The Most Powerful Marketing Tool
The most powerful marketing tool is a story.
I’ve recently started to reread one of my all-time favorite books, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, and in it there’s an entire section dedicated to the power of storytelling and how it gets people to pay closer attention to what you have to say.
If you think about it, it’s absolutely true. We’re so much more in tune when someone is telling us a story, as opposed to when someone is just “talking at us”, or lecturing. All of my favorite professors from college were ones that were masters of storytelling.
Stories are powerful, and when combined with marketing, the results can be out of this world.
Subway Jared
Do you know who “Subway Jared” is? Chances are, you probably do.
Jared was just a guy who was grossly overweight but lost 245 pounds after going on a strict diet composed of Subway sandwiches. He’s recently become a nationwide hero and celebrity because his story resonates with a lot of people.
Subway was quick to get him on board as a spokesperson for their brand.
Why?
Because they know just how powerful his story is. He’s even a part of their navigation menu on their website, as you can see in the adjacent screenshot.
Online Adwords Campaigns
I’ve noticed a certain trend lately in the pay per click affiliate marketing world. Instead of marketers simply putting an affiliate link into their adwords ads, they are linking over to a site that looks like a blog instead, which have the affiliate links embedded within the posts.
Many traditional marketers would think that this is a huge mistake because we’re in fact adding another step to the entire process. And, as we all should know – the more steps that a customer has to take in order to get through the checkout process, the less chance there is of completing the sale.
Well, it seems like these blogs are cashing, and here’s why:
All the blogs tell a story.
For weight training, we’re seeing stories of Jimmy and Alex who talk about how hours in the gym just wasn’t working for them, and how they finally got their abs chiseled after taking these super supplements or special drink mix, and they have the pictures to prove it.
For teeth whitening (which I know you’ve seen ads for online), the ads click through to blogs that talk about “my mom’s 5 minute teeth whitening trick”.
The products are different, but the idea is the same: stories sell.
People We Know
Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Work Week, tells stories all of the time. His book is filled with passages of him doing things like racing motorcycles in Europe, skiing in the Andes, scuba diving in Panama, and dancing Tango in Buenos Aires, just to name a few of the awesome things he’s done. It reflects the kind of lifestyle he lives, which goes along with his methods for living such a lifestyle, which he graciously outlines for us in his book.
I mean – one of the first sections in the introduction of his book reads in bold letters: My Story and Why You Need This Book.
Again – stories sell.
The big bloggers have their stories too.
I remember Darren Rowse from Problogger.net saying that when he started Problogger.net, he had not yet monetized it. It was only after his wife told him that he had 6 months to make it profitable or else he’d have to dump it that he started to really get serious with blogging.
Yaro Starak from Entrepreneurs-Journey.com started blogging back in the 90s about a geeky card game called Magic The Gathering (which I’ll admit that I played too when I was in middle school). That’s where he learned the ins and outs of blogging which he has since taken to a whole new level as he teaches others how to succeed online with blogging and entrepreneurship.
And Then There’s Me
I’m sure that you would agree that a lot of the rapid growth and success on this blog happened because of my story:
Guy gets laid off.
Guy starts an internet business.
Guy makes even more and works much less.
Even on my LEED exam prep blog, I share a story about how I studied for the exam myself, struggled because of the lack of resources, and decided to create my own, which I now keep updated for new test takers a year and a half after I passed the exam.
I think it gives me an edge over my competitors who are only known by their company name, and not the person or any stories behind it.
Do You NEED A Story In Order to Succeed?
I don’t think you need a story in order to succeed, but I can tell you from experience that it absolutely helps. It’s no wonder why I’ve been asked to do more than a dozen interviews since the beginning of the year.
In my opinion, every blog or internet business should somehow incorporate a story. If not for the inspiration and creation of the business or blog, then at least in some of the blog posts that you write, or in case studies and testimonials from your customers.
On this blog, I’ve written a number of “story posts” which have proven to be some of my top articles on the blog. I could have just presented the lessons without the story, but the story makes what I have to say a lot more meaningful:
- How to REALLY Profit From Your Blog – A story about my friend who wanted advice from me about starting an internet business.
