How many times have you gone to a website and found it was just plain boring? Like, it felt like reading one of your old college textbooks?

In this episode, we explore

...why there's so much wimpy copy out there
...parallels between writing wimpy copy and getting stronger by working out
...why stories solve the biggest problem of writing wimpy copy: saying good things about yourself
...two micro-tips to make stories come alive
...why you need to get into your audience's mind to write strong copy
...examples of strong copy with stories

RESOURCES:

FREE: 7 Copywriting Tips to Jumpstart your Sales. Click here to learn more.

Course on writing copy by telling stories - Click here to learn more.

Course on getting into your prospect's mind - Click here to learn more.

Story consultation: your 2-week sprint to transform your marketing, beginning with a 90-minute consultation. Click here.

What's a cat story?

People who have cats tend to be fanatical about them. They tell stories about how cute the cats can be, how spoiled they are, and how they drive their owners crazy. 

If you're been on Facebook for more than 5 minutes, you realize that people can't get enough cat stories. 

But there are 3 lessons a solopreneur from cat stories, even if you're not a cat person. Why do these stories have so much appeal? What do they do for the storyteller?

This episode isn't typical, but it was fun to record and I hope you enjoy it, whether or not you like cats! Please leave a comment and tell me the role cats -- and cat stories -- play in your own life. 

Related episodes:

How do you add a personal story (especially a cat story!) to your portfolio...and still come across and credible and knowledgeable? Dorie Clark does this really well.

 The Right Way To Tell a Cat Story for Personal Branding 

Lisa Yoder tells us how to appeal to a special-interest audience. She uses cat lovers as one of her humorous examples.

How To Add Stories to Your Course Design

Consultation:

My one-to-one consultation on marketing your solopreneur business more effectively.
Click here to learn more.

Storytelling for service-based solopreneurs isn't just for fun. It's not a device to gain attention and draw in a crowd of people from your niche. 

So what can a story do for your business? In this episode, you'lll learn how to use stories to make y.our marketing easier.

You will learn...

... 4 ways you can use stories to complete marketing activities - with samples

...Why every story you tell is a branding story (whether you plan them this way or not)

...What’s different about a selling story

...3 guidelines for telling a business story (the second will be a surprise)

Resources:

FREE: Link to story archetypes

Kindle Book on storytelling (free with Kindle U limited): Grow your business one story at a time

Course on creating your selling story

Workbook on characters in your selling story

Podcasts on the characters in your story:

The hero
The guide
The cheerleaders
The villain

Certain story templates are more effective when it comes to attracting more clients and generating more sales.

Is it because they create more intense conflict? 

The surprising answer is, "No."

In his book, Story Paradox, Author Jonathan Gottschall reveals a stunning fact: the higher the level of poetic justice on a TV show, the higher it performs in the ratings. 

In this episode of Strategic Storytelling, you'll discover the real reason these stories work...and you'll be able to apply these insights to your own business. 

 
Jonathan Gottschall's book, The Story Paradox explores the darker side of storytelling.

My ebook, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time, explains how to use storytelling purposefully for business growth. 

Visit my website for more resources.

… 

Without credibility, you can't have a successful business. That's the lesson from Mitchell Levy, a Global Credibility Expert. 

In this episode, Mitchell explains why credibility is important. He identifies some surprising indicators of credibility, such as being coachable, being a servant leader and showing up. 

We also talked about using stories to reinforce credibility (and how the wrong story can kill your credibility fast).  We came up with some memorable examples! 

This episode will give you a new perspective on how to use credibility as an essential source of business growth. 

Mitchell can be reached at http://mitchelllevy.com 

My course on credibility:
http://cathygoodwin.com/credcourse

If you buy that, you're not getting the full power of storytelling. Stories can support for your strategy and simplify your marketing.

That's the big difference between personal and business stories. Personal stories might get an appreciative laugh, but business stories can do so much more. Anyway, your business audience might not be amused by your personal stories.

I've referenced the topic indirectly. This episode clearly shows the difference between personal and business stories - and how strategizing your story helps you go beyond entertainment to reach your business goals. 

