How Service Professionals Can Market Themselves Effectively Through Storytelling
December 22, 2009 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Wright Ideas
How Service Professionals Can Market Themselves Effectively Through Storytelling
December 22, 2009 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Wright Ideas
Online business owners increasingly realize the power of storytelling for website content, blogs and even teleseminars. Storytelling for business has become a hot topic.
Independent professionals increasingly use stories to promote their services. They realize that readers relate to narratives rather than straightforward essay type content because
– stories create suspense, compelling readers’ attention
– when readers pay attention and hang on for the “what next,” they’re not multitasking
– readers and listeners remember stories far longer than they remember abstract ideas.
Stories are particularly helpful for professional services such as coaching, where marketers face challenges simply explaining what the service offers. Clients often have no idea what to expect and don’t realize the value of hiring coaches, massage therapists, healers, or even certain types of psychotherapists and lawyers.
So lots of people are jumping on the story bandwagon. But that’s not enough: you need to understand how to tell your story most effectively to motivate readers to consider hiring you. For example, here is one story told my a professional (all details disguised):
“When Jane called me, her home office was a disaster. She was spending lots of time filing papers but she couldn’t find anything. After we talked, she realized that filing papers was not a good use of her time. Or maybe if she really had to file, she needed a way to make that filing become a revenue-generating opportunity.”
What’s wrong with this story?
This story is what I call a client success story. It’s got some of the ingredients, but is missing a few key pieces. How about this:
“When Jane called me, her business was stalled. As we reviewed Jane’s schedule, we realized her day disappeared around 9 AM when she took up the task she dreaded most: filing.
“I talked to Jane about her goals for the business. We discovered that Jane was overwhelmed by paper, including some papers she didn’t need to create, let alone store. I showed Jane my unique 5-step system for handling paper.
“Jane told me she felt like she gained two hours each day. We identified other tasks she could be doing that would lead more directly to revenue generation. After six months, Jane reported, her sales increased and she had three new clients.”
Business storytelling calls for an understanding of business as well as the storytelling process. Get instant access to information about using stories for your own business, with detailed examples. Download an audio file and learning guide at Story Telling For Profits. From Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., the Website Makeover Coach MakeWebsiteProfits.com.
3 Powerful Exercises to Use When You Feel Doubtful, Stuck Or Overwhelmed in Your New Business
November 24, 2009 by Dr. Letitia Wright
Filed under Featured Articles, Wright Ideas
In my work as a psychotherapist, I give my clients cognitive-behavioral strategies to conquer depression and anxiety. I have found that many of these cognitive-behavioral strategies translate well to my coaching practice.
The women small business owners I coach, especially those who are new, can sometimes hit blocks that leave them doubting their abilities, feeling stuck or overwhelmed. I find that these three cognitive-behavioral exercises work well to move them forward.
3 Powerful Exercises to Use When You Feel Doubtful, Stuck Or Overwhelmed in Your New Business
By Kate Sanner
1. Look for Clues – When you begin to doubt your abilities to succeed, it’s time to look for clues. Look in the recent past for the times when you did solve a difficult problem, when you succeeded despite the odds, when you were able come through at the last minute. Acknowledge your abilities, your ingenuity and your resourcefulness. Write these down – this is your list of successes to read over whenever you feel self-doubt. Keep adding to the list every new accomplishment and breakthrough.
2. Rate Your Performance in a Different Light – Let’s say you have been struggling with a project and you feel as if you’ve hit a wall. It’s time to rate your performance…but in a whole different light. On a scale of 0-10, zero being no progress and ten being the completed project, rate your progress so far. Let’s say you rated yourself a 3 out of 10. Now ask yourself why you rated yourself so high? In doing so, you will see the three in a positive light…after all, it’s not a zero. Then ask yourself: “What skills did I use to get me to a three?”, “What resources did I access to get me that high?”, “What personal qualities did I draw upon that made me get to that number?” Write these down. Now ask what you can do to get to a 4 out of 10…don’t focus on the 10, just focus on getting to one point higher.
3. Partialize and Prioritize – Often times when you are in the midst of a big project for your business, you can find yourself overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Break down the project into more manageable parts then prioritize the tasks in each part in terms of importance. Concentrate on one part at a time and do the most important things that will give you the biggest rate of return on your time in each part. You’ll feel a sense of relief as you watch your to-do list of tasks begin to be ticked off one-by-one.
Being a new small business owner can bring special challenges that can keep you stuck, overwhelmed and frustrated. Having a business coach can be an invaluable asset. Kate Sanner is the CEO and founder of Vivacity. As a coach and consultant, Kate helps a woman on the verge of doing great things to take the leap into the life she has been dreaming of…whether it’s starting a business, writing a book or fulfilling a life long ambition. Once a woman has made the jump, Kate then provides tools and resources so that a woman can continue to take herself to new levels and to maximize and monetize all her efforts for continuous growth, financial gain and success. To get a FREE copy of Vivacity’s “The Think and Play BIG System”?, a 10 Step, 46-page guide,- a $57 value – that shows you how to bring your vision for your enterprise into reality and onto new levels, go to http://vivacitynow.com and fill in your first name and primary email address in the box in the upper right hand corner, then click on Yes, Send My System Now.
