The power of storytelling
It always amazes me when I consult with clients and they seem to hide behind their computer, product, or service and have no clue to the power of storytelling to help sell their product or service. It’s very rare when I meet with business owners and they understand exactly why leads buy their product or services.
So how do you motivate business owners to change? Is a question I get from my students and I start by asking two very simple questions… Why do you believe people buy from you? Do you believe it’s because of your product and what they know about you? I get various reasons, but most importantly we can typically agree on manifestation and transferring of emotions by telling your authentic story will increase magnetism and authority in your market.
It is very important to have an authentic story and fight the temptations to fabricate events to create suspense and curiosity with your audience. Be real, be authentic, and understand telling your story will help the lives of those in communication with you. You know there is no such person being regarded as ‘perfect’ by definition, so behaving as this glossy, perfect individual will repel instead of attracting for obvious reasons. The biggest reason is that nobody will be able to relate to this ‘perfect’ façade and as a result, you can have the best product or service and still get no love from the marketplace.
In the 21st century, entrepreneurs are privy to seeing almost everything on social media and attending live events to hear their favorite professionals speak. So it’s becoming very apparent when you’re dealing with a ‘fake’ versus an authentic person because all the ‘fakes’ have the very same similarities as do the authentic people in their regard. The authentic will never try to be perfect because they know being perfect never got them to where they are today. But, the ‘fakes’ will always lose you in communication because they typically have a burning desire to express the health, wealth, or anything they’re promoting to be the only way to your goals.
If you want to successfully sell your brand, it is imperative to tell the raw uncut version of what you’d gone through and how you got to where you are today… Period! Explain the struggles and pains in detail so you motivate others to take action and earn the success they aspire to have.
How do you write your story?
I’ve been fortunate to be around many who learned my story and helped me to flourish by connecting me with the right people that naturally wanted to help me succeed. This isn’t the case for most, but as long as there’s a general understanding that it only takes one person to change your life, then skies the limit.
I grew up with a single mother, along with my three siblings in Canada’s first housing project called Regent Park. My mother was 21 at the time with four children and struggled, but thankfully we never knew how poor we were because it seemed like everyone around us was in the same situation. My mother got her break and moved us out of the slum to acquire a better life and it turned out to be the right move as I have many friends who have died, became drug addicts, or are in prison for life. My family and I been through many obstacles and I’m proud to say we overcame the odds and have built successful careers. However, this story isn’t about me… It’s about you and how you will tell your story to earn respect and authority in your marketplace.
I like to use a framework that works for my students that encourages them to outline their greatest struggles and revisit tough moments and vulnerability. Then work out the order in which you overcame these moments and how. It is important to list the skills you’d learned during that time, that maybe you didn’t know were in development due to the nature of your journey. Always, inform your listeners and readers of the outside sources that helped you to become who you are. The ‘fakes’ don’t like to give that credit because their mindsets are typically on wealth and become competitive with those who helped them.
Wealth will always be a by-product of your authentic intentions, and paying respects where they’re due magnetizes people towards you. People don’t go to your competitors unless they cannot relate to your story so be authentic, and your experiences shared with the audience will build trust that allows you to guide them.
Trust yourself, because it wouldn’t make any sense for your audience to unfollow you to join someone else that doesn’t relate to their experiences. The ‘fakes’ will fabricate their stories to sound as if they’re the only person with their struggles who overcame, but in reality, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people who share your same struggle in many different ways.
The authentic moments are what people need to hear to reinforce to them that they’re not alone. It gives them both the motivation and inspiration to succeed. One of the biggest misconceptions entrepreneurs have is they believe, ‘Nobody cares about my story!” This is simply not true, and if they feel that way it’s probably because of how they’re telling their story. To create a connection with your viewers could mean sharing details of your personal life that relate to a circumstance or situation.
Where to share the story
Sharing your story can be done on various platforms that are too much to list in this blog, but the most popular platforms are any social media platforms. It is important to align your story on the right platform so you get it in front of your targeted demographics. It doesn’t matter how good your story is, if nobody’s aware of it then it doesn’t matter. I highly recommended getting in front of the camera to voice your story because appearance, tonality, and emotions are easier to deliver to your targeted audience.
It is proven that video drastically increases conversions, whether that be a signup to receive more information or purchasing a product. Focus on as many platforms as possible that are relevant to your brand, but be sure to master ONE at a time. It’s always helpful to hire a VA to help with the distribution of your content on at least 2 major social media platforms. Putting out consistent, relevant content will keep your brand as an authority within your niche.