Discover 17 ways storytelling can help grow your business with this free guide: http://mycopy.info/17ways

We hear a lot about rebranding. Bt what happens when you take your business in a new direction? Or direct your energy toward a new target market? 

This episode introduces 3 steps you need to rebrand profitably with a new story. 

Find your story archetype here

As a business storyteller, your goal is to get listeners and readers involved in your story. They will see themselves in your story. They will want to jump in and join the story.

Or realize "this isn't my story" and go elsewhere, saving you both some time.

Learn more about storytelling when you download 17 Surprising Ways to Grow Your Business With Stories - free when you click here: http://mycopy.info/17ways

Enjoy the podcast - and don't forget to leave a rating and a review, preferably on the Apple website. 

Most stories will attract attention. Small business owners need to go beyond attracting attention to create stories that attract and persuade. 

How do you attract your ideal clients? Create a story with elements they can relate to. A story that helps them see themselves in the story.  

How do you do this? It's a pretty simple tweak, actually... but you have to decide consciously to structure your story this way. 

This episode shows you how.

To better enter the conversation in your client's mind, download my free guide - http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

If you like this podcast, don't forget to leave a review and subscribe! 

From Cathy Goodwin - cathygoodwin.com 

Just as you do workouts and exercises to be ready to play tennis or basketball, you need to exercise your storytelling muscles so you'll be ready when you need a story. 

You don't always need a story - but when you need one, you need to have the skills to choose and tell that story. 

Just as your gym workouts prepare you for basketball, these exercises prepare you for the storytelling event that makes a difference. 

Free download: 17 surprising ways to use storytelling for business -
http://mycopy.info/17ways

When you’re new to your business or career field, you might be asking yourself, “Am I really qualified to do this?”

Your friend, mentor or coach assures you, “Of course! You know more than you realize.” 

They might even say, "You have impostor syndrome!: 

Are they right Do you suffer from impostor syndrome? Or are you being encouraged to be an impostor?

How. can you tell? Look to the truth of your story.

Frankly, most of us have been impostors at one time or another. When you’re just getting started, it’s easy to tell yourself, “I’ll fake it till I make it.” You may not even realize you're doing it.

On the other hand, a lot of qualified business people have trouble claiming their true and powerful stories. 

What are the signs of an impostor? Some of them may surprise you! 

Does this episode resonate? Let me know in the comments or send me a message.

Mentioned in this podcast: 

Episode  45: Your connect the dots story 

Episode 37: Why story has more impact than voice   

5 story archetypes – http://cathygoodwin.com/arch 

The long game  - http://cathygoodwin.com/clarklong 

Episode 151 - The second-most important character in your selling story is—drumroll, please—the guide. That is you! 

The guide is the person, spirit or animal who helps the hero solve their problem or problems. The way you write yourself into your story will have a huge impact on your audience. They’re considering hiring you as a guide and they want to know several things. 

You want to convince people that your story is special and that you are unique. How do you do that?

In this episode you will learn: 

The 3 major roles the guide can play in solving the hero’s problem.

How our. DIY economy is affecting the role of the guide.

Empathy and expertise: how does that affect the. Client’s choice?

Why it’s important to understand how people choose their guide.

Why being a guide as a solopreneur is very different from being a guide in a fairy tale or hero’s journey.

RESOURCES:

A Workbook for Casting the Characters In Your Selling Story

Course: How to Write a Story That Sells

Donald Miller’s book on storytelling - Storybrand

Random Acts of Medicine - offers helpful (and surprising) info on working with medical guides (including the notion that sometimes a brand-new doctor will be more effective than an experienced one)

Intuition for Career and Business Decisions (an ebook from Amazon)

FREE: What is your story archetype: a guide to business branding

NOTE: Error at 3:35 - should be “Maybe the guide solves the problem for the client,” not "maybe the hero solves the problem)

Yes - you should include vulnerability in your business story. But not YOUR vulnerability: it's about your clients. 

The experts don't tell you to bare all. They associate vulnerability with being brave. They tell you to be very choosy about your audience. 

You do need to know enough about shame and vulnerability to enter the conversation in your client's mind. Clients can feel vulnerable when they call you - no matter what you offer. 

