Strategic Storytelling (Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.)

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 haunted by ghosts of past mentors. They sound creaky with too many voices. 

This light-hearted video helps you identify 5 tips to transform your website from a haunted house everyone avoids to a friendly home on the Internet where your prospects and clients feel like welcome guests.

Some of my free materials on website marketing are:
Website planning guide 
10 signs you need a website makeover

How do you introduce yourself to prospective clients?

Nicole Kepic introduced herself to her email list with a traditional origin story -- solid credentials, burnout, and reinvention as a copywriter to female entrepreneurs.

Nicole tells that story to show us the person behind the website. She also highlighted her deep experience with copywriting.

But she's got a better story: she can tell an origin story that shows she's human and shows how she serves her clients. 

In this super-informal episode--two copywriters chatting--you will learn:

...how Nicole uses personal anecdotes to introduce copywriting principles (much more effectively than most business owners)

... how Nicole can change her origin story to illustrate why she's so effective with entrepreneurs

...how changing the copywriting has a much greater impact on entrepreneurs than on big businesses

...Nicole's down-to-earth advice for other business owners who want to tell stories (at the very end)

Resources:

Reach Nicole Kepic at NicoleKepic.com (she has a beautiful website)

Read my book on Amazon about telling stories for business (types of stories for business)

FREE report on story archetypes for immediate download (how small businesses brand themselves)

As you build a portfolio of business stories, business owners often come up against a challenge: you've got a story but the audience can't relate to the context. How do you get your audience involved in a story about an experience that feels unfamiiliar - even alien - to them?  

That's a daily challenge for Neil Bardhan, a Philadelphia-based business storytelling consultant. In this episode, you'll hear Neil's own story, which integrates his background in science, drama, and storytelling.

In a case study of a recent project, Neil explains exactly how he coaches ordinary people to tell their stories to an audience that's totally outside their world. He'll share very specific tips to make your story relatable to a broad audience.  Neil can be reached through his website, BardhanConsulting.com 

There's a lot of confusion about branding for small businesses and solopreneurs. Your brand influences the stories you tell, the promises you make, and even the advice you give your clients.

Cindy Bidar has achieved considerable success in a relatively short time frame. Her brand builds on her story archetype - the Role Model.

Cindy didn't set out to brand with this archetype. Very few people even know this framework exists!

But, like many successful businesses, her marketing consistently reflects this archetype. She shares personal stories to support her promise, "If I can do it, you can do it." Her decision to start her business was based on this principle.

You'll enjoy Cindy's warm, down-to-earth style as we dig into her storytelling decisions and reveal how she uses stories to build her marketing success. 

Some highlights from the episode: 

9:23 - how Cindy decides what to share and what to hold back on

11:48. “That’s my sweet spot!"

13:20 - Ask this question when you’re having trouble coming up with ideas for emailing your list (I've never heard this one before)

14:40 - "Best way to write interesting content? Do interesting things.” 

15:30 - Using Julia Cameron’s “artist date” to refill the well

17:15 Deciding what to discuss and not discuss (the key is business alignment)

18:30 - Common story mistakes in email marketing (based on bad advice)

20:20 - What Cindy teaches that's completely in sync with the role model archetype

21:30 - The heart of Cindy’s message about success…”If I could share just one thing…”

24:30 - When Cindy just got started: what was her guiding principle

30:00 - You don't want to hear, "That's not what I signed up for."

32:00 - The Big Takeaway

Website: CindyBidar.com

Cindy's Membership Site (I'm a member)

Learn about story archetypes here on this page.

Julia Cameron - The Artist’s Way

Dorie Clark - Entrepreneurial You  

Dorie Clark - The Long Game

Christina Hills 

Connie Ragen Green 

Consultation with Cathy Goodwin: The Strategic Intensive

90-Day "Get It Done" with Cathy Goodwin

When you purchase through my links, I may receive a commission. 

If you buy that, you're not getting the full power of storytelling. Stories can support for your strategy and simplify your marketing.

That's the big difference between personal and business stories. Personal stories might get an appreciative laugh, but business stories can do so much more. Anyway, your business audience might not be amused by your personal stories.

I've referenced the topic indirectly. This episode clearly shows the difference between personal and business stories - and how strategizing your story helps you go beyond entertainment to reach your business goals. 

Discover 17 ways storytelling can help grow your business with this free guide: http://mycopy.info/17ways

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 - 2 from medium-sized companies and 1 from a solopreneur. You'll discover how stories work to highlight your advantages and what pitfalls to avoid when sharing your story, so you'll get more clients and avoid sending the wrong message.

Learn more in my book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. http://mycopy.info/kbstory and my website http://CathyGoodwin.com  

We have lots of stories of celebration, where people talk about their wins. What we need are more stories of pulling the plug. 

For example, in this episode I talk about someone who decided not to get a drivers license. In a typical story, she'd try and try to pass the test. She'd spend hours studying. 

But in this story the woman decides she won't bother. She'll move to a city where she can take a car or just ride public transit or even walk.

A variation of this story is a "you can go home again" story. You can quit and then go back.

The original idea for this story comes from research psychologist Barry Staw. You can read his ideas in this article from HBR.

Without credibility, you can't have a successful business. That's the lesson from Mitchell Levy, a Global Credibility Expert. 

In this episode, Mitchell explains why credibility is important. He identifies some surprising indicators of credibility, such as being coachable, being a servant leader and showing up. 

We also talked about using stories to reinforce credibility (and how the wrong story can kill your credibility fast).  We came up with some memorable examples! 

This episode will give you a new perspective on how to use credibility as an essential source of business growth. 

Mitchell can be reached at http://mitchelllevy.com 

My course on credibility:
http://cathygoodwin.com/credcourse

Many organizations are still struggling to rebuild community after the pandemic forced everyone apart.

Alex Hillman is the founder of Indy Hall, one of the first coworking spaces in Philadelphia. He had to answer the question, "How do you keep a space-based community together when the space goes away?" 

In this episode, Alex shares stories that show why Indy Hall coworking is far more than a piece of real estate.  He shows how the community helps members find their way, grow and change. 

Around 28:40, he shares some advice on choosing the best stories to tell - not necessarily stories of your most impressive success. 

Alex is an entertaining and sought-after speaker. Enjoy your time with this episode! Reach Alex at indyhall.org or his email, alex@indyhall.org and share what resonated with you. 

If you own a service business, you probably know this already: Writing a book can bring you exposure, credibility, and ultimately, more clients. You get transformed from "business owner" to "thought leader." 

On this podcast, Jane Tabachnik talks about an essential component of authorship: "finding your why". She explains what this really means: it's not about your psychological needs, but rather about relating to your audience. 

We talk about the 2 types of whys - for the author and for the audience. 

Jane considers this element so important, she won't work with authors who come with no understanding of their "why."

You'll also learn about a forthcoming summit from Jane on the topic of marketing your book. I have a session on using stories to write and promote your book. The summit is free for a limited time. Get the details here.   

When you get an "aha moment" (almost what used to be called a "Eureka moment") you see the world a new way. Maybe you ask a new question. Maybe you see a way to reconcile conflicting viewpoints. Above all, you get a surprise.

This episode shows 3 ways a story can create an aha moment. When you create this kind of moment, you find your readers or listeners often are more willing to listen to you with an open mind...or discover an important lesson on their own.

Learn more about the role of storytelling in marketing from this free report - http://mycopy.info/17ways 

If you’re marketing online, you probably know, “The money is in the list.” 

To grow your list in today’s market, you almost always need to offer your prospective clients something of value such as an ebook, a recording, or an invitation to a webinar or workshop. This offering is known as a lead magnet (sometimes also called a “freebie” or “free giveaway”).

Your lead magnet has two purposes: to attract prospects to sign up and also to screen prospects so you get a list of qualified leads. 

On Strategic Storytelling Podcast Episode #107, you'll discover...

…how to tell if your business requires a lead magnet

…when to start writing your lead magnet

… what to do before you start writing your lead magnet

… how to avoid the most common mistakes in positioning your lead magnet

…what kinds of stories to use in a lead magnet.

RESOURCES:

My podcast on stages of awareness (essential for choosing your topic)

Lead Magnet Makeover Course - Replace your tired old lead magnet with a list building asset (course by Cindy Bidar via my affiliate link)

Copywriting Review - Get a detailed review of your lead magnet and website with steps and suggestions.

Strategic Intensive - Work with me to design a lead magnet that will support your brand and attract targeted subscribers. 

Don't forget to leave a rating and review! 

It's really important to be innovative in your business. 

Being innovative is one of the ways people realize you are credible. You've gone beyond the basics to develop your own framework or explain your ideas in a new way.

But will you market yourself as an innovator? That's a different question.

In this podcast we will ...
...explain the difference between innovation in business and innovation as an archetype
...show examples of business owners who are true innovators vs. those who innovate but brand differently
...explain why you may not want to market as an Innovator. 

RESOURCES:
The archetype framework (and how to decide which one is yours)

My book on storytelling (available as an Amazon ebook)

Another podcast: a Role Model archetype 

Home study course: Brand yourself with storytelling

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 branding we often fail to recognize. This is a fun podcast with some helpful tips for branding your business ...which is different from branding like the big guys.

