3 Things Your Story Needs

Choosing your story

If you’re still sitting there thinking that you don’t have a story to tell, fear not.

You don’t have to hit rock bottom to tell a powerful story, nor do you have to pretend that you know some “billion-dollar” secret for the sake of grabbing your prospects’ attention.

For example, take my own “Man in Hole” example.

Almost every entrepreneur I’ve ever met has as “origin story” revolving around starting off at a soul-crushing 9-to-5 and ending up where they are today.

These sorts of “rags to riches” stories can be found just about everywhere in many different shapes and forms.

Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty prior to becoming a billionaire. Extreme example, sure, but compelling nonetheless.
Steve Jobs dropped out of college to found Apple; however, he essentially lost control of his own company prior to the eventual “i-Renaissance” that reestablished his legacy.

Even if you don’t consider yourself much of a sports fan, year after year “Cinderella stories” make headlines as underdog teams beat out their established competitors.

Remember that time Clemson beat ‘Bama?

People eat these stories up.

Each of these real-world examples follows Vonnegut’s shapes to a “T.”

Maybe your brand is an unlikely hero.

Or perhaps you’ve hit some bumps in the road on your journey as a marketer…

Maybe you’ve lost money.

Maybe you tried a few things and failed.

That’s great!

You’ve got some solid material.

Now use it.

People will relate, believe me.

Three things every story needs

If you have your story in mind, don’t start writing just yet.

Although you don’t have to be as prolific as Stephen King to tell you story, there are three elements every effective story implements, without fail…

Just as your audience is blasted with marketing messages day-in and day-out, your prospects can easily become blind to hearing the same stories again and again.

Therefore, you need to do everything in your power to make sure that your story packs a punch from the word “go.”

Whether it’s imagery of piling bills and no money in your bank account or the life of luxury you hope to promote to your audience, you should strive to paint a vivid picture first and foremost.

Throw them right into your story and don’t waste their time.

Think about your audience and their struggles.

What keeps them up at night?

What holds them back from accomplishing their goals?

Is it money?
Temptation?
Lack of focus?

Your story should touch on such pain points to not only make yourself seem more human, but also let your audience know that you understand them.

Remember: while this may be your story, don’t forget what’s most important is the journey of your readers.

Every story has a climax.

That is, the highest point of tension that leads to the turning point where everything changes.

Ideally, the turning point in your story should be your offer (whatever you’re selling), leaving your readers hungry for more.

It’s easy to get caught up in the storytelling process; however, it’s crucial to insert your product or service as the solution to the problems you present, as the means of actually selling via your story.

A word of warning…

Regardless of what direction you go with your tale, make sure that your story has a purpose.

Bear in mind that your story shouldn’t be fluff or hype, nor should it be an excuse to whine.

Nobody wants to hear that.

Likewise, droning on and on without a clear purpose will turn your readers off.

But always remember this…

You shouldn’t offer up a story that’s free of tension.

For example, I’m much more likely to listen to the guy who dug himself out of a hole versus the guy who’s never worked a day in his life.

While you don’t necessarily have to tug at the heartstrings as your audience (don’t take ’em too low)…

You must take your readers on a journey

Help them understand how you got from “Point A” to “Point B” and take them along for the ride.

The purpose of your story should be to entice your readers to know more about your brand and product whilst simultaneously keeping them on the edge of their seats.

But most importantly, your stories should serve to make you and your offer more attractive to your prospects.

Vonnegut recognized that writers could use these timeless shapes of compelling stories to quickly craft their own.

Thankfully, you can do the same and instantly create a real emotional connection with your prospects.

…a connection which will not only set you apart from the competition, but will also allow you to create a legion of followers that actually look forward to hearing from you.

And the more they hear from you, the more likely that are to buy from you.

Over and over again.

So, now you know the process for telling your story.

Need help finding and growing your audience?

Because successful selling is all about putting your story in front of the right audience, with shared struggles and interests, so they’ll actually want to stick around and hear you out.

You know, so you’re not trying to sell steak to a vegetarian, so to speak.

So if you’re ready to zero in on how to grow your business and audience that’s predisposed to be captivated by your story then grab your Free 10-Day Recruiting Bootcamp with my Mentor Ferny Ceballos who has taught me everything I know about Attraction Marketing that has 10xd my business in the past year. Enjoy!!

Cheers to your success!