Understand their fear by digging through their baggage.  Learn more at http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

And forget everything you've heard about "being vulnerable" in business. 

When you get an "aha moment" (almost what used to be called a "Eureka moment") you see the world a new way. Maybe you ask a new question. Maybe you see a way to reconcile conflicting viewpoints. Above all, you get a surprise.

This episode shows 3 ways a story can create an aha moment. When you create this kind of moment, you find your readers or listeners often are more willing to listen to you with an open mind...or discover an important lesson on their own.

Learn more about the role of storytelling in marketing from this free report - http://mycopy.info/17ways 

But what does a "catchy" slogan do for us?? For a big brand of cola or sportswear, a catchy tag line may stand out.

Small businesses don't have time. Clients make decisions by clicking a mouse. They don't see our ads on television and magazines. We have to go for "persuasive," even "profitable" content. 

Instead of being catchy, focus on entering the conversation in your client's mind. I explain more in my free report - 
http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

Don't forget to leave a rating and a review - help the podcast continue to grow! 

You share "your story" -- especially a personal story--and you get backlash.

Often that story will be the *one* story your audience will hear about you. You're judged (fairly or not) by that one story. 

Inspired by the Ted Talk, Danger of a Single Story, this episode shows why you need to realize that any story can become your branding story. You'll be identified by the story, which can become distorted. 

Your audience reviews your story through the lens of their backstory. I have a free report on finding your client's backstory - http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

Some unusual examples here! Tell me what you think. 

Please leave a rating and review - preferably on Apple - and share widely. 

In traditional stories, the guide just appeared to save the hero's life, money, or dream. Cinderella's godmother showed up spontaneously; Luke Skywalker finds one Yoda.

There's a hidden step to your own business hero story. In this episode, you'll learn about the 7 steps in Donald Miller's Storybrand framework, based on my interpretation of his deservedly popular book. We apply the steps to a fairy tale hero - Cinderella - and a contemporary business client.

We'll have some fun imagining Cinderella's godmother promoting herself for the role as she competes against other godmothers. 

The godmother (and you) need to understand the client's backstory. You can download a free guide to help you enter the conversation in the client's mind: http://cathygoodwincom/baggage

Enjoy the episode!   

Storytellling for business doesn't work like storytelling for movies and novels. You start with different ingredients and you assemble them strategically.

Persuasive stories don't follow the "beginning, middle, and end" structure.
They don't follow the "and then one day" style of improv either.

They're designed to show how you help clients. They don't leave you feeling good. They leave you feeling, "I want what they're having."

I mentioned a couple of free guides:
Enter the conversation in your client's mind:
http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

Discover your story archetype: 
http://cathygoodwin.com/arch

If you like this episode, please don't forget to leave a rating and a review. We're still in the early stages and I'd love to connect with you. 

They won’t connect the dots for you. That’s why you need a story that shows exactly how you got from there to here.

This episode walks you through 4 parts of a successful connect-the-dots story…a story that won’t just satisfy curiosity, but helps you position yourself as an expert…and relate more effectively to prospective clients.

References to archetypes are explained in this free guide.
Learn how to speak directly to your target market with this course
and tips for personal branding with stories 

Small service businesses walk a fine line in branding. They don't want to blend in with everyone else (like "little boxes" of the famous song).

But sometimes it's tempting to go to the other extreme: an original name to describe your service. 

The middle bear approach - not too hot or too cold - begins by telling a story that resonates with your client's story. We're all hard-wired to categorize. Your challenge is to help the client find a way to understand what you do, yet differentiate from the competition. 

That's what we cover in this episode.  The free ebook mentioned is http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

As you build a portfolio of business stories, business owners often come up against a challenge: you've got a story but the audience can't relate to the context. How do you get your audience involved in a story about an experience that feels unfamiiliar - even alien - to them?  

That's a daily challenge for Neil Bardhan, a Philadelphia-based business storytelling consultant. In this episode, you'll hear Neil's own story, which integrates his background in science, drama, and storytelling.