- Shadows of Marketing – Are You Paying Attention? – A story about what I learned in a drawing course in architecture school and how I applied it to marketing and business.
- Are People Talking About You Online? Here’s What You Need To Know – A story about a person I found online who was calling me and what I do online scummy.
So how do you get stories?
Well, you should never make them up. People can read right through fake stories, and it’s always good practice to be totally honest online.
Here are two things you can do:
- Keep your eyes and ears open. Life is already full of stories that are just waiting to be shared, it’s just your job to make sure we realize they’re happening.
- Put yourself in situations to get a good story. That’s right! Make the awesome stories happen for yourself. This might mean stepping out of your comfort zone, or taking that leap of faith, but hey – that’s how we get ahead.
Share One of Your Stories
If you have a website that has a great story to it, or have written a blog post that uses the power of storytelling, please feel free to share and put a link (that’s one link) in the comments below along with a brief summary of your story to go along with it. If it’s a good story, hopefully you can get some clicks over to your blog from some of the other readers.
I look forward to reading what you have to say!
As always, thank you for your support and contribution to the ongoing conversation. Cheers!
p.s. To reiterate, I really recommend reading Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die if you have the chance. Let me know how you like it!
Posted on : February 3rd, 2010
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- 51 Blogging and Online Marketing Tips for the New Year
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- 3 Types of Affiliate Marketing Explained, And The One I Profit From
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82 Comments (Click Here to Leave a Comment Below)
You are so right Pat. It is always a better reading when you know that something really happened and it is not just a theory. I am going to totally re-brand my main blog niche soon and for sure it will be based on my story. Great post like all other you did. Thanks for sharing.
Great KreCi – please let me know when rebranding has started for you, I’d be interested to see how that goes for you! Thanks, and good luck!
Hey Pat,
You had caught my attention through your story and I started following what you have been doing through your blog and Facebook page. This is a great tip and I think I got to update my about page soon.
Cheers,
Vincent
Good call Vincent. I think the about me page is a very appropriate place to put in a story about yourself and your blog/podcast. Let me know when it’s finished. I’d love to have a read. Thanks Vincent!
Some stories probably are more helpful than others.
I was a homeless drug addict doing all sorts of non awesome things before my life was literally saved by music…and I ended up working in the music industry. Because I’ve always been so open and honest about my past there are a lot of times when members of my staff have to deal with someone confronting them about what a horrible person I am and how I don’t deserve any of the things I’ve gotten for working so hard.
People don’t see me as someone who’s strong, or someone with a lot of experience for navigating difficult situations. Which really sucks sometimes because I could have never said anything at all and nobody would have been wiser!
Good thing for me is that my staff backs me up, and I’m brick headed enough to keep putting myself out there to tell people that if they find something they really love they can do awesome things with even the worst of situations.
Wow – thank you so much Laura for sharing that with us. Sometimes, when telling a story, we’ll have to admit to thing that we may not be proud of, but it’s how we’ve changed and progressed over time that becomes the most moving and influential part of the story. And yeah, some people can be harsh for whatever reason, but it’s great to have people to back you up – that’s super important.
Cheers Laura, and thanks again for sharing!
This is definitely true, Pat. I sometimes incorporate a personal element in my posts or illustrate a point I’m trying to make with a fictitious story as an example.
I especially like posts that begin with a story, because (as you say) you simply want to know what happens next or how it ends. Of course, the quality of the story is important in order to be compelling.
Ahh yea – you’re totally right. Stories build suspense and people never want to hear stories that are incomplete, so the readers are more likely to follow along and read all the way through. Great observation! Thanks Bart!
I’m not sure I’ve figured out how to do these bloggy things, but this post sure makes good sense.
If you need any help with anything regarding blogs, please feel free to ask me or the community in the comment section. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Pat!
Stories are definitely huge, Pat. I rarely read blogs so frequently, let alone actively look for new blogs….but, it was definitely your story that attracted me to SPI….not to put other bloggers down, but I don’t believe alot of them have as powerful, or as ‘intriguing’, as a story as you do….perhaps that has to do with how they are conveyed, however, I’ve found some others stories to be flat out lame and boring….