This week's episode is an encore presentation. It's designed to introduce new audience members to a podcast they may have missed. And it's one of my favorites!

We rarely associate"productivity" with "storytelling."

But content creation is the biggest driver - and the greatest challenge - of online marketing. Storytelling helps you create more high-converting marketing content more quickly. 
Using your story archetypes helps you know what stories to tell to support your brand. 

Learn how storytelling helps small business marketing (especially for solopreneurs) with creating content, branding, and targeting, with examples and how-tos. You'll see why we no longer think of storytelling as right-brained and productivity as left-brained: they work together to support your marketing strategy. 

You will learn...

...how to use stories to develop and build your brand (and why this method makes you a better marketer)

...what is a client's backstory and why their backstory should be your target (not their demographic)

...how to create more content faster by using stories to set up your structure.  

Don't forget to leave a review and a rating!

More about branding with archetypes: Free report here.

Book on Amazon Kindle: Grow Your Business One Story At A Time
(free with Kindle Unlimited)

Strategic Intensive Consultation

Find your client's backstory: My video self-paced course

In traditional stories, the guide just appeared to save the hero's life, money, or dream. Cinderella's godmother showed up spontaneously; Luke Skywalker finds one Yoda.

There's a hidden step to your own business hero story. In this episode, you'll learn about the 7 steps in Donald Miller's Storybrand framework, based on my interpretation of his deservedly popular book. We apply the steps to a fairy tale hero - Cinderella - and a contemporary business client.

We'll have some fun imagining Cinderella's godmother promoting herself for the role as she competes against other godmothers. 

The godmother (and you) need to understand the client's backstory. You can download a free guide to help you enter the conversation in the client's mind: http://cathygoodwincom/baggage

Enjoy the episode!   

Small businesses get the "too expensive!" objection all the time. In this episode we dive into the client stories that might drive these objections. 

Sometimes the clients don't "get" your value - but sometimes your offer conflicts with their story. I share some recommendations to help you deal with these objections more productively and profitably.

Learn more about getting inside the client's mind with this free guide - http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

I also work with clients through the Strategic Intensive.


 

We hear a lot about rebranding. Bt what happens when you take your business in a new direction? Or direct your energy toward a new target market? 

This episode introduces 3 steps you need to rebrand profitably with a new story. 

Find your story archetype here

Online course creation has become a major industry. If you're a business owner, your course gives you new opportunities to grow your business, find clients and gain credibility. 

Designing a course can be challenging. How do you know what to include? How do you figure out how to sequence the modules? 

Explore a new way to design your course by starting with a story. You'll appeal to more students and have fun with the process. 

My course on course creation is 
http://mycopy.info/createyourcourse
Use the code COURSE50 for a 50% discount as a thankyou for listening.

Free guide: 17 surprising ways to grow your business with storytelling
http://mycopy.info/17ways 

Whether you’re looking for a content creator, a designer, or an accountant, most likely you won't start with a search engine. You'll ask around before you get serious.

The WSJ recently wrote about a corporate trend: avoiding the usual job posts in favor of queries to a well-connected thought leader.

Alas, all too many business owners think of networking in terms of The Coffee Date. If you’ve been in business awhile, you’ve probably got enough Coffee Date Stories to fill a comedy set at a business-oriented comedy show.

On this podcast, I share a few stories of networking gone wrong. Some of them feature experienced marketers who should know better…or just had a very bad day. 

Even better you’ll discover how to use stories to make sure you connect effectively, so you don’t waste your time and theirs. 

And you’ll learn a technique I found in Dorie Clark’s excellent book, The Long Game, on how to respond to that inevitable question: “Can we get together and talk about our businesses?” Not surprisingly, she’s far more tactful than I am.

If you’d like to learn more about backstories, you can download my free report, How To Learn What REALLY Motivates Your Clients. 

I also have a course on this topic. Use the coupon LISTEN20 to get a 30% discount. 

Just browsing and enjoying the content? Click here to buy me a virtual coffee.  

Numbers make stories more vivid. When we say, "Apartment 101," you may get a picture in your mind of the door with the number.

But there's a downside. When you use numbers to suggest how you value something, your audience will be judging you. They assign their ow values to every story.

In this episode you will learn...
...how the vividness of numbers makes your story more clear (and how that can be a downside)
...how casual references to certain details will send a message to your audience (and it may not be the message you want them to hear)
...how context will be important to your audience's response to your story

Resources:

Strategic Intensive Program
Background on story archetypes - FREE guide
Understanding your client's backstory - FREE guide

"I've heard this all before."
"You sound just like everybody else in your field."
"I can't remember...what did you say again?"

Content creation takes work. Nobody wants to hear those responses after putting in effort to create what should have been a remarkable blog post, web page, podcast or landing page.

In this episode we talk about specific ways to achieve originality in your message. In particular, we'll talk about the importance of creating a framework as a container for your message.

Once you've established a framework your messaging becomes infinitely easier. When I established my 5 story archetype framework, I was able to create content more easily. I was also able to help clients with branding questions. 

Resouces: 

Podcast on voice  - Episode 37
Listen on Apple
Listen on Spotify
Listen anywhere - search for Episode 37

Course on credibility

You share "your story" -- especially a personal story--and you get backlash.

Often that story will be the *one* story your audience will hear about you. You're judged (fairly or not) by that one story. 

Inspired by the Ted Talk, Danger of a Single Story, this episode shows why you need to realize that any story can become your branding story. You'll be identified by the story, which can become distorted. 

Your audience reviews your story through the lens of their backstory. I have a free report on finding your client's backstory - http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

Some unusual examples here! Tell me what you think. 

Please leave a rating and review - preferably on Apple - and share widely. 

Looking for more creative blog post ideas that attract hungry readers?

You'll find a zillion bundles promising to help...with tired titles like, "Behind the scenes of my business" or "5 mistakes I'll never make again."

Writing a blog post is like making a sandwich.

Using a template is like, "Begin with 2 slices of bread."

For a great sandwich you need filling.

When you start with your prospect's backstory, you start with the filling. You can go back and add. the bread - the structure - later.

In this episode you'll discover how one story gives you lots of ideas for blog posts that deliver mouth-watering content to a hungry audience. 

To learn more about filling your client's needs, download this free report: What REALLY Motivates Clients to Buy From You. 
http://CathyGoodwin.com/baggage

You can also sign up for my course - The Client Advantage - when you click here: http://CathyGoodwin.com/clientadvtc 

Use the coupon code LISTEN20 to take $20 (29%)  off the published price.

Being a podcast guest brings many rewards. You open up opportunities. You get exposure in several ways. 

Small podcast? You still benefit. 

Link to the interview on your website. Your prospective clients get a new view of how you think and speak. 

Besides, you never know if just one juicy prospect is listening to that podcast - someone who's hearing about you for the first time, who'd never know about you any other way.

Podcast hosts get lots of pitches - even those with small audiences.  Most of those pitches are pretty awfful. That's because guests are making assumptions about the host's story. 

In this episode, we'll help you bridge the gap. You'll know how to pitch by responding to the host's backstory - what they're really thinking.

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 stuck or figuring out what to do next, Melanie likes to say, "That's your story."  So I knew I'd have to interview her for this show.

We begin by talking about the stories people tell themselves and how people change their stories. I talk about how I changed my story from being unfit and interested in sports, to the point now where people think I used to be a tomboy.

9:35: Examples of how people learn to change their stories

11:50: Changing your story can be like writing a new character into a novel

12:30: Why stories we tell ourselves are so helpful in understanding our world 

13:25: Melanie talks about her workshop with horses and how someone can change their story 

16:10: How work with horses is like a metaphor or movie script of our actions, which makes it easier to see our actions more clearly. 

20:45: Stories aren’t good or bad – it’s what’s getting in the way of what you want to do.

22:10: Using stories in coaching. 

23:00: Using stories to deal with conflict situation

27:40: Why it’s important to temper your story for your audience

28:10: When someone hits your hot buttons, there’s really a story unraveling here.

29: 00 – “When you begin to look at your story, you play the same role in every story. People need to be the hero or the comedian or the funny sidekick. When you’re in a situation, ask what’s the story.”

We’re like the main character in a murder mystery.

When you're a solopreneur or small service-based business, the brand is YOU. The stories you tell will contribute to your brand and position, even when you're not intending to brand with them. A casual story gets remembered and follows you everywhere.

I've observed several business owners over the years. As their businesses grow, they become more established. They develop a group of loyal followers who respect them as professionals. 

 With this new position comes a certain freedom. Over and over, we see established professionals sharing details of their personal lives. 

These people are smart. If they'd shared too much too early, their audience would have been turned off quickly. They'd have been labeled as unreliable or worse. Now these stories add a new dimension to their brand. They seem more approachable and more relatable. 

In this podcast episode, you'll hear about some business owners who made the shift in their storytelling as they became more established. One business owner, Connie Ragen Green, is particularly easy to follow because she's written so many books. We can see how she goes from being "strictly business" to combining business with personal stories, and ultimately to books that totally focus on the personal.

In my own world, I was "strictly business" myself. However, last year I wrote a book about fighting the stereotypes of aging. This book grew out of my experience as a marketer and writer, but it's not about business. 

I'd be interested to hear your experiences as a business owner who's experienced growth.  Do you find yourself sharing more comfortably (and more personally) as you grow your business?