In a case study of a recent project, Neil explains exactly how he coaches ordinary people to tell their stories to an audience that's totally outside their world. He'll share very specific tips to make your story relatable to a broad audience.  Neil can be reached through his website, BardhanConsulting.com 

Noted business author and influencer Dorie Clark presented a thoughtful Ted Talk on December 21. We feel busy, she says, because we try to do the impossible, we want to feel "in demand," and (perhaps most importantly) we want to avoid dealing with something large or small. To illustrate the last point, Dorie illustrates with a story about her late cat, Gideon. 

In this episode, I analyze why the story works. I would classify Dorie as an "Educator" archetype (although of course she has no awareness of my framework and likely wouldn't care). However, I'm. constantly surprised at how many successful business owners conform consistently to one of the story archetypes.  

Here's a good example of a personal story that fits the brand of an Educator archetype, well-presented and successful on a number of dimensions. 

We've talked about the hero in your story. We had an episode about the villain. And today we're going to talk about the character nobody mentions: the cheerleader.

You can't be with the hero all the time, no matter how good you are. The cheerleader helps the heroes achieve their goals by just being there.

You as the guide can help the hero find supportive cheerleaders. Sometimes people have to pay for this support, but often that support is available if your client--the hero--knows where to look. Sometimes you show them why it's important.

When you help the hero find a cheerleader, you gain credibility as a guide. You help your heroes solve their problems. 

Would you like to learn more about casting the characters in your selling story? Check out this workbook--a guide to walk you through the process. Cast your characters!

Additional resources: 

Who's your hero's story -- a podcast

Who is the villain of your story - a podcast

How to write a story that sells - a self-paced video course

Anyone can make business plans - but turning business plans into business actions mean you need to believe you can do everything on your planning sheet. You need a clear picture of what you want your business to look like. You need that that "I can do it" belief and that "I'll enjoy making it happen" feeling. 

Stories help you set goals that you're more likely to achieve, instead of an abstract wish list that looks good and gives you nothing but guilt.

The truth is, the use of stories for planning has a long and respectable history. Scenario planning was used in WWII to anticipate the unthinkable. 

In this episode you'll discover why stories are particularly effective for small business planning and the 3 kinds of stories you can use as you plan your own business.

Content is based on my book Grow Your Business One Story At A Time - http://mycopy.info/kbstory - Free with Amazon Kindle Unlimited.  

You attend a marketing workshop, get interviewed on a podcast, Or you're being interviewed for a podcast and the host says, "So let's start with this question: What's your story?"

How would you answer this question?  

Would you find yourself stopped cold, wondering what to say?

Would you bring up your tried-and-true rags to riches hero's journey story?

You have a window of opportunity to showcase your strengths...or convince your followers you're a flake. Here are 2 tips to choose a story that makes the sale. 

Learn more with my FREE report- 3 story mistakes most business owners make (and how to avoid them):
http://CathyGoodwin.com/mistake

Storytellers sometimes experience external distractions. A classic example comes from the time a large black fly landed on a presenter's head during a political debate. 

You can't always control outside distractions. But sometimes, the way you tell your story can send your audience's mind moving in a direction where you don't want them to go. 

In this episode we look at 3 ways you can distract your audience by making these common mistakes...and with just a few tweaks, you can create story experiences that completely engage and captivate your audience. 

You can download a free guide - 17 ways to use storytelling to grow your business - here: http://mycopy.info/17ways 

Ask any copywriter: Clients want their content to "sound like me." But online writing doesn't get read like a literary classic. Readers skim and scan. They notice phrases and expressions. They remember stories. Owners of small businesses and online entrepreneurs will be most productive when they focus on message - not voice.  

Free download on branding with story archetypes - http://mycopy.info/brandsteps

A lot of copywriting guides promise to give you a set of "power words" to jazz up your copy and get better results.

The truth is, you'll get more bang for the buck by starting with your power story. Not all "power words" will be powerful for your brand Stories  will help you relate directly to your clients and their stories.  

This episode gives you a detailed example of how to start with a story and then go on to write compelling copy for your sales pages and landing pages. Copywriting becomes infinitely easier and delivers more results when you start with your story. 

As a business, you choose how you will respond to what’s known as the “holiday season.” Will you incorporate themes into your marketing? Will you ignore it altogether? And what kinds of stories will you share?