For things like Sales Copy, though, I’ve learned that when stories are integrated they really have to be COMPLETELY relevant to the reader/potential customers. I’ve been very tempted to go off on a tangent with my sales page….but, a book I read about copywriting reminded me that any sales page really has to be customer focused…addressing their needs and conveying a powerful story that they can completely relate to….
Here’s an excerpt from our sales Page….it has yet to be seen if this will be effective or not (lol….fingers crossed)….
“For the longest time, many self purported “Gurus” had us believe that the only true way to earn real money on these Adsense Revenue Sharing Websites was to produce a massive quantity of articles for these websites. Equipped with only our passion for writing, we wrote our fair share of eHow “How-to” articles, HubPages “Hubs”, Xomba “Xomblurbs”, and, Yes, even Squidoo “Lenses”.
After writing a combined 600+ articles for various websites, including Info Barrel, we learned that this couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. We would rather write 20 high earning articles with our strategies and techniques applied, rather than waste our time with a “hit or miss” strategy with hundreds of articles that earned us only pennies.
It won’t take You hundreds of Articles either to really earn!
(Many of our most recent Info Barrel articles earn $30-$50 each per month.)
Little did we know that our writing was seriously misguided……”
Ever hear of the Rich Jerk, Pat? I just read through the eBook a few days ago…. (I believe he expanded the business significantly beyond eBooks…I believe…)
I always thought that was a pretty interesting play on a story that you would think would turn people off, however, it’s done in a way that is really quite captivating and engaging…..”he” does come off as a serious jerk, but, in the meantime he instills alot of really interesting knowledge and information…..
I bet the guy who started that franchise made millions….
Not necessarily the approach I would take….I find your approach to be much better…but, it’s still intriguing nonetheless….
Howie, I do know of Rich Jerk, and yea – it’s an interesting approach, not my style, but it seems to be working. He’s got some vids of him rolling up in a rolls to his mansion with beautiful women…crazy stuff.
Point well taken on the sales letter copy and stories, Howie. I know you’ve been diving hardcore into that as of late, so I really appreciate your insight. Good stuff. I can’t wait to see your launch and how things progress!
I love, love, love storytelling. As you say, it’s how others and myself were drawn to you and your site. It’s through your continuous storytelling that we’ve stayed. I admit though, I’ve got to become more “interesting” to be able to share more compelling stories:-). I was able though to write a storytelling article not long ago – “The Day We Turned Our Financial Lives Around”. Since you’ve given permission I’ll share the link below. Thanks Pat!
http://www.personalfinancenotebook.com/2009/12/30/the-day-we-turned-our-financial-lives-around/
Awesome Patrenia – I’m off to check out the article right now. What a compelling title for an article as well. Cheers!
No links for me but I to intend on using this strategy in the About Me page which I still haven’t done btw, I know, shame on me.
What you say about adwords leading to a blog is interesting. I guess the blog is the new landing page/squeeze page huh?
Yeah – I think it’s looking like that’s the trend as of late. Plus, these guys know blogs rank well in the search engines, so they’re trying to get some free long tail traffic at the same time.
Pat –
When I was laid off in 2002, I decided my next job would be a way to fund a trip around the world. In late 2007, I quit that second job and took my dream trip, spending 20 months visiting more than 20 countries. I kept a travel blog the whole way, and when I returned home in mid 2009, began to aggressively build its traffic and revenue.
At the same time, I was building my first membership course, which I launched Feb 1 to positive reviews: http://travelblogsuccess.com It’s time for me to start teaching other travelers how to build popular and profitable blogs. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!
(PS – Your tips about selling ebooks/products online were a HUGE help for me when developing my sales page. That’s how I found out about you a few months ago.)
Dave – what an awesome story dude. 20 countries and 20 months – I’m seriously totally jealous of you. Very very very inspiring stuff. Thanks for sharing, Dave! (and I’m glad I could help you with your product sales!)
Storytelling is essential, but it almost always confuses people, because most aren’t that good at it (myself included, or at least I think so). But it all comes with practice.
