How to choose the BEST story for a blog post that supports your business.
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Small business marketing calls for storytelling with a purpose.
Recently I was listening to a marketing expert I admire. I’ve been following him for years. His emails strike the perfect balance between marketing and informing.
While some marketing pros never send nurturing emails, his messages do. That makes sense: he’s an Educator Archetype.
Educators attract clients who want to pick their knowledgeable brains. They talk about themselves only to make a point.
In contrast, for Role Models, their “How I Did This” stories are the point. They’re making the promise, “I’m just like you. If I can do it, you can too.”
This Educator was talking about the types of stories a business owner could use in an article or email post. He suggested that we mine our backgrounds for article ideas.
Think of a childhood memory, he suggests. Or remember a time when you were new to your field. What mistakes did you make?
Another marketer uses a similar approach. She urges her clients to find a personal story — something as simple as a shopping trip or as complex as adopting a new puppy.
“Start with the story,” she says. “Then find a way to turn that story into a marketing lesson.”
Will the “start with a story” rule work for you?
1 — Very few strategies come in one-size-fits-all, whether it’s email subject lines or stories to share.
If you’re a small service business, the brand is YOU.
You can refer to the framework of the five archetypes, which I explain in this free guide.
Not all marketers benefit from sharing personal stories.
Sometimes these stories backfire, especially if they seem to go against your archetype or your ongoing practice.