One thing is for sure: As a small business, you respond differently from a big brand — companies that make sportswear, cola, and beer. They produce emotional, memorable commercials. Sometimes they generate controversy. 

As a small business, you operate differently. I explained this in a podcast that was released a few years ago. It still holds true today. The episode covers…

… examples of “big brand” marketing that aren’t useful for small businesses

…a discussion of story archetypes and how each archetype might incorporate holiday thees in content creation

…three tips for adding holiday themes to your marketing

…how to deal with sensitive topics that arise on holidays

RESOURCES

Story archetypes (FREE): http://cathygoodwin.com/arch

Branding with stories: http://mycopy.info/storybrand

My Halloween holiday-themed podcast

Story-selling vs. Story-telling: self-paced video course

Consultations for strategy and copywriting - Click here.

Can you use made-up stories to market your real business?

The short answer is “yes.” The longer answer is, “Only under certain conditions.”

In this episode, we look at 2 kinds of made-up stories that can be harmful to your credibility and 1 kind of story that will almost always benefit your marketing. 

Down my free guide to 3 common storytelling mistakes - click here.

I wrote a blog post on this topic also

Entrepreneurs and small business owners often wonder about the whole storytelling thing. They figure stories just help entertain and captivate your audience. That's true, but stories do a lot more...if you have the right story.

So now you've got a story with lots of the right qualities: a hero,  guide, and a suspenseful plot. How can you assess the business value of the story...will it help grow your business or just bring a few laughs? 

This episode gives you 3 questions you can ask to test your story's value as a profitable marketing partner. The right story will transform your business; the wrong story will drive away your best audience.

You can learn even more about the value of stories to grow your business through my Amazon kindle book - Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. It's free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. 

I also have a free report you can download - 17 surprising ways to use stories for business growth: http://mycopy.info/17ways

Don't forget to leave a rating and a review! Excellent way to build storytelling karma. . 

Many business storytellers encourage us to learn from Disney movies and classic epic journey stories. In this light-hearted episode, I suggest that you might do better to take lessons from old-time country-and-western songs. 

PBS recently called attention to the universality of this music with an 8-part primetime series, so maybe it's getting more cool. What bears study is the way these songs communicate fairly complex stories, using a shorthand of specific description. 

Many people look down on this genre but it's been played in the US White House and on mainstages all over the world. Like good marketing content, the words resonate with people at an emotional level, transcending national boundaries.

It's a very different kind of episode. Let me know if you like it!
If you'd like to learn more about storytelling, I have a free report: 17 ways to use storytelling to grow your business. Download at
http://mycopy.info/story17 

If you're the least bit unconventional, sooner or later you'll be advised to brand yourself as a maverick, renegade or rebel. t 

That's a really bad idea, because it...

...violates the "show don't tell" rule. Real mavericks don't have to explain who they are.

...doesn't communicate a benefit

...may actually backfire. 

Understanding the pitfall of this branding approach will highlight principles of branding we often fail to recognize. This is a fun podcast with some helpful tips for branding your business ...which is different from branding like the big guys.

In this podcast episode we are going to look at casting the characters in your story.

We’ve already talked about the villain. The other characters are the hero, the guide and the cheerleaders.

Who is the hero of your story?

The hero has a problem. Often it’s a serious problem. Sometimes it's trivial, like a leaky faucet. You have a more dramatic story when the hero has a serious problem that requires steps to solve.

You are the guide who solves that problem. We will talk about the guide's role in the next podcast.

Here's what we cover and what you will learn. 

-- There are 3 kinds of heros - you, your client, or an imaginary person. 

-- There are 3 qualities the hero possesses - these will surprise you. The hero can’t be a loser even though the hero brings you a problem. 

People don’t want to identify with losers: so who do they choose? 

What about the hero who’s the client of a lawyer or tax preparer? The hero doesn’t do a lot of work, but the hero can’t be totally passive.

-- Finally, what happens to the hero?  You don't wave a wand but your client -- the hero -- does come away as a different person.

The hero sells your story. The hero is the client. The prospect turns to your story and sees the hero as a mirror.  That’s the essence of a selling story. 

