part of her branding.
Kelly McCausey often speaks of how she got started online when looking for a way to earn just a few extra monthly dollars to keep the lights on.
Creating graphics at $5 each quickly turned into a full-time online career.
Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic, and you certainly don’t have to share more than you’re comfortable with, but it does have to be yours.
Be your true self, and you’ll never worry about attracting the right audience. They will self-select, and your perfect client will find you.
For more tips and strategies for connecting with your audience authentically, join my FB Group Master Your Coaching Biz! See you there. 