Story Skills
55 posts
Mass Awareness Vs. Minority Affinity
The ‘golden arches’ glow at me in the distance as I set out for the gym before sunrise. It’s impossible to miss the 24-hour McDonald’s at the junction no matter which direction you travel. The ‘golden arches’ don’t distinguish the right potential customer from the wrong one. And that’s the point. Mc
The Metrics Of Belonging
The things we measure most are the most tangible—sales, clicks, votes, bums on seats. They can be seen and touched, counted and compared. The metrics of belonging are felt and harder to quantify. But it is those intangibles—often only evidenced or experienced over time, that are the backbone of stro
Listening To Lead
The promise of the digital age was the ability to more cheaply and rapidly raise awareness of our value, our message, or our cause. Digital media levelled the playing field and gave all of us the chance to spread our ideas. In some cases, the desire to quickly spread ideas has led to the misbelief…
Consistent, Persistent And Patient
The slim woman dressed in activewear, in line at the cafe next to the gym, orders a black coffee. As she’s handing over her card when the barista asks her the question he’s asked every single customer who ordered a takeaway coffee that morning. ‘Would you like a glazed doughnut for just $2 to go…
Perfect Timing
An ideal audience isn’t just one that’s available—it’s one that’s receptive. When we say something is just as important as how we say it.
The Stories We Live And Leave
In the end, all that will be left of us is the stories other people share about us. How can we make those the stories worth telling?
Showing Value
We can all benefit from learning to demonstrate, not just explain the value we create. Marketing and sales are about showing and telling.
The Lost Art Of Storytelling
What stories will you tell today and why will they matter to the people who hear them?
Only Human
We need to constantly remind ourselves that we are neither all head or all heart and act accordingly.
Believed In
The one thing all successful ideas have in common is that they spread. But why?
The Story Advantage
Our goal must always be to do what it takes, not just to be seen, but to matter. We don’t have to manufacture a message to get more attention, we have to create more affinity by getting better at saying what’s true.
Storytelling Is A Skill You Can Learn
Story skills are essential for people like you who want to make their ideas matter.
Worthy
The people you’re trying to reach and resonate with are filtering. From the contacts you try to add on LinkedIn, to the clients you’re hoping to attract. They are deciding who is worthy of their permission and their time.
It’s Not For You
When you’re brave enough to put a stake in the ground, you will find your right people—those people who you can help.
Effective Change
Even though nine of her children emigrated to England in the 1960s to find work, my grandmother never travelled outside Ireland. She refused to taste cucumber, even though my English aunt insisted on making cucumber sandwiches whenever she came to visit. Even after her doctor told her cigarettes wer
Make Your Customer The Hero
The best marketers give people something to believe in, not just something to buy.
Better Marketers Show And Tell
Every day, we sell ourselves in adjectives that sell us short. Leader, expert, communicator, specialist, efficient, experienced, better, faster, cheaper. We’ve forsaken the effort of showing, for the convenience of telling. There is a better way. Don’t just tell us about the features and benefits of
Earning A Competitive Advantage
Very few new businesses have an unassailable advantage that makes them the only choice for a prospective customer. Most don’t make measurably superior products or own proprietary software. They haven’t patented a secret formula, and they don’t necessarily have more resources or talent than the next
On Being Valued
If we want to be valued for both the skills that differentiate us and the work that brings us joy, then we must find ways to articulate that value to our customers. Better stories create value.
Stories Make Us Stronger
We build more resilient families, companies and communities when we know who we are. We get stronger together when we prioritise finding, owning and sharing our stories.