Our brains remember stories. Keep writing and you will get better at them! Good one sir Pat!
True, there’s a difference between impact of storytelling and GOOD storytelling. If you’ve ever listened to the Internet Business Mastery podcast (#1 internet business podcast on iTunes), you’ll notice that Sterling almost always just tells stories on the show, and he’s darn good at it too.
But yea – it takes practice, so definitely keep writing! I still don’t think I’m that good of a writer, but I know for sure I’ve improved since starting this blog
Stories help us relate, Pat! I remember coming across your blog here and reading your story and thinking, ‘I didn’t get laid off, but I can relate! I want to do the same thing. He is what I could be in the next year!”
So yeah
Thanks Moon! Stories are definitely great tools because like you said, you don’t have to be in the same situation (in most cases, people probably are not in the same situation), in order to relate. Good stuff! Thanks Moon, as always!
Hey Pat,
You said it, many readers love to read stories. Especially those related to what your blog or you do and you are telling from real live experience. Many readers find this type of writing creditable.
I do not know the importance of writing stories until I wrote one myself and post it in my About page.
Below is my link
http://www.danieldailyfx.com/about/
Cheers
Hey thanks Daniel, and I apologize about some of your comment getting put into the spam filter. If that ever happens, just let me know in the comments and I’ll fish it out. I don’t know why it does that! So sorry!
Thanks for the link to your blog, and keep up the great work!
thanks Pat
Funny, I’d just gotten a book on writing screenplays to help improve my storytelling skills, because I agree that stories are a powerful (and memorable!) way to communicate ideas. They also help people to connect.
One of my posts that uses storytelling is Use the Power of a Bowl of Ice Cream to Secure Your Financial Future.
Jackie, that’s such a great idea. I love the fact that you’re using non-internet business related tools to help your internet businesses and writing. Genius!
Going to check out your post right now. Sounds yummy! Hehe!
Thanks Jackie!
Pat,
I’ve only been reading your blog for about a week now, but this post is right on the money. When my colleague and I were kicking around ideas for our first book about medical writing, we used the story approach and it worked. Makes us seem much more human and authentic. We even divided our book into 2 parts: Cyndy’s Story and Brian’s Story. You can read an excerpt here: http://www.theaccidentalmedicalwriter.com/uploads/TAMW_Excerpt_10.09.pdf
Thanks for letting me share this link. And you can be sure I’m coming back to your site on a regular basis. You provide great information.
Very cool cyndy, great story about how you created your product, which has stories incorporated into it too! Great stuff!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, and I hope to hear from you again soon! Cheers!
Very true, a well told story that is believable and speaks to the everyday “man” works well. All too often I come across really well designed blogs that merely spit out facts and when you are reading dozens of blogs a day that can get boring.
My story has changed as recent as yesterday, with a much anticipated lay off. So, I’ll be writing my story in more detail and share the link (that’s one link) soon. Although my story is really not that fascinating.
Ms. Freeman – sorry to hear about the potential lay off, I know exact how that feels, but I know that you have the personality and intelligence to quickly bounce back in whatever way you choose. To me, every story is fascinating because they are all unique to one’s experience and life.
By the way, did you get the book in the mail yet? One I sent to Spain has already arrived, so I suspect it has!
OMG! I got so wrapped up in my world I forgot to tell you, yes I got it on Friday of last week and well now I finally have time to actually read it along with other great books out there.
Thanks for sending it and yes I will bounce back and be just fine. NO pity parties here!
Yay!!!! I finally have a story…..
Life begins when 9-5 ends!
http://www.freemanlegacyllc.com/2010/02/laid-job/
Pat: thank-you for the opportunity to share – and to see everyone else’s approach to storytelling. I love this idea. As a former Very Serious Person (banker and lawyer, if you must know), I have yearned to find a career as a storyteller. Losing my job at the start of the Great Recession has provided an opening to a new, Un-Serious life – will I take it? Still pondering.
In the meantime, I find that I love blogging about the search for a calling, and one of my favorite posts included a story about a storyteller:
http://wp.me/pEVt5-7r
I wish you the best of luck with the fork in the road that you’ve just come up to. I think it provides really exciting opportunities for you and your future, in what ever direction you choose.
