Stories sell.
And if you don't like 'selling' try stories instead.
Obviously I am very strong proponent of the adage that people buy from people but it's true for my business and all the business owners I work with.
Now much as you can 'create' a brand around who you are, what really sells you are your stories.
What we want to know (as a prospective client) are things like...
- Who are you?
- Why do you do what you do?
- What's the detail that makes what you different?
- How can I 'see' what you do?
- What's your favourite part of what you do?
- When did you know what you do now was your 'Thing'?
- What is it that you love to 'give' your clients?
- Tell me why I need what you have?
And all those who, what, why, when and how questions but in YOUR WORDS, with YOUR STORIES.
I cannot stand what I call 'brochure speak' on websites, leaflets, conversations and of course brochures. It's just blah blah blah. If you've heard me speak you know I share the 'is it just me?' game (not such a fun game if you're a fan of brochure speak btw!). This is where I get you to blank out your name/your company name on your copy (website, brochures) and see if you could hand the copy that's left to a competitor and they could fill in their name and use it. If your copy could be used by a competitor then you don't have enough of 'you' in it. And the easiest way to resolve this is TELL US A STORY.
Your stories are YOUR stories.
They explain to us (as the market) why you do what you do the way that you do it. No-one else is going to have the same story - the same 'reasons why'. This is what we need to know.
It always comes down to your WHYS.
So get wise with your whys and we'll want to buy!
Want to talk more about this?
Great post.
Telling a story really does work and the question “why?” is powerful because ‘why’ produces reasons whereas who what where when and how all produce facts. Ask Rudyard Kipling as these are his 6 serving men!