Resources and references

Learn about story archetypes here.

Connie Ragen Green has many books on Amazon. 
Connie Ragen Green - The Road Trip: An Entrepreneur’s Journey of Self-Discovery
Connie Ragen Green - In Pursuit of Healthy-ness
Connie Ragen Green- Intersection of Hope and Synchronicity
Dorie Clark - The Long Game
Angela Duckworth - Grit
Cathy Goodwin - Aging in Sneakers

Want to improve your learners' experience of your course?

Get them to remember your course content? Teach complex concepts in a framework that makes sense to them?

When learners have a good experience, they return for more. As a marketer, that's what you're hoping for! 

Course designer Lisa Yoder shows us why and how to incorporate stories into course design. Even if (like me) you already have successful courses out there, she shows us surprising ways to build your course with stories. 

This episode goes a little longer than most episodes in this podcast -- and it's packed with information. I was busy taking notes myself. 

You will learn:

...How university courses differ from entrepreneurial online courses

...How some courses are done better online vs. in person

...What Is course design (especially backwards design) 

...3 ways you can use stories in course design

...A surprising way to use “non-examples” to figure out a pattern

...Why it’s important to Identify your “why” as a course creator 

...Putting together the why, how, and what

...How “running analogies” can pull your course together in a meaningful way (Lisa illustrates with examples of hiking)

...A sneaky but effective way to tap into an audience's world to introduce them to a new concept (this comes after 24:00, so keep listening!)

...The role of chunking in the way we learn

Books mentioned by Lisa:

Understanding by Design book Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Brain Rules (Updated): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina 

Where you can fnd Lisa:

Website: https://connectedcoursedesigns.com/

Register for the free Summit-First Framework Course at:

https://connectedcoursedesigns.com/summit_first_framework_free/

Email: Lisa@ConnectedCourseDesigns.com

Cathy’s course on course design: 5 steps to a profitable course

Cathy's website: https://CathyGoodwin.com 

How can I write about myself without sounding like a conceited jerk?

That’s the subject of this podcast.

You may have internalized messages like, “The nail that sounds out gets pounded down” You may have been criticized or ridiculed for doing well.

But in business, you have to brag about yourself. In fact, your clients expect you to! 

Here is what we cover: 

—why your clients want you to brag (with examples) 

—how to communicate your brilliance with style (so you’re not just successful but also likable)

—the outline of a story that helps you brag the right way

—a tip on getting a strong testimonial from a client (and what to do when you can’t get a testimonial because the story is too sensitive)

— gain credibility from a past area of your life (even if it doesn’t relate to where you are now)

—what a lawyer said to me to convince me to hire her (and we’d never met)

—the not-so-surprising role of confidence in creating your personal brand

—two ways to gain confidence even when you’re doing something new

Resources:

How to differentiate yourself as a brand by telling stories

How to create your personal brand by telling stories (Bragging 101) 

Books mentioned

Grow your business one story at a time by Cathy Goodwin

How to change by Katy Milkman

Branding and selling are very different activities in business. 

A branding story introduces you to your audience. It tells something about you and how you provide the service. 

A selling story makes the audience say, "I want what she's having!" 

In this episode I explain the difference and show that one story can be both. I illustrate with 4 powerful examples of good stories. 

One story is purely a branding story.  The three others establish a brand and also help you sell.

Resources:

Episode 141: What makes a story relatable (or why your audience can't follow your story)

Episode 117: What's a Role Model archetype? Interview with Cindy Bidar.

Book: What's a good business story?

Free report: What's the archetype system of branding?

How do you tell a selling story? A self-study course.

How do you brand with a story? A self-study course.

My website: https://cathygoodwin.com

Consultation: https://CathyGoodwin.com/storyconsult

You want to grow a business ... but what happens when you keep telling yourself stories keep you from moving forward? Stories that seem so real and vivid you never think to question them?

The truth is, comfort zones are just too ... comfortable. 

Mike Krupit is an entrepreneur who's consulted with many companies over the years. Mike now supports business owners and entrepreneurs who are serious about developing profitable businesses.

Mike talks about how we can get out of our way when we recognize these stories that hold us back.  He points out that we're encouraged to be open and authentic...but we need the right kind of authenticity. Balancing openness with professionalism holds the key. 

Sources on the call:
Herminia Ibarra - The Authenticity Paradox (HBR article Mike uses with his clients) 

Herminia Ibarra - Working Identity  - book on Amazon

Mike can be found at https://www.trajectify.com/contact-us

A few weeks ago I was attending a special event when someone asked “How can I explain my service to other people? I’m going into a new market and people don’t get what I do.”

Of course, the answer is, you explain with a story. But what kind of story can you use? 

Besides having a new market, you may be challenged in your business because you have a very specialized niche. You might have a brand new business that nobody’s heard of. Or you may have a very complex business that’s tough to explain.

In this podcast, you will discover…

...How to identify the real benefit you need to promote your service (which may not be the most obvious)

...2 examples of businesses that were new to the world - and I’m betting you never heard of each one. 

...How the home staging industry has grown from nothing to mega-success by telling a very simple story over and over 

Essential qualities of a story that explains a new product or service

Resources:

My book on telling stories for business  - more explanations of stories you can use for business.

My signature consultation 

How to brand your business by telling stories. 

FREE 17 ways to grow your business by telling stories

 I mention my book on relocation, available on Amazon here. 

A recent article in Inc magazine asked this question: What makes you look better?

A story like, "I started with no talent or luck and worked my butt off;"
Or, A story like, "I had lots of talent and I got lucky."

Believe it or not, audiences valued luck and talent more. 

This episode raises the question: "When do you tell a story of luck and when do you tell a story of hard work?"

Most people can attribute their success to both. It's all in how you tell your story.

This episode explains...

...3 reasons why an "I got lucky" story will make the storyteller look better than an "I worked I butt off" story 

...why talent and work seem intertwined

....how your story archetype influences your choice of story

Resources mentioned

Original article in Inc Magazine's Morning Report

Podcast episode on emotionally exhausted listeners

BusinessInsider Story about Fred Smith and luck 

Free: Find your story archetype

Consultation: Position Yourself With A Story

A content creator named Kaleigh Moore posted on social media: When working to improve yourself: Is it better to do it in a public forum and post about progress along the way, or to internalize it, hunker down, and sort of *sit down, shut up, and DO THE WORK* on your own?

This is a great question It really boils down to, “How will I tell my story?”

In this episode, you'll discover the pros and cons of sharing your story two ways. 

You can drip your story to your audience in real time. Or you can wait till the end and share your story as an accomplishment.

We'll explore the pros and cons of each choice.

Sharing in real-time will be extremely powerful. You attract and hold your audience's attention. On the other hand, each step of the journey becomes a mini-story. You need to build suspense as you continue.

We'll also look at the factors going into your choice: your brand, archetype and service. Sometimes a story will get in the way of your brand.

Finally, I prefer an alternative type of storytelling, which I'll explain at the end. It's extremely effective and creates a memorable listening experience.

Don't forget to leave a rating and a review!

RESOURCES:

My website - http://CathyGoodwin.com

FREE: Understand story archetypes and discover your own. Click here.

Connie Ragen Green - The Road Trip: An Entrepreneur’s Journey of Self-Discovery
Click here.  A terrific example of sharing a journey in a book targeted to business owners.

Interview with Cindy Bidar - We talked about her moving story. Click here. 

Work with me on your business story - The Strategic Intensive

"Your copywriting needs to be edgy!" is the advice I've given for years. 

I could have added, "And your books need to be even more edgy!" 

For a good part of summer and fall of 2022, I worked on a book with a message. The book grew out of my standup comedy sets, where I used humor to send messages that fight stereotypes about being single and growing older. Audiences remember stories - especially light-hearted stories. 

I got distracted from some parts of my business, but I also learned many lessons that apply to business writing as well. 

This episode tells the story of how I came to write this book. You'll also discover 5 lessons I learned from writing this book, with examples and, of course, stories. The language in this episode is (as always with me) completely G-rated. I don't mention the title, which contains a mild swear word. You can read the trigger warnings and order the book at http://CathyGoodwin.com/agebook

As I say in the podcast, the book originally was targeted to women around 35; it's turned out to be popular with Millennials as well as women over sixty. And almost half of my reviews on Amazon are coming from men. That was one of the biggest surprises. 

I have a website to support the book - http://AgingInSneakers.com 

For background, I recorded an earlier episode on edgy copywriting: 
Click here for Apple.
Click here for Spotify. 

Or just look for Episode #77 from wherever you are now. 

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 you, and the 3 types of stories to grow your business.  

Learn more in my kindle book on Amazon http://mycopy.info/kbstory (free if you have kindle unlimited)

and for more - here's a free 30-minute training that goes into much more detail. 
https://cathygoodwin.lpages.co/webinar-storybasics/

Storytelling for service-based solopreneurs isn't just for fun. It's not a device to gain attention and draw in a crowd of people from your niche. 

So what can a story do for your business? In this episode, you'lll learn how to use stories to make y.our marketing easier.

You will learn...

