Stories, Truths and Lies
We’ve all got a story to tell. You don’t need to have a rags to riches story to stand out from the crowd, and you don’t need to have lost or earnt a million pounds to get noticed. You just need to share your own unique story to influence, inform and inspire your clients and show them the possibilities of who they are and who they can be.
I recently interviewed Roberta Jerram from Giant Potential on ‘Why You Need To Include Storytelling In Your Business’ for May’s expert interview for The Business Wow Factor – her first and exclusive interview on this topic!
It reminded me of the time when I realised that I had a story to share. Actually I have plenty of stories, all depending on the situation. I have my business story which I talk about on my website and also personal anecdotes from the experiences I’ve had and the challenges I take on – doing the Inca trail last year is a prime example of this.
One thing I’d like to note is that stories are very powerful in business. They allow you to share your expertise, illustrate a point, share your client’s experiences, and express who you really are. They help you to connect with your listener, convey an emotion and get to the heart of an issue.
Want to tell more stories? Here are three tips to get you started.
1. Get clear on your story – many of your clients won’t care about your qualifications, but they want to get to know who you really are. How can you get your story across through your website, when you give a talk or perhaps in a book? What have been your turning points? How have they influenced who you are today? Why are these stories important?
2. Think about your client’s experiences and where they have come from – if you see me speak at events, run a webinar, or if you read one of my books, you’ll notice that I often use my client’s stories to demonstrate a point. Just remember to get permission or respect the confidentiality of your clients.
3. What fables or other stories are relevant? There are plenty of tales that you can use to illustrate a point. Some of my favourite novels are those which communicate on various levels, like the Alchemist, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and even Winnie the Pooh! When they are relevant and relatable, they will have a strong impact on your listener.
Whichever stories you use, be authentic. As you would have heard in my webinar with Helen Elizabeth Evans last week, there are so many lies crippling the personal and professional development industry, and the most powerful stories are when you let your true personality shine through. How can you be authentic in your stories?
As Roberta shared in our interview together, people buy people and storytelling demonstrates credibility, highlighting the ‘know, like and trust factor’ and increases your likability.
A good story makes people think; it guides them to the next step and inspires.
How can you use stories in your business?
Members can listen to this interview in The Business Wow Factor and you can find out about Roberta’s upcoming workshops on this subject here.
I’d love to find out how you use stories in your business, please feel free to leave your comments below.