Thanks for sharing the story, I’ll be checking it out right now. Cheers, and all the best to you!
People’s personal stories draw me in. I like hearing about how someone like me started out and is now doing really well for themselve and learning how they got there. I’m looking forward to having a story like that for myself one day.
Thanks, Heidi
Heidi, thanks for the comment, and please, let me know when you have a story to share. I’m always here to listen. Cheers!
I have a celebrity look alike. It just happens to be a man. And not just any man. A very talented, white, saxophone playing (did I say “male”?) musician. This is the story of how I found out the quiet whispers floating around my high school classroom were the beginnings of a new nickname for myself.
http://www.thelifeofblights.com/2010/02/tootin-my-own-horn.html
Haha! What an awesome blog post Sarah. As much as I love listening to elevator and lobby music, I think your story is much more awesome to take in. I love it! Thanks for sharing that Sarah!
I so agree! Telling Stories lets people into your world. They feel more connected. It makes you seem like a real down-to-earth person. People relate to that. And if it’s a f**k up story, all the better. (Lord knows I have lots of those) People love to read how other People mess up then learn from their mistakes. Great stuff! Love your blogs!
Haha, awesome comment! I think you’re right – people love underdog type stories, or stories of people messing up and bouncing back. It reminds me of Frank Kern, one of the all time top internet marketers (he’s “old school”), and how he got everything taken away by the FTC. He’s now back and doing even better in the business. Good stuff! Thanks!
I totally agree with you about the power of stories, Pat, although I didn’t realize it until I read this post.
Ironically, I just posted a personal story this morning that provides some insight into why I’m so passionate about the niche of marriage improvement. Based on the early feedback I’ve received, it seems to be resonating well and providing a connection with my readers.
You can check it out here (”How Marriage Helped Make Me a Christian”):
http://www.engagedmarriage.com/spirituality/how-marriage-helped-make-me-a-christian
Actually, I just saw that you tweeted that, Dustin! How funny!
Can’t wait to check it out. Thanks, and keep up the great work on your blog man! Great stuff going on at http://www.engagedmarriage.com/!
Pat,
Einstein’s Story about how he learned and became so successful has always inspired me:
http://www.betterlearningbetterearning.com/posts/success-stories/84-einstein-learning-hacks.html
I’d link to the post about your story (that you graciously answered questions to) but figured it’d be redundant on your site.
Thanks!
Ahh, pulling out a story about one of the World’s true geniuses and historical icons. Love it! Going to check out your post right now Steven. Thanks!
Completely true, i get hooked up at your blog becaused i liked your story. After learning your story i got motivated that i can do it too.
Warm Regards,
Azad Shaikh (The Internet Geek)
Thanks Azad! Always a pleasure to have you comment on the blog. Cheers, and best of luck to you!
Hey Pat, I couldn’t agree more about the power of stories. All of the blogs I consistently follow and really love have great stories attached to them. I also read blogs from people with an alias, but I wouldn’t care too much if they went away.
My blog was built around my story.
In a nutshell: learned about all of the money mistakes I was making my junior year of college, loved to travel so I moved to Japan to teach English, started a personal finance site while in Japan for college students and twenty-somethings looking to dominate their finances so they can get on with their lives and do the things they love.
In this post, I used story telling to show what the average day at my job is like as an assistant language teacher with hopes that readers would be intrigued to consider this as a post-college job.
http://www.foreignersfinances.com/daily-life-of-an-assistant-language-teacher-in-japan/
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Austin @ Foreigner’s Finances
Very cool Austin – I bet a lot of people who love to travel would love to know how to teach English around the world. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!
Pat, I found your blog a while ago through Erica Douglass and I’m already loving the stuffs! Story telling is definitely a great way to attract more readers and improve your marketing. In fact, I can definitely leverage that when I’m writing for my own blog. And whenever I manage to put in some kind of stories, I feel that it’s more personal and more effective, so my readers could actually relate to the post instead of just me talking.