... 4 ways you can use stories to complete marketing activities - with samples

...Why every story you tell is a branding story (whether you plan them this way or not)

...What’s different about a selling story

...3 guidelines for telling a business story (the second will be a surprise)

Resources:

FREE: Link to story archetypes

Kindle Book on storytelling (free with Kindle U limited): Grow your business one story at a time

Course on creating your selling story

Workbook on characters in your selling story

Podcasts on the characters in your story:

The hero
The guide
The cheerleaders
The villain

You're writing copy to target your ideal clients. But they may not be ready to hear you. They may not know they have a problem; they may not be ready to look for solutions.

You may have heard of the 5 levels of awareness identified by iconic copywriter Eugene Schwartz. You write copy differently - and share different stories - depending on the client's level of awareness.

In this episode, we do two things.

First, you'll discover the 5 levels of customer awareness and recognize them in the client's backstory.

A prospective client who's not aware she has a problem will bring one type of backstory. Her story changes when she's identified the problem and chooses from two or three possible solutions.

As you listen to clients' backstories you discover their level of awareness. You can fine-tune your targeting.

Additionally, our clients have different levels of marketing awareness - something that's not covered in the original 5 levels. Some clients are hearing pitches from half a dozen different competitors. Some are completely new to your industry and to marketing pitches from you and your competitors.

Their experience with marketing changes the way they respond to your message...and may lead to downright skepticism. I've experienced this myself when I hear a tired old pitch from someone I've thought about hiring.

Resources

The notion of "levels" originally appeared in Eugene Schwartz's book, Breakthrough Advertising. It's now out of print, hard to find, and expensive.

I've discussed client backstories on various podcasts, most recently in an interview with Shawn Fink (Episode 100).

You can learn more from my free report on client motivation.

Go in-depth with the self-paced video course, The Client Advantage. Use coupon code CLIENT30 to take an additional 30% off the published price.

Take a deep dive into your marketing, find your story, and start revising your copy with the Strategic Intensive. A fast and friendly way to transform marketing for small service-based businesses.

And if you like what you hear, go ahead and leave a rating and a review on Apple (preferably) or wherever you listen to podcasts.

You'll find lots of lists of "website mistakes." This episode introduces 3 common mistakes that can be fixed with storytelling.

For one thing, you need to be sure you're telling the right story - consistent with your clients' backstory and your own archetype.

You may get advised to choose certain websites as models of good marketing. They're usually great websites - but they won't work for you. 

You'll get lots of examples of websites that use the right stories (and a few that don't).  

Resources mentioned here: 

Free download - Marketing Archetypes
Free download - What Motivates Your Client
Blog Post - Hardest mistake to fix when you create a website 
   Designers and marketers tell you why to start with copywriting. 

Consultation: Strategic Intensive
"Tweak and Critique"  - video review of your website 

When you're a service-based entrepreneur, your brand is YOU. You are selling yourself. And, as you know, the best way to do this is with a story.

Your best story may be an origin story - the story of how you got started. And you're often advised to present your struggles and hardships. 

But is that a good approach? What will most impress your clients and customers?  

Research studies addressed the question, "What impresses employers and investors most?" They compared stories that focused on hard work with stories that focused on natural talents.

In this episode, you'll discover 3 reasons why focusing on natural talents may bring you more clients (although many people believe the opposite is true). 

You'll get a recipe for presenting yourself using these insights - without bragging or self-promotion. 

RESOURCES:

Article Link 

Free Report on Story Archetypes

Podcast Episode Featuring Nicole Lewis-Keeber - How A Story Can Traumatize Your Audience

Strategic Intensive Consultation 

Here's something I see often. You're trying to explain a service to your clients. They don't get it.

So...you tell them more about you. Your "why." Your origin story.

And you tell them more about your process. What are the steps. What's the intake process.

And they're still not clear on your offer.

our solutions may not have existed last year...or you may have created a solution that nobody else offers.

Sometimes I've seen clients make it even harder for clients to figure out what they do. If you create a title like, "Business Activity Specialist," or promise to "make chaos disappear," your audience has no clue.

The way to explain your services is to use 2 kinds of stories.  I go into detail - with examples - in Podcast Episode #109 of the Strategic Storytelling Podcast. It's short and direct, with lots of examples...and I'd love to know what you think.

 RESOURCES

The Strategic Intensive Program - a 2-week sprint to transform your marketing. Click here to learn more.

FREE report to find the client's backstory. Click here to download.

Self-paced video course on Learning Your Client's Backstory. Discover what's going on in the client's mind when they show up to work with you. 

“I have many happy clients. How can I get them to share testimonials?"  

That’s what my reader asked me when I was looking for new applications for. telling stories.

It's a complaint I hear from other service business owners too. Let's face it: if you're a small, service-based business, you need credibility. Nobody wants to be your first client!

In this episode of the  Strategic Storytelling podcast, I share the reasons people don't leave good testimonials. It'll help you navigate the challenge more easily. 

Let's face it: writing a good testimonial is almost as hard as writing about yourself. Nobody teaches you how. So how can yours be better?

In this episode you will learn...

• What is a testimonial
• Why your testimonials are about the clients, not about you
• Why clients won't write testimonials
• Two ways to teach your clients to write testimonials

Resources mentioned:

Link to my infographic on testimonials

Course: What is a selling story
Course: Content for credibility

Other episodes

Episode 64: These 2 stories bring in more sales
Episode 108: Get credibility when you can't get a testimonial (because your service is too sensitive) 

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 

You plan your next offer -a program or product.

Some business owners get an idea and dive right in. I’m in this category. We execute fast…and wish we’d taken more time to plan.  

Others like to nail every detail. They want to be crystal clear on the step-by-step systems. They lose time by overthinking. 

I call these categories the "jumpers" and the "clingers." They tell different stories. They operate differently. And they can be extremely successful. The challenge is step beyond your comfort zone to try a different style...or to leverage your current style for maximum productivity. 

That's what we talk about in this episode: using your work style to be more productive on your own terms. 

I'm Cathy Goodwin and my website is http://cathygoodwin.com

Almost every business coach on the planet will advise you to start telling stories. They’ll encourage you to use storytelling for your blog posts, email messages, and just about any content you create.

Deciding to tell a story is the easy part. Choosing a story that will help grow your business is much more difficult. That’s mostly because you get conflicting advice from different mentors. 

“Go ahead and share,” they’ll say. “Feeling uncomfortable? Get over it.”

Even more, your inbox is filled with emails from all kinds of marketers, each beginning with a story. It’s so easy to decide, “I’m going to create a story like theirs.”

Even worse, you can decide, “I have to stay away from storytelling. I could never tell a story like theirs.”

The truth is, business storytellers need a unique approach. You aren’t trying to sell tickets to a movie. You want to sell your products and services. 

The first thing a successful business storyteller does? They don’t think of themselves as storytellers. They’re business owners. They’re marketing strategists. 

In this podcast, I’ll share 3 essential tips to use storytelling to build your brand and your business. We’ll talk about…

…why you need to frame your stories as a business owner first  

…examples of stories that “stick” in a good and bad way (and why that’s critical to your success)

…why some business owners wish they could take back their stories (and you can avoid having this happen to you) 

This is the one podcast I’m recommending for any entrepreneur who’s decided to add storytelling to the marketing mix. It’s delivered in my usual direct style and guaranteed to rub at least several business owners the wrong way. 

RESOURCES & MENTIONS:

FREE download:  Story Archetypes

Strategic Intensive Consultation - Find the best way to use storytelling, given your archetype and your business. 

Video course: Replace Story-telling with Story-selling - Affordable course (no coupon needed)

Book: Grow your business one story at a time. Ebook on Amazon. 

Book: Intuition for business and career decisions. Ebook on Amazon. 

My website: CathyGoodwin.com

Contact: http://CathyGoodwin.com/contact

Are you having trouble with branding your business? 

Maybe you've gotten tired of the whole process. You wonder if you need to bother with branding at all. 

That's because you may be trying to "brand like the big guys."  As a small, service-based business, you can't use the same approach. 

You'll learn...

...why big companies use brands like a beach towel (and solopreneurs can't)
...why your brand starts AFTER you drop the beach towel and go into the water.
...what you, as a small business, have to communicate when the brand is YOU

My book on Amazon:  Grow Your Business One Story At A Time.

FREE GUIDE to business branding: You can download here.

Course: Brand your business with stories. 

Visit my website, http://CathyGoodwin.com, for more resources - free and for sale. 

Don't forget to rate and review this podcast episode! 

When you tell stories, you influence your audience. In business and in life, you're encouraged to share stories that reflect your audience's reality. 

But all too often, you're faced with someone who projects their reality onto your story.

In this episode, I'm joined by Nicole Lewis-Keeber, a life coach who's also a licensed therapist, with special expertise in trauma. She will explain how foisting a story on your listener can create a great deal of harm. It can even be considered a micro-trauma.

I was inspired to create this podcast when I read comments in a Facebook group, Community of Single People: people who are happily single with no interest in changing their status.

They reported therapists and doctors who seriously advised them, "If you just start dating and get married, your problems will go away."

Nicole dismisses this story as nonsense. Bringing a new person into your life, she says, can add even more problems! 

Even worse, these authority figures are projecting their story into someone else's narrative. 

If you're single without children, they assume your story will be, "I'm lonely and depressed." That's their belief about single people - a belief, Nicole says, will be created and reinforced by the surrounding society.

