How might things change in your marketing if you shared heartfelt stories that connected deeply with other human beings?
Seven years ago, I asked myself that very same question, and I haven’t looked back since.
Story marketing has helped me grow an aligned audience for The Joyful Business Revolution™ – and it’s an audience of REAL HUMANS who know, like, and trust the brand. I did this by sharing stories.
Stories about my life, travels, frustrations…and my brand’s evolution from a personal brand to a company built to scale and grow.
Sadly, many coaches, consultants, and service providers don’t know how to use their personal stories effectively. They think…
😔Their stories are boring.
😔No one wants to read or hear their stories.
😔They don’t know “how.”
But they don’t realize they already have everything they need to make their stories SHINE!
When It Stops Working
Most of us have tried a lot of different marketing strategies to varying levels of success. Sometimes we hit on a solid-gold idea, but those “viral” posts are few and far between.
Often, this is because we go “out on a limb” and share something that we stress and worry about sharing. What most humans fail to realize is that stories – the passion-driven, imperfect, relatable tales – are what other humans are literally searching for.
Once the excitement of that virality wears off (and they’ve gone back to sharing generic content), the cycle repeats.
Over and over and over again. And generic content is easy to find with the sheer volume of content prompts, done-for-you offers, and AI bots who can create content for you.
And it’s slowly driving away the audience you’re trying to attract. Generic content does.not.work.
Story Selling
After trying what felt like every marketing method under the sun, I found myself circling back to story marketing over and over and over again.
Why? I know that story marketing works–simply because we can all relate to a good story–IF it is told well and keeps our attention. Plus, when you share a heartfelt, real story, you encourage others to do the same.
This is story marketing at its best.
Yet, storytelling is a tool that feels a little bit…out of date.
But why? When did storytelling fall out of style?
Yes, stories make us vulnerable. And they can be challenging to share. But they’re quite literally the most powerful tool you have in your marketing toolbox.
When I’m sharing a story, I’m inspired. When I’m reading a story, I’m inspired. When we’re inspired, that means we’re passionate – and passion keeps us present and strong, especially when we share from the heart.
This is the energy that others will feel when they read your stories because they actually see you in a way that they don’t when you share generic content.
Stories allow your readers to learn about who you are as a human being and what your business stands for. Stories allow you to showcase your humanity, which makes following you, engaging with you, and aligning with your values a no-brainer for the right humans.
You Can’t Fake Authenticity
But what about the emergence of AI and ChatGPT? Sure, they’re cool new technologies – and yes, there are a number of ways that they can support content creation…but they have serious limitations. AI will never…
- Love you.
- Cheer you on.
- Go all in as your strategic thought partner.
Those are traits and capabilities unique to humans like you and me. AI simply does not have the ability to empathize. But I can. You can. And your readers will love you for it. The art of storytelling is something that can be learned – but you have to have the ability to love, to empathize, and to be vulnerable.
Your vacuum is many things…but it’s definitely not vulnerable.
Develop Your Storytelling Skill Set
I’ve honed my storytelling muscles for over a decade – and I’ve taught 1000s of coaches, consultants, and service providers to do the same. When you know how to craft authentic stories and use your evolution story, you can’t help but attract an aligned audience of humans who will show up for you time and time again.
On April 6, 2023, I’m hosting a LIVE, interactive workshop: Crafting Stories That Grow Your Aligned Audience.
This story workshop I teach is grounded in proven research from story experts I have studied with, my own knowledge and experience, and a story marketing creation process I have shared…
- At many conferences across the United States and Canada
- On summits, online events, and trainings around the world
- 10 years in the online space serving 1000’s clients
- 3 years crafting copy that converts as a copywriter and content creator for other brands/businesses
Your stories have the power to change lives and create ripple effects beyond what you ever thought imaginable.
Is it time to discover how to share your stories so you create (and deepen) that know, like, and trust factor?