I have read a lot about making money online somewhere else but I found your writing to be very informative and helpful. And truly, it’s much easier to stick (I haven’t gotten that book yet, it’ll be on my Amazon wishlist for sure). Sometimes, it’s not about creating totally new content (although it helps), but it’s to tell it in a way that will engage the readers and let the ideas sink in.
Again, thanks a bunch! Appreciate it.
Thanks Ken – your kind words are much appreciated! And you’re so right – storytelling definitely makes whatever you have to say, or even teach, that much more personal and effective! Thanks Ken! Hope to hear from you again soon! Great series on Leadership you have going on on your blog Ken!
Thank Pat! I will be hanging out here pretty often. I definitely need to create something as solid as your blogger’s guide to Facebook. In fact, I will be launching my own fans page in the near future, now that I’ve seen your awesome FB Welcome page! =D
Like others said, I started reading this blog because of the ’story’ you told on IBMA about leaving your old job and starting an online career… so obviously its working. I’ve noticed storytelling works for my blog too
Good post!
Thanks Maren – do you have any story type posts you’d like to share here in the comments? Lovin’ what you’re doing on escapingthe9to5! You’re a rockstar!
Unfortunately in the case of the “teeth whitening trick,” it’s a story coupled with unscrupulous marketing tactics:
http://mikeduffy.typepad.com/smarter_stuff/2009/03/someones-unscrupulous-teeth-trick.html
So the power of storytelling, which I absolutely agree with, should be used ethically.
Mike – I couldn’t agree with you more.
I consider this kind of marketing tactic to be a new kind of splog or spam-blog, impersonating social media by appearing like the real thing.
We should expect that stories will appear more and more in marketing, both for good and compelling reasons, as well as corporate BS and outright scams. Literary intelligence will help us determine which are which as well as write better stories.
And by the way, the FTC now has its eye firmly planted on these kinds of forced continuity billing schemes:
http://mikeyounglaw.com/wp/2010/01/08/free-trial-offers-ft-federal-trade-commission/
You know Pat, I think everyone has a story……if you talk to them and begin exploring everyone has a turning point story somewhere in their life.
My blog came into existence because of my story, my son had a near drowning accident in April 2006 that left him severely disabled and my families journey dealing with this, and in setting up a Foundation to assist other kids like him meant I was looking for an outlet to explore the notion of resilience and talk about things that it would not be appropriate to talk about at the Foundation site.
The Story can be found here http://themickmorris.com/2010/01/21/so-how-did-i-get-here/
Thanks for the opportunity to share…
Thanks for sharing your intense story Mick. I think what you’re doing for your son and others who need a bit of assistance is absolutely wonderful, seriously. I wish there were more people like you in this world. I wish you and your family all the best.
I think the real value of a great story is that it makes it easy for other’s to explain what you do.
Darren Rowse is the ProBlogger
Chris Guillebeau is traveling to every country in the world.
Chris Brogan is the 11 year overnight success in Social Media
Seth Godin is the marketing guru.
One problem is that I think many of us are trying to tell several stories at once and we just confuse people. Focus is key, at least in the beginning.
Yes, indeed! I’ve noticed the same thing. We should stick to one particular story or angle, and really focus on that. Cheers John!
You know I have to say that story telling is the most powerful tool that we have, but most important if its REAL. I like to relate to people and when I find a story that I really connect with, you know the one that makes you say “wow, that shit happened to me”…yea I had that with this blog as soon as you said you got laid-off I was like oh shit this guy is like me “I like him” I am going to see what else we have in common an so on…I think that’s one of the things I like about books too is that you can relate to so many stories and you find that CORE INFLUENCE like Frank Kern says.
You know my story is about how use to sell vacuums door-to-door soon to be a great blogger about entrepreneurship,sales, and self-development. I think I have hit bottom in all aspects of my life, now I am fighting to get back to the top through my blog. For anyone that has similar stories to tell you can share them at wilsonusman.com or at lifescapeartists.com which is another blog I write at.
Don’t sell people, tell them a story…
Hey Wilson – the story definitely has to be real in order for people to relate to it, like you said. Thanks so much for sharing your story, I definitely think it’s a powerful one. Thanks Wilson!