It's not just about being single.

If you're older than sixty, your story must be, "I'm weak and frail and helpless...and maybe broke, too."

If you're a new business owner, your story must be, "I don't know how to do anything and I'll probably fail."

These stories are especially harmful when we hear them from authority figures (such as doctors and therapists), who are supposed to be the experts.

They're also harmful when we hear them from friends and coworkers. We don't want to make them feel bad or disrupt a relationship. But when a coworker expresses dismay at a single coworker's life, she's imposing her story: "Being alone on a holiday will make you feel depressed." The single person's real story is, "I clove being alone on holidays and wouldn't want it any other way."

At 17:00 Nicole talks about the ways these forced stories can create trauma. Some even create negative trauma adaptations, with the need to cope through substance abuse and self-destructive actions.   

At 21:54 - Nicole suggests appropriate ways to respond when someone forces their story into your narrative. She encourages us to be direct and not accept the forced story. 

Nicole can be found at https://nicole.lewis-keeber.com/

 "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, massage therapist or yes, even a copywriter.  

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: Choose A Mentor Who Will Guide You To Success.
http://cathygoodwin.com/mentorbook  

Your story's location may seem trivial or straightforward. 

"It's a beach story." 

"One day I was in my home office..."

"Mary went home to apartment 3701..."

Don't those locations bring a special vibe to your story? The story's location tells a lot about your characters and about you.

If Mary lives in apartment 3701, she'll seem different from someone living in apartment 301. 

She'll seem even more different from someone living on a farm.

If she lives in the middle of a city, her whole life will be vastly different from someone living in the suburbs, let alone in the country.

If you're working from a kitchen table you're very different from someone working from the patio of a large estate.

In this episode we touch briefly on the power of a story's location.   

Does your story's location fit your story archetype?
What if you want to change the story's location? And why should you? 
What are some mistakes people make when assigning a location to their story?

Listen here for the answers.

RESOURCES:

FREE: What is a story archetype (and what's yours)? 

COURSE: What is a story that sells - a selling story? How does that differ from a paid story?

FREE PODCAST: What is a Role Model story archetype? Who's a good example?

FREE PODCAST: Can your audience relate to your story?

Content creation is one of the most important activities of a business owner, especially for online marketing. 

As a prolific writer myself, I've found that anyone who writes a lot will sooner or later experience a challenge: how can I find ideas for my next article? 

That article might appear as a blog post or be recorded as a podcast episode.

It's the same problem I had when I was first doing comedy. You write your own material and it's tough.

For comedy, I was advised to "get mad and get even." Something that annoys you can be transformed into knock-it-out-of-the-park material. I give a couple of examples (carefully chosen for a G-rated podcast) in this episode.

It works equally well for business owners, especially if you're an Educator archetype. Role models benefit from sharing personal stories or even personal anecdotes. Educators get clients when they create aha moments that lead to new ways of learning.

Still, all archetypes can use stories to make a point and this method works well when your well of ideas feels very, very dry.

When you read articles by others in your field, you'll usually find some that make you mad. They're sharing ideas that could best be described as "cockamanie" if you want to be polite. Sometimes they're just ridiculous and unusable. Sometimes they leave out a key point, such as promising you'll earn thousands of dollars. from a single article or ebook.

Now you can turn your annoyance into an article, providing useful and often novel information.
You've got a great article - even a memorable one. Your listeners gain from the advice. And you're back to being in agood mood. 

RESOURCES:

FREE: Archetypes for branding your small business  - click here.

My podcast featuring Cindy Bidar (a Role Model archetype) will air in September. 

Strategic Intensive consultation - available beginning September 20, 2023.

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. Sometimes they generate controversy. 

As a small business, you operate differently. I explained this in a podcast that was released a few years ago. It still holds true today. The episode covers…

… examples of “big brand” marketing that aren’t useful for small businesses

…a discussion of story archetypes and how each archetype might incorporate holiday thees in content creation

…three tips for adding holiday themes to your marketing

…how to deal with sensitive topics that arise on holidays

RESOURCES

Story archetypes (FREE): http://cathygoodwin.com/arch

Branding with stories: http://mycopy.info/storybrand

My Halloween holiday-themed podcast

Story-selling vs. Story-telling: self-paced video course

Consultations for strategy and copywriting - Click here.

This podcast looks at 3 ways your website resembles an Easter egg:

(1) Websites, like Easter eggs, rarely last forever.

After working with dozens of business owners to create a compelling, “stand-out” online presence, I’ve discovered that the most constant success factor is a willingness to change. Your website may need change for several reasons - you, your market, your environment and more.

(2) Websites, like Easter eggs, are fun to decorate, so it’s easy to forget what’s under the shell.

(3) Websites, like Easter eggs, can be hidden away and found only during a treasure hunt. Good for eggs. Bad for websites.

On the podcast, you'll discover creative ways to deal with each of these challenges as you create your website.  

Resources: 

Free report to download: http://CathyGoodwin.com/webplan

Critique/review of your website: http://mycopy.info/yourtweak

Copywriting support for your website: http://cathygoodwin.com/writeweb

In this podcast episode we are going to look at casting the characters in your story.

We’ve already talked about the villain. The other characters are the hero, the guide and the cheerleaders.

Who is the hero of your story?

The hero has a problem. Often it’s a serious problem. Sometimes it's trivial, like a leaky faucet. You have a more dramatic story when the hero has a serious problem that requires steps to solve.

You are the guide who solves that problem. We will talk about the guide's role in the next podcast.

Here's what we cover and what you will learn. 

-- There are 3 kinds of heros - you, your client, or an imaginary person. 

-- There are 3 qualities the hero possesses - these will surprise you. The hero can’t be a loser even though the hero brings you a problem. 

People don’t want to identify with losers: so who do they choose? 

What about the hero who’s the client of a lawyer or tax preparer? The hero doesn’t do a lot of work, but the hero can’t be totally passive.

-- Finally, what happens to the hero?  You don't wave a wand but your client -- the hero -- does come away as a different person.

The hero sells your story. The hero is the client. The prospect turns to your story and sees the hero as a mirror.  That’s the essence of a selling story. 

Other podcasts you may like:

The villain in your story - episode 148

You don’t have to be passionate to be a passionate advocate - episode 135

What is a persuasive story - episode 46

Cast the characters of your selling story --the workbook: A fill in the blanks guide to choosing the characters for your story. Click here for more.

How to tell a story that sells. Choosing characters is just one component.

If you'd like to work with me, learn about the Strategic Intensive coaching program.

Learn about the five archetypes of small business branding when you click here.

"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

There’s something appealing about telling stories. We all want to talk about what happened to us..especially the bad parts.  

But when you're writing for business, it's important to tell your story only when you have a purpose for that particular story. 

Too many people write stories for validation. They say, "My cat died. Here's how I feel." Or they say the business hit a wall. Here's what happened"

 There's a place to write about your business. Psychologists talk about it all the time. It's as effective (at least for some) as a therapy session. 

That's not what I'm talking about here. 

In this episode, you'll learn 

• the right way to tell a story about your life
• how some well-known business owners shared their stories
• what to expect from your audience

Resources mentioned:

• Interview with Cindy Bidar
• FREE booklet on story archetypes
• Book by Dorie Clark

Stories, by definition, evoke emotions. Strong stories encourage your audience to see themselves in your story. 

But what does your audience experience when you share a story about your own struggles? 

Maybe you want them to get the message, “I’ve been there.”

Maybe you offer a service to clients who seek help for difficult, sensitive problems.

Maybe you’ve struggled in your own business and you want to demonstrate, “I’m human.”  

How will your story land with your audience? Will you inspire them or inadvertently create an uncomfortable response?

To answer this question, we can turn to Nicole Lewis-Keeber, The Business Therapist. 

Nicole is passionate about the impact of small “t” trauma on businesses and she's trained and certified with Brené Brown’s Dare To Lead™ methodology. She's one of the few professionals who combine therapeutic processes with business coaching, helping entrepreneurs gain emotional and well as financial sustainability.

In this podcast episode, Nicole explains how a story can inadvertently trigger strong negative emotions. She provides a framework and guidelines for sharing a difficult story when it’s appropriate to your offer and your audience. 

Tune in to discover…

…key points to consider as you incorporate storytelling in your business  

…essential questions to ask when sharing a difficult story seems appropriate - even essential - to your marketing

…what can trigger an audience’s negative emotions as they listen to your story

…why the wrong story can come across as manipulative (and change your relationship with your audience forever)

…when and how you might consider “trigger warnings” before sharing a hard story

…why you can replace a struggle story with a joyful story

It’s a subject we rarely discuss but it’s important in today’s dynamic marketing environment. Nicole is one of the few professionals who combine an understanding of psychological trauma with the realities of entrepreneurship. 

Listen to Episode 112 here and you’ll come away with the understanding to choose the right story for your business and manage your shares when the topic becomes sensitive.  

RESOURCES:

Business Therapist Nicole Lewis-Keeber

Consultations for storytelling - the Strategic Intensive

FREE guide to understanding your prospective client's backstory - Click here

How to communicate your value by telling a story.

Stories make it possible to communicate your value without coming across as boastful, obnoxious or unbelievable.

