Meet my nephew, Kingston, who has been playing tourist with me throughout Brooklyn and NYC, for about 5 days now.
One evening, he asked me for a black pen, some blank paper, and some colors. After gathering the supplies, he began creating an idea for a video game.
I sat down and watched the most amazing designs emerge. Aliens with four heads and a man in an armored suit. It looked effortless on his part. He drew AND explained every design choice, in detail, so I could understand what would be happening when the game came to life.
I thought it was quite astonishing that he was drawing in black pen, so I asked him about it: Why do you draw in black pen?
He looked up from his design and said, Why not? It saves a whole step and a whole bunch of time because I don’t have to go back and outline.
Fair enough. But then I asked the REAL question I had been wondering about…
What happens if you make a mistake? (I was taught to draw in pencil so I could erase when I screwed up.)
And do you know what he said? (Brace yourself!)
Aunt Shannon, there are no mistakes. If you slip off the design, you turn that random line into something else. You gotta trust yourself.
Yep. I was served a dose of truth…by a 9 year old! (Kids are GOOD at this!)
Now, you might be wondering what in the world this story has to do with YOUR marketing. Well, consider this:
If I was this black pen company, I’d be getting my nephew on video camera and letting him narrate that conversation and show off his drawing skills. Seriously. This little boy just taught me about trust, and courage, and taking risks, and making mistakes…all through the power of a black pen.
Kingston changed my FEELINGS about drawing AND black pens AND life. <—This is marketing that will sell MORE black pens. When I pick it up, I’m going to be thinking about trust, and courage, and taking risks, and how there are no mistakes!
Stories have the capacity to change feelings. And when people are touched, moved, saddened, joyful, and enraged…they take action.
Now, I’m not advising you to enrage peeps just to make a sale. But I am suggesting that you start thinking about how stories—no matter how tiny and insignificant they are to you—will change your marketing (and your pocketbook).
This storytelling stuff is FUN. And…marketing is fun…when it’s fun…and working!
My annual event, Time & Freedom LIVE! is happening in October! At this event, I will be teaching you how to find the stories to use in your marketing—and then how to tell them for a variety of platforms. Stories can be used everywhere—and boy do they bring more joy and ease to your marketing plan.
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