What is storytelling to you? To some people, it’s reading picture books to one’s children. To others, it’s sitting around a campfire scaring each other with hoary tales. To entrepreneurs, too often, storytelling is a “selling tool” because, let’s be honest, everything we do as entrepreneurs leads eventually to sales. But “selling tool” is not the first definition that should leap to mind when you think about sharing your story.
Storytelling – true storytelling – is all about connection.
-
Section 1 : Start with Your “Why”
How do you connect? Here’s the big secret, straight up: Telling your story is never about the storyteller, even when it is personal. It is ultimately all about your listener – particularly those who will identify and relate to the tale. And that strong sense of identification and connection is why storytelling is such a powerful and essential part of being an entrepreneur. In this module, we’re going to dig down deep and unearth every moment of your life that is relevant to you. No one but you will ever see the answers to these questions, so don’t be afraid to really delve into your experience and your memories.
-
Section 2 : Uncover the Real Story
Learning Objective: Digging deep to find what makes your story unique Now that you’ve gone back and mined your life for key events and insights, it’s time to decide which of these memories are relevant to your ideal client, and which are not.
-
Section 3 : Using Story in Your Marketing Efforts
Learning Objective: Create storytelling versions for different platforms and audiences While it is great to create a master version of your core story, telling that story verbatim and/or in the exact same format and length won’t be your best strategy in every marketing situation. But you can certainly use that story by adopting a format especially and specifically suited to each marketing situation, audience or platform. Knowing how to do this endows you with confidence in your story – no matter how, where or when you tell it. Here’s how to achieve this with maximum effect and minimum pain.
-
Section 4 : Tell Your Ideal Client’s Story Too
Learning Objective: Making your story so relevant to your client she’s eager to buy Storytelling is an intimate transaction. It is part confessional, part truth, and a whole lot of magic if you tell it right. Here’s a secret the best storytellers know: No matter how many people are in your audience, only tell your story to one person. Even if you are standing in front of a crowd, gathering in the audience with your eyes, in your mind choose someone in that audience to tell it to – someone who is hanging on your every word, who is moved by your story, who is engaging with you – and tell it just for them.
