It was a Dark & Stormy Night...

It was a Dark and Stormy night; three men sat in a cave, and one said "Captain, tell us a tale..." and this is the tale he told...

It was a Dark and Stormy night, three men sat in a cave...

I remember sitting with my Grandfather and listening to him telling stories about how he learned to drive in the 1920's, moved from Bradford to Birmingham, courted my Grandmother and helped design the Jules Rimet World Cup, the Ford Mustang Badge and other iconic designs that have become known throughout the world...

It turns out the story was derived from the work of  Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, the First Secretary to the Colonies - LINK

Harold was a Yorkshireman, so had a fierce pride in the County of his birth and also a dry and comical sense of humour when it came to telling us about his exploits; he was a great story teller, and even if he told us the same story time and time again, we never grew tired of hearing them. 

Sometimes he would start telling us the story of the "Three Men in a Cave..." a circular and meaningless tale that drew groans and smiles each time he mentioned it; it became a family "standard" and formed part of our language between each other...

What is your Story...?

People may care about what you know; but they care more about how you came to know it...

People like stories; they like to know about you, your business and why you do what you do. It is something that truly defines you as unique and different, it allows people to make an emotional connection to you before they decide to connect with you or buy from you.

If I join the dots, and look at where most of our clients have come from, there is a common thread;

1. Liking - I believe that at some level they all like Lynn and I and respect what we stand for and where we have come from...

2. History - our story resonates with them; they can see that we have earned the right to work with them and we keep our promises...

3. Trust - they can find about who we are and what we do before they meet us through our books, articles, blogs and videos...

4. Ability - our services and achievements are published, and we have testimonials and feedback that demonstrates the fact that what we deliver actually works...

Maybe some of them will comment here too.. :-)

Telling your story is critical when it comes to attracting people to your business, but beware....

Putting your story together will mean that some people are naturally attracted to you and what you stand for, however, others will be put off...

Is this a good thing...?

Yes - a very good thing, and here's why...

We only engage with people that like our story, others don't bother and avoid us. What this means is that we only attract like minded people who we enjoy working with and get great results as a consequence - we don't have to waste time with those that "don't get it..."

How can you achieve the same...?

Here is your 5 Point Plan for telling your compelling story and attracting the clients that  you truly deserve...

1. Get Published - write a book. Not as hard as it seems, if you can put 15,000 words together in a sequence that makes some sense, you can get published. 

2. Story - be prepared to tell the real story of how you arrived, why you do what you do what difference you make to the world.

3. Spread the Word - do a Blog (like this one...) get a YouTube Channel, get on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and tell everyone what you are doing and why you are doing it.

4. Get on Stage - the ability to tell stories to a live audience is the best way to build your brand; talk in front of whoever will listen and build your following.

5. Collaborate - with like minded people, share networks and material. Go to events and build a community of people that Like, Know and Trust you..

Regardless of the business you are in, Your Story is the most compelling aspect of your business; be prepared to tell it and you'll be surprised at the response you get..

Have a great week...