Your story won’t just explain: your listeners will see themselves in the story and exclaim the words you’re waiting for: “I want what they’re having.”

When your story works, you’ll show how you deliver value. When a story falls flat, it’s often because the storyteller skipped to the ending.

Recently I’ve been seeing short overviews that are called “case studies” when they’re not even fully developed stories. The storyteller presents the transformation as a “happily ever after” that was delivered by magic.

In this episode of the Strategic Storytelling podcast, we’re going to show exactly why you lose leads when you share an incomplete story. We’ll walk through two examples to demonstrate how to set up your story for business growth.

You’ve got the information; you just have to add it to your story

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What’s missing from a lot of stories you see in email campaigns

• Why you need to show your role as “the guide” to be credible 

• How to present a hero who will make your story more relatable 

• Pitfalls of stories that leave out key details

Resources:

The Strategic Intensive Consultation

Ingredients of a Persuasive Story (video self-paced course)

3 common story mistakes (FREE)

Most stories will attract attention. Small business owners need to go beyond attracting attention to create stories that attract and persuade. 

How do you attract your ideal clients? Create a story with elements they can relate to. A story that helps them see themselves in the story.  

How do you do this? It's a pretty simple tweak, actually... but you have to decide consciously to structure your story this way. 

This episode shows you how.

To better enter the conversation in your client's mind, download my free guide - http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

If you like this podcast, don't forget to leave a review and subscribe! 

From Cathy Goodwin - cathygoodwin.com 

Quiet quitting - means you tell a story beginning, “I’m not paid enough to do this."     

Quiet quitting has been around a long time.  I know many people who did the bare minimum to avoid being fired or keep their business going.

In this episode, we explore the full story behind quiet quitting. You'll also discover a better story to tell - a way to change your Quiet Quitting story into a Strategic Success story. 

Success might come from doing less....or doing more even when the rewards aren't easily found.

This episode demonstrates how you can understand a concept more easily when you start with a story. Learn more when you download my free report on storytelling for branding: http://mycopy.info/brandsteps

And if you'd like to get a better understanding of business storytelling, check out my kindle ebook Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. 

Does someone want to connect with you on LinkedIn? Do you get messages like these:

“It looks like you’re doing some pretty amazing things with storytelling.”

“I’d love to learn more about your journey to success.”

“Let’s get to know each other better.”

"I'm a huge fan of what you're doing."

Or even...

It was amazing meeting you at [event] and learning about your company. The conversation on [related topic] was pretty interesting and knowledgeable. I am looking forward to knowing more about you and your exciting role.

On the surface, these messages sound like they're interested in YOU.

But when you look more closely, they're formulaic templates. They're not about you at all. They could be sent to anyone.

The truth is, they're presenting an outline of a story...not a real story.

In this podcast episode, we explore what's wrong with these messages and some easy ways to connect by focusing on the story of your target connection.

My LinkedIn account: https://linkedin.com/in/cathygoodwin

Learn about finding the client's story with this free guide -
https://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

Of the five archetypes I've identified, the Celebrity holds greatest awe and power. 

***If you're new to my community, you can download a free report featuring the five archtypes when you click here.

Think of Taylor Swift and think of those folks in People magazine. We don't want to BE a Celebrity, but we can learn from Celebrities. It's no accident that real celebrities tend to be spokespeople for all kinds of brands.

So now let's look at business. 

Chances are you'll meet a celebrity somewhere along your business journey. You'll be tempted to use them as examples along the way. 

But the truth is, you probably are not a Celebrity. You can't apply Celebrity strategies to your business..and win.

Join me on this fun podcast to learn about Celebrity archetypes -- what they are and how to use them in your business

They won’t connect the dots for you. That’s why you need a story that shows exactly how you got from there to here.

This episode walks you through 4 parts of a successful connect-the-dots story…a story that won’t just satisfy curiosity, but helps you position yourself as an expert…and relate more effectively to prospective clients.

References to archetypes are explained in this free guide.
Learn how to speak directly to your target market with this course
and tips for personal branding with stories 

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 story works. I would classify Dorie as an "Educator" archetype (although of course she has no awareness of my framework and likely wouldn't care). However, I'm. constantly surprised at how many successful business owners conform consistently to one of the story archetypes.  

Here's a good example of a personal story that fits the brand of an Educator archetype, well-presented and successful on a number of dimensions. 

Ellen Finkelstein uses email marketing to grow her list. She sends out emails every day - 7 days per week - and each email begins with a story from her own everyday life. 

Ellen is what I'd call a role model archetype.

That means her promise is, "I'm just like you. If I can do it, you can do it." She uses stories to build profitable relationships with her very large,  responsive list. 

In this episode you'll discover Ellen's system for...
...choosing which stories to include in her emails
...finding stories when nothing seems to appear
...deciding what to leave out of her email stories.

We also talked about how her Role Model archetype influences her marketing. 

You can learn more about Ellen at her website, 
ChangeTheWorldMarketing.com 

You probably know that storytelling can be fun. And you probably know storytelling can be the most important tool in your marketing kit. 

But how do you evaluate what you're really getting from telling that story? 

In this podcast we look at your investment in storytelling: the time you take to plan your story (and most business owners don't plan enough); the cost of any training of consultation; and finally, the opportunity cost: when you use stories in your content, you give up opportunities for straight information, alternative stories, and more.

On the "return" side, you'll find many ways to benefit from storytelling. We'll just look at 3: reinforcing your brand, enhancing the value of your offer, and clarifying what your clients will gain.  

You'll gain a greater appreciation for storytelling, and hopefully you'll get answers to the question, "Is storytelling just a lot of trendy fluff? What's the benefit to the bottom line?"  

Free download - The surprising way to discover what really motivates your market - Click here.

BTW - the link to the "pants" story is 
https://www.banterist.com/ebay_dkny_mens_1/

Just after I recorded this podcast, a marketing coach popped up in my inbox with advice to share your story of personal trauma. Yep, another Cringe of the Day.

You can't miss the Harry & Meghan story, which is one big cringe for many of us. But if you pay attention, you'll see many successful business owners who are doing the same thing: baring their souls because they think it's a wise move.

And where do they get their insights? From coaches like the one who just popped up. They tell you to share your personal stories...and sometimes it's hard to say no. 

Harry & Meghan have publicists, interviewers, and ghostwriters egging them on. Ordinary business owners have to contend with podcast hosts, bloggers, and event organizers.  

This podcast episode highlights 3 mistakes that are so easy for business owners to make. And you'll learn what to do instead, namely, tell a story that supports your brand and plays to your strengths.

Download my free report on branding: http://mycopy.info/brandsteps

Ask me about one-on-one consulting to tell your story and grow your business. 

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. 

But what does a "catchy" slogan do for us?? For a big brand of cola or sportswear, a catchy tag line may stand out.

Small businesses don't have time. Clients make decisions by clicking a mouse. They don't see our ads on television and magazines. We have to go for "persuasive," even "profitable" content. 

Instead of being catchy, focus on entering the conversation in your client's mind. I explain more in my free report - 
http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

Don't forget to leave a rating and a review - help the podcast continue to grow! 

Just as you do workouts and exercises to be ready to play tennis or basketball, you need to exercise your storytelling muscles so you'll be ready when you need a story. 

You don't always need a story - but when you need one, you need to have the skills to choose and tell that story. 

Just as your gym workouts prepare you for basketball, these exercises prepare you for the storytelling event that makes a difference. 

Free download: 17 surprising ways to use storytelling for business -
http://mycopy.info/17ways

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 seem like magic but in fact, they're very practical. You'll be expanding on some of the most basic copywriting tips.

You're invited to expand on your powers of telepathy with my free report - Discover What Really Motivates Your Client. http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

If you'd like to go for a deeper dive, check out my course, The Client Advantage. You'll discover the 3 essential parts of your client's backstory and I go into more depth to help you conduct research to enter the conversation in your client's mind. 

Thanks for listening! Don't forget to rate and review the podcast. 

You’re a service-based business and the brand is YOU. So how will you keep growing your business while you’re taking some downtime?

For many of us, holidays mean vacation and downtime. We travel. We join family and friends.  You’ll attend special seasonal networking events. 

As a marketer for entrepreneurs, I see this time as an opportunity to make new and exciting connections. The least likely person will offer you a window of opportunity.

If you are a business owner, of course, you take your business with you. As a solopreneur, you ARE the business!

So when people ask, "What do you do?" What can you share with them that will explain what you do, so this will be the beginning of something new?

Often they’re completely clueless about your world. They may think you’ve completely lost your mind. They may wonder, “Why on earth would anyone do that? Who would buy from you?” 

That’s when you really, really need a good story. In this podcast, you’ll get ideas for developing what we call a concept story, with examples.

If you’d like my help in polishing up your own story, please check out the Strategic Intensive program. We will talk about the best way to describe your business and build your brand in a variety of places.

 RESOURCES:

Grow Your Business One Story At A Time is an ebook available on Amazon. You’ll learn more about different kinds of stories to use in business, and discover why business stories are very different from other kinds of stories out there.  

The Strategic Intensive is my most popular consulting program. Get more details here.

Do you have a project that you’d like to finish in 90 days? Click here to learn how I can help you get it done with a combination of marketing, business and accountability.

