I can remember the little girl next door asking my mother how she knew so many stories. That ‘little girl’ is now in her forties, and I’m sure she has stories of her own that she has shared with her family in the years since that time. We all grew up hearing stories, and you can most likely remember the stories you heard from a very young age.
Fast forward to doing business on the Internet in the twenty-first century, and storytelling has become the way we connect with people from around the world, most of whom we will never meet in person. The stories we share let others have a glimpse into who we are and what we believe in, and for those reasons alone they can be invaluable to our success.
Think about why you decided to build an online business in the first place. Did it have to do with a dream you had for your future, a job layoff, the economy, your health, or something else entirely? Whatever the reason, shape it into a story you can share for years to come.
When you are promoting a product or a service, whether it is yours or that of an affiliate, tell the story of how you came to create it or use it, and give as much detail as possible. This will flesh you out to your audience, and set you apart from everyone else doing business on the Internet.
Thanks for this, Connie. I appreciate your constant reminder, in our coaching and on group calls, of how important stories are.
I was a participant in a live facilitators’ workshop last year, not internet-related. The leader kept emphasizing the importance of story and we could see, without her even trying, the impact of her varying stories.
I kept thinking the whole weekend, “but I don’t have any/many stories” and then when I got home I started listening to myself in conversations and heard myself constantly relating various stories. My subscribers have often told me how important the “stories” behind the photos I share, how they came about, are as important to them as the photos themselves and the “Self-Reflecting Queries” that they inspire.
Now, I thank you again for constantly emphasizing their importance in being on our opt-in and sales pages.
Sheila,
I’ve taught a storytelling workshop online twice now, and I will tell you that the students enjoy it very much. They are able to craft their own stories in such a way that they can connect with their prospects and build their business.
Connie