Other podcasts you may like:

The villain in your story - episode 148

You don’t have to be passionate to be a passionate advocate - episode 135

What is a persuasive story - episode 46

Cast the characters of your selling story --the workbook: A fill in the blanks guide to choosing the characters for your story. Click here for more.

How to tell a story that sells. Choosing characters is just one component.

If you'd like to work with me, learn about the Strategic Intensive coaching program.

Learn about the five archetypes of small business branding when you click here.

Lots of small business owners work hard on website marketing, yet feel like something is missing. They've done everything right and yet they don't get the results that should be theirs. 

With Halloween around the corner, I remember the days when my website felt more like a haunted house than a warm, friendly place to welcome clients.

Today my clients tell me they feel the same way. Their sites are haunted by ghosts of past mentors. They sound creaky with too many voices. 

This light-hearted video helps you identify 5 tips to transform your website from a haunted house everyone avoids to a friendly home on the Internet where your prospects and clients feel like welcome guests.

Some of my free materials on website marketing are:
Website planning guide 
10 signs you need a website makeover

Entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners often get advised, "Tell the origin story for your business." 

But where does your business origin story fit your business marketing strategy? Tell your story to highlight your passion for your business, your expertise and skill, the way you differentiate yourself, and your credibility. 

In this podcast we analyze 3 examples of origin stories - 2 from medium-sized companies and 1 from a solopreneur. You'll discover how stories work to highlight your advantages and what pitfalls to avoid when sharing your story, so you'll get more clients and avoid sending the wrong message.

Learn more in my book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. http://mycopy.info/kbstory and my website http://CathyGoodwin.com  

Entrrepeneurs and small business owners often hear that "What's your story" really means, "Tell your origin story."

But business storytelling has a purpose. So you can choose from different kinds of origin stories, depending on what you need to communicate to your ideal clients.

What makes a good origin story? And what are the pitfalls of origin stories for business storytelling? That's what we talk about here.

This episode draws from my book, Grow your business one story at a time. 

Business storytelling experts tell you to share your journey story. Usually that means a story of your struggles to go from broke to successful entrepreneurship 

But what if you never were broke? What if you didn't go through a struggle? Or what if you actually turn your audience away by sharing Too Much Information?

In this episode we'll look at examples of journey stories that backfired. We'll admire an amazing story from blogger Jon Morrow. You'll discover which story archetype will benefit most from sharing journey stories. 

Based on my book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. 
http://mycopy.info/kbstory

Small business storytelling begins with your strategic purpose. It's absolutely not a fairy tale!

So forget about finding the arc of the story. Entrepreneurs can't look to the movies for models of business stories.

In this episode, we take a close look at Cinderella. We see what a business Cinderella would look like and how to turn the original Cinderella story into a marketing story that would work.

Episode based on Grow Your Business One Story At A Time - http://mycopy.info/kbstory

And my Udemy course has a whole section on this  - http://mycopy.info/udemystoryoct 

Your most important story isn't about you. It's about how you work with clients to help them reach their goals. 

This is your success story. 

Your success story has 4 parts:  hero, crisis, solution, and outcome. We'll walk through examples of how these parts come together for a lead-generating success story.

You don't just share a hero's journey story. You can introduce a plot twist. 

You'll see examples of success stories that miss the mark and how to transform them so they work for you. You'll see a detailed example of a story that comes close...but could be much better.

You'll learn how you can most effectively use your success story and how you can gain the greatest benefit.

When I write copy for a solopreneur service business, I always ask for 3 success stories. They help me understand how you work and the benefits clients receive.

This episode draws from my Amazon Kindle book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. 

Learn more about stories on my website, https://www.cathygoodwin.com 

If you’ve been following the buzz on storytelling, you’ve probably been encouraged to create stories to answer questions like, “How did you get into this business?” 

You’ve been encouraged to create stories about yourself … maybe stories showing how vulnerable you are. 

But for you,  the most important story type may be the concept story: a story that illustrates an idea you’d have trouble explaining without a story. 

In this episode, you’ll find several examples. 