FREE guide: 3 Common Story Mistakes and the 1 Way To Fix Them. Click here.

Storytellling for business doesn't work like storytelling for movies and novels. You start with different ingredients and you assemble them strategically.

Persuasive stories don't follow the "beginning, middle, and end" structure.
They don't follow the "and then one day" style of improv either.

They're designed to show how you help clients. They don't leave you feeling good. They leave you feeling, "I want what they're having."

I mentioned a couple of free guides:
Enter the conversation in your client's mind:
http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

Discover your story archetype: 
http://cathygoodwin.com/arch

If you like this episode, please don't forget to leave a rating and a review. We're still in the early stages and I'd love to connect with you. 

Have you ever told a story -- a brilliant story! -- and your audience just looked at you blankly? They just didn't get it. Or they couldn't relate: they couldn't put themselves into the story. 

Stories succeed when people put themselves in the picture. They're in the airplane seat. They're in the room you're describing. They can feel the problem: their chest gets tight, their stomach hurts...it's real.

But here's the catch. It doesn't have to be a personal story. In fact, you can tell a personal story that leaves everyone cold.

In this video, I talk about 4 kinds of stories: personal and not relatable, relatable but not personal, not relatable and not personal...and last but not least: stories that are personal *and* relatable.

There's one archetype that gets away with stories that are neither personal nor relatable. And there's another archetype that tells personable, relatable stories. 

So before telling a story, ask yourself: Will my audience put themselves in this story? If they can't see themselves in the picture, your story will fail.

And if they can put themselves in the picture, you've got a winner, whether the story's personal or not. 

Come listen here. And if you like the episode, don't forget to leave a rating and a review, especially on Apple or Spotify.

RESOURCES AND MENtIONS:

FREE - The four archetypes (and a quiz to discover yours)

COURSE - From Storytelling to Story-Selling: Tell a story that brings sales.

Gabrielle Dolan mentioned in the podcast)

OTHER PODCASTS:

Interview with a Role Model archetype, Cindy Bidar
How to decide if the story you love will boost your business
How to craft a selling story for your small business
What is a celebrity archetype (and it's probably not you)
 

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 as a business owner who genuinely cares for clients?

Or can you send a stronger, more believable message when you share a story that shows how you translate your values into action?  

This episode shows how to use stories to communicate your values and how the wrong story, inadvertently, will literally send the wrong message.

Business decisions and career decisions will be influenced by the way you tell a story. When you tell an old story because "everyone knows this" you make choices with less successful outcomes. 

In this episode, we review the retirement story as an example.

Many (maybe most) people make career and business decisions in the context of a retirement story. It's the story they've heard all their working lives. 

In this episode we review two of the most common retirement stories: "I have to wait till I retire" and, "If you retire you must be old." 

When you question these traditional stories you can choose to build your business with a new story. You find that when you replace the word "retirement" with "transition," you find many new possibilities. 

Most importantly, your business looks different. You'll hear examples of successful business owners who shifted the direction of their business as they changed their retirement story. 

1:06 - the traditional story and why it doesn’t work 

1:40 -why that story creates problems and negative experience

2:50 - creating a vision board

3:06 - 2 ways the story gets told - and what’s wrong with each one

4:55 - why saying “transition” instead of “retirement” leads to a new story

5:45 - why “I have to wait till retirement” is a story and what to do instead

8:00 - how your story affects your decisions

8:40 — what you can do if you’re not sure what to do next

9:40 - Story of Olga Kotelko who became a track-and-field star at age 77

10:25 - Recap of 2 stories 

You've probably heard that "your story must bring out emotion in your listeners."

And that's because you've also heard, "People buy on emotions." 

But is that always true? 

Lots of times people make buying decisions based on logic and rationality. They evaluate the offer coolly, based on their needs. 

The truth is, sometimes people make buying decisions without bringing emotion into the picture at all. Educator archetypes rarely tell emotional stories; they don't expect their clients to make decisions emotionally at all.

In this episode you will learn...
...why the phrase "people buy on emotion" is only partly true
...when people buy on emotion (even if they know they need to be more rational) 
...how and when to use purely rational stories that bring forth no emotion at all
...how a story can restore the balance between emotion and logic
...the way you can use emotional appeals in stories

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a rating and review, preferably on the Apple site.

Resources:
Book on Amazon: Grow your business one story at a time
Free guide: Your story archetype (and a quiz to reveal yours)

This episode mentioned

Carlos Batara
Ian Brodie
Alicia Forest

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to grow your business, especially if you are a small, service-based business where you are the brand. 

These days we're hearing a lot about how to use stories to improve your email marketing. There's a lot of nonsense out there, such as "You have to start with a story." But you'll find some good marketers too.

In this podcast episode, you'll get 3 tips for using stories effectively in your emails. You'll get examples of email stories that annoy the reader. You'll also get examples of stories that work. You'll also get a better understanding of what's meant by "personal" stories.

It's one of my shorter podcasts, tightly packed with information. I'm curious to know how you use stories in your emails and how you can use these tips.

This podcast follows Episode 117 where I interviewed Cindy Bidar, a popular and very successful business coach. You can learn more about Cindy here. 

Other resources:

Free guide to the story archetypes.

My flagship consultation program, the Strategic Intensive.

My book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time (free with Kindle Unlimited)

When I started my copywriting business on the Internet, lots of my competitors were writing on the back of their business cards: “Free 30-minute consultation.”

It was an effective strategy that led to many long-term, profitable client relationshps.

Today we’re seeing a backlash.

“I offer a free report on my business card,” says one business coach. “If I offer a free session, people think I’m selling.”

He’s probably right. We hear the word “free call” and our sales radar starts to ping.

We also see a backlash on low-end programs — the first step in some funnels — and offers that include free consultations.

To many people, a “free call” means a sales pitch. And they’re scared.

Prospects consider your consultation — free or paid — in the context of their backstory.

In this episode we review 3 common backstories your client tells herself when she hears the words, "Free Session." 

Free offer - http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

Course: http://cathygoodwin.com/clientadvtc  coupon listen20 

“There’s a gap between what I know they need and what they think they need.”

As a service-based business, you probably recognize this problem. 

For instance, you know your clients mostly need to build their confidence. They need to jump in and take action. 

But when they come to you, they say, “I don’t have the right technology.” Or “I need to learn copywriting.”

That's the topic of this episode, where I interview Shawn Fink. 

Shawn has a unique positioning strategy. She focuses on coaching her clients to find the courage and clarity to make significant life changes.

Shawn's business explains exactly why we need to respond to the client's backstory. Clients rarely know just what they need or even what they want. The coaching process begins with the backstory but then morphs in surprising directions.

Clients rarely arrive with the statement, “I know what I want and how to get there. I need the courage to move forward.” 

Shawn’s marketing has to integrate her unique offer with the client’s backstory. 

We first learn a little about Shawn's coaching goals and the beliefs that underlie her work with clients. Next, we take a closer look at the client's backstory. We talk about why you need to separate the client's perspective from the offer when you plan your marketing.

Some highlights: 

6:04 – Clients face a choice when the next step seems scary: uplevel or pivot. 

11:34 – Begin a discussion of the client's backstory.

18:50 – From backstory to marketing story

21:40 – Dealing with the different backstories: each is unique but you can find a common thread that drives your marketing.

27:16 -  Generic tips on "being brave"  to leave with our listeners

29:12 – Shawn rejects the common advice to feel the fear and do it anyway. It's BS, she says...and here's what to do instead. 

34:94 - Don't miss the thoughts Shawn wants to leave with out listeners.

Resources:
http://ShawnFink.com 

http://CathyGoodwin.com/baggage - Learn more about backstories and the 3 steps we covered. 

Does your story contribute to your strategy? Is your story a part of your brand?

You get all kinds of advice to "be sure your content includes a story."

The real question is, what is the purpose of your story? Will you motivate people to buy? Or are you telling the story to get people to like you more? Or do you want to build their trust, so they believe you'll solve their problem?

In this episode of the Strategic Storytelling podcast, you'll get three questions to ask about your story. The answers help you understand if you have a real business story. Are adding value to your business strategy? Or are you adding more fluff?

For instance, Harry and Elaine are both money coaches. Harry is an Educator. Elaine is a role model. They're in the same field, but they'll have very different stories. 

To be effective, stories have to be believable. You'll get examples of unbelievable and believable stories.

Resources:
FREE guide to story archetypes: What are archetypes and what is yours? Click here.
Create content and tell stories to be believable. Click here.
Sell with a story. Click here.
Strategic Intensive: A 2-week sprint to solve your marketing challenges.

Business owners, especially those with small businesses that offer professional services, often get advised to, "Make your mess your message." 

This is awful advice for marketing.

In this packed-tight-with-information episode, I show how sharing your mess can actually harm your business.

You will learn:

1 - Where “Your mess is your message” really comes from (and how TV anchor Robin Roberts used that expression)

2 - How my early message was seriously misunderstood: they read my story as a “mess.” It wasn’t.

3 - How another story was misunderstood: a woman who turned down a scholarship to Juilliard and whose career is just about gone.

4 - The importance of audience reaction to your story: when you put your story out there, they will judge you.

