Strategic Storytelling

Content creation takes time. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are busy. So productivity can be critical to your digital marketing success.    One way to be productive is to repurpose content: a podcast episode becomes a blog post and a video. But how do you get time to write the content? And what can you write about?" Enter the advice column hack. It's surprisingly easy, productive, and fun...

Entrepreneurs can use storytelling to simplify their marketing - if they choose the right stories. A campfire story or a bedtime story — no way! A story just to entertain your audience? Not strong enough. This episode introduces 3 qualities of a story that supports your business. First, your story has a strategic purpose. It fits into your strategic plan. Second, your story reinforces your brand -...

You're a solopreneur or small business. Your market has changed. Your tech has changed. Maybe you've changed too.  Time to rebrand your business...but you know you need more than a new logo, colors, and type font. You need a new story. In fact, you need 3 new stories.   You'll learn exactly what kinds of stories and how to tell them. This episode is based on my kindle ebook on Amazon: Grow Your Bu...

As a business owner you'll spend a lot of time learning what your prospective clients really want. You can use surveys, interviews and observation. You can take notes of what clients say when they call you. You can note the questions they ask online. When you ask questions, a lot of people start with what seems obvious. They ask "why" questions. The problem is ... ...most people don't know why. th...

Copywriting can take lessons from that party game, "If you could pick a superpower, what would it be?" As a small business owner or entrepreneur, you can have some fun with this as you implement your marketing. This episode shows you how to use 3 of the most highly desired superpowers -   invisibility, time travel, and telepathy - to create persuasive content that delivers results. The results can...

As an entrepreneur, you may find your best clients hire you when they realize you share their values. But how do you create content that displays your values without a fiery manifesto or preachy statement of beliefs? The truth is, clients recognize your values by the kind of stories you tell. You can say things like, "We are a client-centered business." But will this statement give you credibility...

Entrepreneurs and small business owners: It's midnight. Do you know what's keeping your client awake? You know their demographics. You might have your ideal client avatar, complete with her name and picture. What's missing? You need to join the conversation that's going on in their minds  This episode helps you discover the baggage your clients bring when they arrive to work with you. You can lear...

We keep hearing that stories help your business. And they will...but only if they are the right stories. These 3 stories get told a lot, and marketing consultants sometimes advise you to tell them. But they won't do a thing to help your business. They are... ...the irrelevant origin story ... the story that makes your clients do emotion work ...the story that insults your clients (and probably you...

You're sharing the perfect story...but you sense your audience is drifting away. You want them involved, on the edge of their seats. What's happening? You lose your audience in one of two ways. You're standing between them and the story...or you distracted them with something that didn't make sense.  When you watch a play, you want to keep the magic alive. And when you share a story, you need this...

Copywriters can accelerate growth in your small business...but most entrepreneurs miss out on a great deal of value when they work with copywriters. Hiring a copywriter, paying for services and collaborating for effective content creation: these activities require careful planning to avoid the most common mistakes. 

A lot of small business owners hire some form of mentors or coaches. (Actually, top business leaders have always done this - they just call them "consultants.") The best mentor will bring out the best in you ... the worst have the potential to kill your business.  This episode suggests you pay attention to your mentor's story - and read between the lines. It's based on an ebook I just revised: Cho...

 "What's your story?" As an entrepreneur, you respond with your core story - the gateway to online marketing, source of your marketing message, and inspiration for copywriting.   Introducing the 2 parts of your core story. To differentiate your business, consider positioning against the element that's most commonly associated with your business....whether you're a life coach, lawyer, accountant, m...

When someone asks, "How did you get started?" it's tempting to begin at the beginning. The truth is...your origin story doesn't just satisfy curiosity. The way you tell your "How I Got Started" story influences your "How I Will Reach Success" story.  Did you get started because a lot of people saw your talent and wanted to hire you?  Did you get frustrated finding a solution to a problem and final...

Want to change careers, add a side hustle, move to entrepreneurship..or just grow where you are? These 3 stories will give you support and guide you along the way. For more see http://midlifecareerstrategy.com  

When you offer a professional service, people hire you because they see you as an authority.  So when you create content, your challenge is to get prospects to say, "They know their stuff!"   But a lot of business owners don't realize they're an authority ... or are afraid they'll come across as bragging.    The truth is...your clients want you to brag! And the surprising truth is: you don't have...

Melanie Yost, LCSW, is a success coach with a background as a psychotherapist. Periodically she runs a leadership workshop where participants identify their styles by interacting with horses. I'd known Melanie online for years, but I never met her in person. Then I attended a workshop in Virginia. It was a powerful experience, even though I'm still scared of horses.  When people talked about being...

Donna Kozik is a book consultant, famous for her "Write Your Book In A Weekend" program. She's worked with hundreds of authors, teaching them how ordinary people can become successful. She was one of the first to say, "Your best business card is a book." Donna begins by sharing the story of what motivated her to build a successful business. It all happened in the cat food aisle of the supermarket....

Alex Hillman is the founder of IndyHall, the oldest coworking space in Philadelphia and one of the oldest and longest-running in the United States. Alex is an expert on creating and maximizing value from community. He talks about using stories to create and maintain community. Best quote: "Rules are the scar tissue of past decisions." In the first ten minutes we talk about Alex's background and so...