You’ll discover… 

How to use a concept story to explain an idea (examples of a new app and a coaching service) 

How to use a concept story to teach a lesson (example of teaching a tough lesson with a tender story)

How to use a contrast story to explain almost anything (based on the classic WSJ advertisement)

How to use an “aha’ story (illustrated with the classic fisherman’s story)

How to recognize and avoid common mistakes people make when telling a concept story

RESOURCES: 

Find your story archetype with this FREE resource

My book on Amazon Grow Your Business One Story At A Time

Website: https://cathygoodwin.com

Storytelling experts often suggest there's only ONE type of story for you to tell: your hero's journey. That's been a successful format for classics (think Ulysses) and blockbuster films (think Star Wars).  

Business storytelling doesn't begin with your structure - it begins with your purpose. In this episode, we explore what a hero's journey really is, why it's probably not the best story for you, and the 3 types of stories to grow your business.  

Learn more in my kindle book on Amazon http://mycopy.info/kbstory (free if you have kindle unlimited)

and for more - here's a free 30-minute training that goes into much more detail. 
https://cathygoodwin.lpages.co/webinar-storybasics/

"My copywriting is boring!" is one of the most common reasons small business owners seek out a copywriter. This podcast episode gives you 3 tips to avoid boring copy...and why you shouldn't go too far the other way when you try to be exciting. 

One challenge of a story: avoid sharing a story 
http://cathygoodwin.com/fishstory

Walt Disney was a master storyteller, not a story creator. To get attention for your business story, finding your story is just the first step. 

Your story needs to do 3 things: invite your audience to become part of the story;  challenge the hero (and never, ever save your hero with a fairy godmother; and remain consistent with your brand through your story archetype. 

Do you want to create a story that sells - a selling story? 

In this episode of Strategic Storytelling, you'll see an example of the way we can transform a "good enough" story into a strong story that delivers sales.  

The business owner (a financial executive - a corporate controller, to be exact) found a need for a product she could create. She needed a story to get prospective customers involved and motivated. Her first story was not bad...but you'll see what we did to make it even better.

In less than ten minutes, you will learn ...

...how to make a good story great

...when (and when not) to use an origin story as "your" story

...how the client's backstory becomes part of your story

...how choosing an archetype helps develop your story

Don't forget to subscribe! Leave a rating and a review

If you'd like to work with me to power up your story (or find the best one to use), we can begin with the Strategic Intensive program -- a 2-week sprint to power up your program. Click here to learn more. 

Want a quick view review of your website or sales letter, with your story? Click here to request one.

FREE GUIDE: New to the archetypes? Click here to learn more (and get a quiz to help you choose yours).

COURSES: How to find the client's backstory. What makes them decide to buy? Click here for more. 

Related podcast: The villain in your business story

Content creation takes time. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are busy. So productivity can be critical to your digital marketing success.   

One way to be productive is to repurpose content: a podcast episode becomes a blog post and a video. But how do you get time to write the content? And what can you write about?"

Enter the advice column hack. It's surprisingly easy, productive, and fun. It solves two content creation challenges: Staring at the blank page and knowing what to write about.

In the episode you'll see a reference to my free guide - Nail your client's motivation. http://cathygoodwin.com/baggage 

Don't forget to rate the episode and leave a review!

Entrepreneurs can use storytelling to simplify their marketing - if they choose the right stories. A campfire story or a bedtime story — no way! A story just to entertain your audience? Not strong enough.

This episode introduces 3 qualities of a story that supports your business.

First, your story has a strategic purpose. It fits into your strategic plan.

Second, your story reinforces your brand - particularly your story archetype that’s the foundation of your brand. Learn more about archetypes at http://cathygoodwin.com/arch

Finally, your story reinforces your credibility. Listeners find themselves nodding along, never doubting what they hear.

Learn more about strategic storytelling on my website - http://cathygoodwin.com

You're a solopreneur or small business. Your market has changed. Your tech has changed. Maybe you've changed too. 

Time to rebrand your business...but you know you need more than a new logo, colors, and type font. You need a new story. In fact, you need 3 new stories.  

You'll learn exactly what kinds of stories and how to tell them. This episode is based on my kindle ebook on Amazon: Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. http://mycopy.info/kbstory

I also offer a course on branding your business:
Stand Out With Your Story 
http://cathygoodwin.com/brandstorysl