5 - Why the advice to “be vulnerable” can lead to unexpected reactions (and sharing your mess can turn away your ideal clients)

6 - Why anticipating your mess can become a self-fulfilling prophecy

7 - How sharing your mess can lead to an energy drain among your followers (and why I decided NOT to share my cat story)

8 - How sharing your mess can make you seem less likeable 

9 - When it’s time to share your messy life (with a good example from Angela Duckworth)

10 - How a marketing coach (Connie Ragen Green) turned a mess into a triumph (read her book about her cross-country trip)

11 - How to recognize examples of good stories, with examples. 

12 -What lessons I've learned from stories where people absolutely did not connect (and what really works)

References: 

 The Road Trip, by Connie Ragen Green  

My ebook on Amazon - Grow Your Business One Story At A Time.  Free with Kindle Unlimited.

My consultation, the Strategic Intensive, which will help you identify a good story.

How to tell a story that sells: a DIY home study course.

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 to write about yourself to be seen as an authority. 

Get ready to learn how to position yourself as an expert ... with copywriting and storytelling. 

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/brandsteps

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 some stories about Indy Hall. Some highlights from the show:

13:40: For creating community, the key is writing yourself into the story – and now you have a story you can talk about.

14:25: “The story of why these microphones on the table is more important than the fact that we have these microphones on the table.”

18:40: The importance of letting go of the story and letting stories bubble up: giving people permission is the secret. 

22:50: How to get a message across: how the Indy Hall team uses stories to help potential members see themselves in the Indy Hall story

25:40: Indy Hall’s unique membership level: You can’t buy your way into becoming a keyholder. You have to earn your privileges. Two stories of how this tradition came to be a part of the Indy Hall culture.

30:00 The role of the leader is to find out the stories everyone else has.

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 explaining without a story. 

In this episode, you’ll find several examples. 

You’ll discover… 

How to use a concept story to explain an idea (examples of a new app and a coaching service) 

How to use a concept story to teach a lesson (example of teaching a tough lesson with a tender story)

How to use a contrast story to explain almost anything (based on the classic WSJ advertisement)

How to use an “aha’ story (illustrated with the classic fisherman’s story)

How to recognize and avoid common mistakes people make when telling a concept story

RESOURCES: 

Find your story archetype with this FREE resource

My book on Amazon Grow Your Business One Story At A Time

Website: https://cathygoodwin.com

Entrepreneurs and small business owners often believe the sequence "Idea --> Create Offer --> Start Marketing."

It sounds logical, doesn't it?

Truth is, if you wait till you've got a finished product, you've waited too long. You need to get some signs of success before committing to production and creation.

There's a good section in a book published several years ago, with the memorable title of A Year Without Pants. That was pre-pandemic, before the days of widespread telecommuting. 

The author worked for the company that made Wordpress.com. They created marketing materials before they implemented features, which raises the question, "How do you write about something that doesn't exist?"

I encourage my own clients to do things when they launch a new product or service - before creating the program or product itself. First, write the sales letter. Second, tell a story about the product from the client's perspective.

In this short episode, you'll learn more about how to make it happen. You'll save a lot of trouble when you get ready to market your new offer. Your copywriter will love you.

The book: A Year Without Pants.
Free download: Understanding Your Client's Motivation.
Video course: Step-by-step to enter the conversation in your client's mind.  Work at your own pace.

My website: https://CathyGoodwin.com

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 finally gave up and wrote your own? 

Did you fall into something by accident (and realize you're going to have to put a spin on your origin story - or do without one? 

Stories do much more than entertain and captivate. Download this free guide for 17 ways to use storytelling to grow your business – immediate access.

Check out my short course – Build Your Personal Brand By Telling Stories. Click here for more.

For 

When you’re new to your business or career field, you might be asking yourself, “Am I really qualified to do this?”

Your friend, mentor or coach assures you, “Of course! You know more than you realize.” 

They might even say, "You have impostor syndrome!: 

Are they right Do you suffer from impostor syndrome? Or are you being encouraged to be an impostor?

How. can you tell? Look to the truth of your story.

Frankly, most of us have been impostors at one time or another. When you’re just getting started, it’s easy to tell yourself, “I’ll fake it till I make it.” You may not even realize you're doing it.

On the other hand, a lot of qualified business people have trouble claiming their true and powerful stories. 

What are the signs of an impostor? Some of them may surprise you! 

Does this episode resonate? Let me know in the comments or send me a message.

Mentioned in this podcast: 

Episode  45: Your connect the dots story 

Episode 37: Why story has more impact than voice   

5 story archetypes – http://cathygoodwin.com/arch 

The long game  - http://cathygoodwin.com/clarklong 

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 talk about here.

This episode draws from my book, Grow your business one story at a time. 

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 work.

Episode based on Grow Your Business One Story At A Time - http://mycopy.info/kbstory

And my Udemy course has a whole section on this  - http://mycopy.info/udemystoryoct 

As a small business owner, you're unabashedly in business because you want to earn revenue. Often that means increasing prices in order to reach your realistic profit goals. 

So how do you announce a price increase? 

Reviewing what's out there, I found two strategies. One is to share your "why." The other is to associate your price increase with an increase in value.

Each of these strategies assumes a story about you - and a backstory about your clients. 

But...is that backstory accurate? Is there a better story to tell? Or do you need a story at all?

In this episode you'll discover why these popular strategies can alienate your clients. This topic is controversial and I'd love to get your perspective. What do you recommend, as a marketer and as a client?

Leave a comment and don't forget to subscribe! To learn more about finding your client's backstory, you can download my free guide here.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Episode #82 -  How to respond when someone projects their story intro your narrative 
Apple
Spotify
Stitcher
Other platforms

Utpal M. Dholakia in Harvard Business Review

Hubspot - Let Customers Know About A Price Increase 

Forbes - Chris Kille article on price increases

We've talked about the hero in your story. We had an episode about the villain. And today we're going to talk about the character nobody mentions: the cheerleader.

You can't be with the hero all the time, no matter how good you are. The cheerleader helps the heroes achieve their goals by just being there.

You as the guide can help the hero find supportive cheerleaders. Sometimes people have to pay for this support, but often that support is available if your client--the hero--knows where to look. Sometimes you show them why it's important.

When you help the hero find a cheerleader, you gain credibility as a guide. You help your heroes solve their problems. 

Would you like to learn more about casting the characters in your selling story? Check out this workbook--a guide to walk you through the process. Cast your characters!

Additional resources: 

Who's your hero's story -- a podcast

Who is the villain of your story - a podcast

How to write a story that sells - a self-paced video course

Small service businesses walk a fine line in branding. They don't want to blend in with everyone else (like "little boxes" of the famous song).

But sometimes it's tempting to go to the other extreme: an original name to describe your service. 

The middle bear approach - not too hot or too cold - begins by telling a story that resonates with your client's story. We're all hard-wired to categorize. Your challenge is to help the client find a way to understand what you do, yet differentiate from the competition. 

That's what we cover in this episode.  The free ebook mentioned is http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

If you’re a service based solopreneur, entrepreneur or independent professional, your brand is YOU. Your About Page will be critical to your online success.

And yet, if you’re like most business owners, you’ll tell me the About Page is the most difficult page to write for your website. 

That’s because most people hate to talk about themselves. And business owners are people! It’s easy to feel like you’re boasting. It’s common to wonder, “Will I come across as an obnoxious jerk?”

The truth is, your About Page isn’t about you. 

Your About Page answers the client’s question: Why should I hire you and not someone else? 

You don’t need to share your life story. You probably don’t need to share your company’s mission. But if you do, you need to create a context.

 I’ll show you exactly how to frame your story and avoid the most common mistakes of About Pages.

 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What “likable” means to a prospective client (it’s not the same as being a good friend)
• What story really matters when you write your About Page (and it’s not your life story or origin story)
• Why most websites don’t need a mission statement (and what to write instead)

Resources:

My course on finding your client’s backstory - Click here

My course on “Bragging 101” - How to find your personal brand by telling stories - Click here

My course on “Write your About Page” - Click here

Strategic Intensive - a 2 week sprint to overcome your biggest marketing challenge (which might be writing your About Page) - Click here.

Free webinar recording - Write your About Page with Stories 

Yes - you should include vulnerability in your business story. But not YOUR vulnerability: it's about your clients. 

The experts don't tell you to bare all. They associate vulnerability with being brave. They tell you to be very choosy about your audience. 

You do need to know enough about shame and vulnerability to enter the conversation in your client's mind. Clients can feel vulnerable when they call you - no matter what you offer. 

Understand their fear by digging through their baggage.  Learn more at http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

And forget everything you've heard about "being vulnerable" in business. 

As you know, I've got five story archetypes for basic branding for small, service-based businesses. You can learn more about them in my free report here.

http://cathygoodwin.com/archI talk a lot about the most common archetypes - the Role Model and Educator, and sometimes the Innovator. But I rarely talk about Celebrities or Passionate Advocates...with good reason.

You feel, "I'm already passionate about my work!" But that doesn't mean you're a true Passionate Advocate.

Advocates set limits on what they do. They have to be hard-nosed about it or they'll run out of time. Worse, their clients expect perfection, which they can never deliver.

Listen to this short podcast to learn why it's a good thing to be passionate about your work, but not to brand yourself on your passions! 

To get one-on-one help for your branding, let's talk! Cllck here to learn more.