Every business needs powerful storytelling to grow. But using storytelling in business is not necessarily what you think it is.
“Everyone’s talking about story but no one knows how to do it” Donald Miller
It can be confusing when you first hear about storytelling as a way to connect with people. What kind of stories should you be telling? What happens if you don’t have a story or don’t want to share your story.
Well, here’s the thing about storytelling in your business. It’s not just YOUR story that attracts customers, it’s using the PRINCIPLES OF STORYTELLING in what you’re saying that’s more likely to connect and get better marketing results!
It's the way great stories are built that is the key to any communication. Social media posts, blogs, web content, proposals.
It’s how stories are written, rather than stories themselves, that makes story work for your business growth.
How to use storytelling to grow your business
The most compelling story of all is telling your customers the story about the life they're living and the transformation to their life when they've achieved their goals (with your help).
This is the story that people will put down their cup of coffee and listen to.
This is the story that stops them from scrolling and makes them click through to connect with you.
The principle of showing transformation in story is the key to compelling stories that've captivated us for centuries! The story of how Luke Skywalker transformed from just another bloke into a Jedi! How Katniss transformed from a rather good shot to Mockingbird. The story of how Frodo Baggins transformed from a humble, home-loving Hobbit into an adventurer who saved the Shire.
“If you don’t have the vision of what you help your customers become, there’s no happy ending. They can’t transport themselves into the vision of what’s possible.” Macy Robison
What’s the story you want to tell about your customers?
What's the vision you have for your client? We're in business to bring about change for our clients. The vision we have for their new self is a powerful message.
We want to know
- How they feel
- What they can do
- What they can leave behind
- Who they become after the transformation.
And we want to tell this story… repeatedly! Because our clients focus on finding a solution to the problem, but it’s the transformation they can achieve that really brings a message that connects.
How do we know the transformation story?
As with most things, the best way to understand the transformation we bring to our clients, or the transformation they’re looking for (so we can tell them in our storytelling), is to ask!
“Where were you before and where are you now?”
“How did you feel before compared to how you feel now?”
“What transformation has this programme/course/product brought to your life?”
If you can’t ask, think about what they’ve said to you. Another great source is reading testimonials and reviews. Not just yours, but go read Amazon reviews or testimonials on your competitors’ pages.
Using storytelling in your business
Storytelling in business is actually all about telling your customers the story about the life they're living and the transformation to their life when they've achieved their goals.
We’re most interested in stories about us, that we can relate to, and that are meaningful to us.
The most powerful stories in business centre around transformation. Make sure you nail this conversation!
Take action
Who wants a happy ending?! Yeah, that's probably 99.99% of us! Write down the transformation you bring your clients. Stick it up somewhere so you see it every day! Remind your customers of this transformation - repeatedly.
Try using ONE word to describe where they started (sad, tired, busy) and ONE word to describe where they were after they've worked with you (joyful, energised, strong).
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StoryBrand to grow your business
Creating a really useful client profile
Having a brand story means you're one step further towards talking clearly to your dream clients. And this is what takes a heap of the stress out of marketing your business.
Curious about StoryBrand?
Check out Mammoth Marketing - NZ StoryBrand guide (who I work with!)