Strategic Storytelling

Noted business author and influencer Dorie Clark presented a thoughtful Ted Talk on December 21. We feel busy, she says, because we try to do the impossible, we want to feel "in demand," and (perhaps most importantly) we want to avoid dealing with something large or small. To illustrate the last point, Dorie illustrates with a story about her late cat, Gideon.  In this episode, I analyze why the s...

Anyone can make business plans - but turning business plans into business actions mean you need to believe you can do everything on your planning sheet. You need a clear picture of what you want your business to look like. You need that that "I can do it" belief and that "I'll enjoy making it happen" feeling.  Stories help you set goals that you're more likely to achieve, instead of an abstract wi...

You attend a marketing workshop, get interviewed on a podcast, Or you're being interviewed for a podcast and the host says, "So let's start with this question: What's your story?" How would you answer this question?   Would you find yourself stopped cold, wondering what to say? Would you bring up your tried-and-true rags to riches hero's journey story? You have a window of opportunity to showcase...

Storytellers sometimes experience external distractions. A classic example comes from the time a large black fly landed on a presenter's head during a political debate.  You can't always control outside distractions. But sometimes, the way you tell your story can send your audience's mind moving in a direction where you don't want them to go.  In this episode we look at 3 ways you can distract you...

Ask any copywriter: Clients want their content to "sound like me." But online writing doesn't get read like a literary classic. Readers skim and scan. They notice phrases and expressions. They remember stories. Owners of small businesses and online entrepreneurs will be most productive when they focus on message - not voice.   Free download on branding with story archetypes - http://mycopy.info/br...

A lot of copywriting guides promise to give you a set of "power words" to jazz up your copy and get better results. The truth is, you'll get more bang for the buck by starting with your power story. Not all "power words" will be powerful for your brand Stories  will help you relate directly to your clients and their stories.   This episode gives you a detailed example of how to start with a story...

As a business, you choose how you will respond to what's known as the "holiday season." Will you incorporate themes into your marketing? Will you ignore it altogether? And what kinds of stories will you share? One thing is for sure: As a small business, you respond differently from a big brand — companies that make sportswear, cola, and beer. They produce emotional, memorable commercials. Sometime...

Can you use made-up stories to market your real business? The short answer is "yes." The longer answer is, "Only under certain conditions." In this episode, we look at 2 kinds of made-up stories that can be harmful to your credibility and 1 kind of story that will almost always benefit your marketing.  Down my free guide to 3 common storytelling mistakes - click here. I wrote a blog post on this t...

Entrepreneurs and small business owners often wonder about the whole storytelling thing. They figure stories just help entertain and captivate your audience. That's true, but stories do a lot more...if you have the right story. So now you've got a story with lots of the right qualities: a hero,  guide, and a suspenseful plot. How can you assess the business value of the story...will it help grow y...

Many business storytellers encourage us to learn from Disney movies and classic epic journey stories. In this light-hearted episode, I suggest that you might do better to take lessons from old-time country-and-western songs.  PBS recently called attention to the universality of this music with an 8-part primetime series, so maybe it's getting more cool. What bears study is the way these songs comm...

Many business storytellers encourage us to learn from Disney movies and classic epic journey stories. In this light-hearted episode, I suggest that you might do better to take lessons from old-time country-and-western songs.  PBS recently called attention to the universality of this music with an 8-part primetime series, so maybe it's getting more cool. What bears study is the way these songs comm...

If you're the least bit unconventional, sooner or later you'll be advised to brand yourself as a maverick, renegade or rebel. t  That's a really bad idea, because it... ...violates the "show don't tell" rule. Real mavericks don't have to explain who they are. ...doesn't communicate a benefit ...may actually backfire.  Understanding the pitfall of this branding approach will highlight principles of...

Lots of small business owners work hard on website marketing, yet feel like something is missing. They've done everything right and yet they don't get the results that should be theirs.  With Halloween around the corner, I remember the days when my website felt more like a haunted house than a warm, friendly place to welcome clients. Today my clients tell me they feel the same way. Their sites are...

Entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners often get advised, "Tell the origin story for your business."  But where does your business origin story fit your business marketing strategy? Tell your story to highlight your passion for your business, your expertise and skill, the way you differentiate yourself, and your credibility.  In this podcast we analyze 3 examples of origin stories...

Entrrepeneurs and small business owners often hear that "What's your story" really means, "Tell your origin story." But business storytelling has a purpose. So you can choose from different kinds of origin stories, depending on what you need to communicate to your ideal clients. What makes a good origin story? And what are the pitfalls of origin stories for business storytelling? That's what we ta...

Business storytelling experts tell you to share your journey story. Usually that means a story of your struggles to go from broke to successful entrepreneurship  But what if you never were broke? What if you didn't go through a struggle? Or what if you actually turn your audience away by sharing Too Much Information? In this episode we'll look at examples of journey stories that backfired. We'll a...

Business storytelling experts tell you to share your journey story. Usually that means a story of your struggles to go from broke to successful entrepreneurship  But what if you never were broke? What if you didn't go through a struggle? Or what if you actually turn your audience away by sharing Too Much Information? In this episode we'll look at examples of journey stories that backfired. We'll a...

Small business storytelling begins with your strategic purpose. It's absolutely not a fairy tale! So forget about finding the arc of the story. Entrepreneurs can't look to the movies for models of business stories. In this episode, we take a close look at Cinderella. We see what a business Cinderella would look like and how to turn the original Cinderella story into a marketing story that would wo...

If you've been following the buzz on storytelling, you've probably been encouraged to create stories to answer questions like, "How did you get into this business?"   You've been encouraged to create stories about yourself … maybe stories showing how vulnerable you are.   But for you,   the most important story type may be the concept story: a story that illustrates an idea you'd have trouble expl...

Storytelling experts often suggest there's only ONE type of story for you to tell: your hero's journey. That's been a successful format for classics (think Ulysses ) and blockbuster films (think Star Wars ).   Business storytelling doesn't begin with your structure - it begins with your purpose. In this episode, we explore what a hero's journey really is, why it's probably not the best story for y...

"My copywriting is boring!" is one of the most common reasons small business owners seek out a copywriter. This podcast episode gives you 3 tips to avoid boring copy...and why you shouldn't go too far the other way when you try to be exciting.  One challenge of a story: avoid sharing a story  http://cathygoodwin.com/fishstory

"My copywriting is boring!" is one of the most common reasons small business owners seek out a copywriter. This podcast episode gives you 3 tips to avoid boring copy...and why you shouldn't go too far the other way when you try to be exciting.  One challenge of a story: avoid sharing a story  http://cathygoodwin.com/fishstory

"My copywriting is boring!" is one of the most common reasons small business owners seek out a copywriter. This podcast episode gives you 3 tips to avoid boring copy...and why you shouldn't go too far the other way when you try to be exciting.  One challenge of a story: avoid sharing a story  http://cathygoodwin.com/fishstory

"My copywriting is boring!" is one of the most common reasons small business owners seek out a copywriter. This podcast episode gives you 3 tips to avoid boring copy...and why you shouldn't go too far the other way when you try to be exciting.  One challenge of a story: avoid sharing a story  http://cathygoodwin.com/fishstory

Walt Disney was a master storyteller, not a story creator. To get attention for your business story, finding your story is just the first step.  Your story needs to do 3 things: invite your audience to become part of the story;  challenge the hero (and never, ever save your hero with a fairy godmother; and remain consistent with your brand through your story archetype .