Pat, this article really resonated with me, great stuff man. I’m new to your blog and really diggin it…I liked quite a bit your point about ‘putting ourselves in position to have great stories’. Often times, when people look at a guy like Tim Ferris, they think he is just lucky and ‘I wish I could have experiences like that”. But the truth is Ferris just happens to constantly put himself in position to have awesome moments….he lives life to its fullest and makes things happen around him…as I’m sure you do Pat and so many other readers on here.
Having a newer blog, my most popular article was all about how for years I’ve been the antithesis of a ‘computer nerd’, but how I’ve been able to overcome my ‘Info Tech’ shortcomings over the past 12 months or so. So if any of your out there are struggling to be ‘Tech Savvy’, there is hope: http://www.thesaleslion.com/internet-marketing-small-business-owners-and-how-a-big-dummy-like-me-learned-web-design/
Since most of my stories are either inappropriate for public consumption or not that great (no real success– yet!) I will start sharing the stories of others on my blog. And yes, you’re definitely one of them.
My plan is to share stories in the form of post, interview, and podcast. Let me know if you would be interested Pat.
Great post Pat. I’m halfway through converting a presentation (with lots of stories) into an ebook, and I actually thought about taking out the story part. I thought to myself, people will be bored and I should just get to the “how-to” part of it. But everyone I’ve talked to said that the story is the key. This post helped confirm that route. Keep up the good work. – Jim
Hi
I’m working on refinining my personal story, but I’ve done a website for my wife where she tells her story about how The Sedona Method helped her break free of anxiety, panic attacks and depression.
Read the story here:
http://www.sedonacoaching.co.uk/the-sedona-method/how-the-sedona-method-helped-me/
Be interested to hear what people think.
Hi Pat,
Stories, especially ones I read on blogs, always keep me interested and coming back for more, including yours. I wouldn’t say I have an interesting story to tell (maybe I do?) or that I’m even great at writing a story, but I agree that it’s something I should start doing.
Keep the great stories coming!
Hi Pat,
In my line of work, college finance advisor, I meet with students and parents on a daily basis and hear stories of all kinds. I have started a blog surrounding funding for education and I really am inspired to share some personal stories on that blog. I certainly agree that connecting with someone’s personal experience gives you a sense of encouragement and that”swift kick in the pants” that many times we so desperately need.
You have inspired me to become a story teller on my own blog and see where the journey leads…
Hey Pat. I locked myself out of my house last week. I wrote about it. The traffic was nothing like YOU are used to, I’m sure, but I was pleasantly surprised. I have always thought that the STORY was what connected people, now, after reading this, I’m even more sure…
Thanks for your blog Pat. Here’s my story http://su.pr/23LGNT
Thanks for sharing Kevin, I’ll definitely check out your story right now!
this is my first time visit your web. what catch my attention is you reply almost comments in this post. that’s a way to get loyal readers?? you great, man..
if you have time please read my post http://easy2write.blogspot.com/
Please give another words to conntiue my step..
I am desperate in making money online.. ~_~
Thanks Zigan for stopping by. I do try to respond to as many comments as much as possible. As far as being desperate to make money online, I know that might be the case, but my best piece of advice would be to worry more about being desperate to help other people. if you do that, and do it well, the money will come
This is actually an interesting point,people actually relate more to stories. Rather than tying to sell directly to people you give people the choose to read your story and shopw them the product you are selling does work and they are more likely to want to buy the product as a result! An interesting tactic, one which should not be over looked.
Great work
You’re absolutely right, Paul! I think if you give people the option to choose, you have a better chance of selling something rather than if you force something upon them. Great point! Thanks Paul!
Oh this is cool. At first I thought you were referring to any software that can make your site always updated or attractive enough to catch attention, but then as I read the blog, you were merely referring to the content itself. Nice one. It’s a unique yet very accurate idea.
Thanks Matt! Yeah, I wanted people to think the exact same thing as you, and hopefully realize that no matter what tools or software you end up using, the content is still the most important part, and a story is a way to make it intriguing. Thanks again!
im getting low conversion on one of my sites so going to write up a story for the sales page. hope it works!