Make Your Brand Message Unforgettable With Storytelling
“I know my journey, what led me to this point, is why my knowledge is so practical, but I don’t know how to begin telling it."
This message came from a client who's story is proof of her message.
She didn't want to “niche down.”
Not only did she not want to box herself in, she wanted to show others that being multi-passionate was a superpower.
In a space that touts “riches are in the niches” and “niche down to blow up,” her story was the counterpoint to the status quo narrative. She is living proof that being known for one thing limits dynamic thinkers.
My client had grown her platform to nearly 100,000 engaged followers by posting about a wide range of topics—from her fitness routine and mindfulness practice to tips from her multidisciplinary career as a writer, social worker, and brand consultant.
The problem was converting her engaged following into clients who could benefit from melding their multi-interests into a personal brand.
Her story is a beautiful illustration of what’s possible when you bring your full self to the table. But her attempts to call attention to that message with educational posts with hooks like, “5 Reasons You Should Embrace Being Multi-passionate,” loaded with tips and pragmatic explanations, weren’t getting the sales she hoped for.
Her story had potential, but it was lacking in detail.
So, I put on my journalist hat, and asked a few pointed questions.
Then came the moment:
She described sitting down at her piano on a Sunday afternoon at 13 years old—still in her sweaty soccer jersey—with a sheet of music she’d been struggling to nail for weeks. With her endorphins still amped up from a morning of playing sports, when her fingers hit the keys it was as if everything clicked. She performed the piece of music perfectly for the first time, when she realized moving her body helped her mind flow.
Bingo!
That image was so specific and meaningful it became the heart of the story. It was the a-ha moment when she first understood how one discipline could help people excel in another. But more than that—it was a moment multi-passionates in her audience could see themselves in.
We mapped that moment out in a carousel post, and sure enough people in her community who were on the fence, leaped off and into her inbox with requests to work together.
That’s the power of asking the right questions to find the right story.
Prompts are a dime a dozen, but the right questions are priceless.
They bring to light hidden details that bring a meaningful message to life through a specific story. Here are prompts to find your story:
StoryCraft Storytelling Prompts Of The Week
Find the Moment Your Message Was Born
The goal of this storytelling practice is to uncover a specific, emotionally resonant story that reveals why your message matters—not just what it is.
STEP ONE: Write your message in one sentence.
What do you believe or teach that feels different from the mainstream narrative? (e.g., “Being multi-passionate is a superpower.”)
STEP TWO: Prompt yourself:
“When did I first feel that was true—not just know it intellectually?”
STEP THREE: Free-write for 5 minutes about that moment.
Don’t try to make it perfect or structured. Just describe the scene with as much detail as possible:
Where were you?
What were you doing?
What sensations or emotions were present?
What did you realize?
STEP FOUR: Underline line the emotional turning point. That’s the emotional hinge of your story—the point your narratives centers around.
Moral Of The Story: Big Messages Are Remember With Specific Stories
Oftentimes the only difference between a story that falls flat and one that attracts buyers is knowing how to tell it.
Use these personal brand storytelling prompts to turn your big messages into a moment people can see, feel, and remember.
See how this works in real life. Check out one of my favorite examples of using story to make a complex point simple.
If you're wondering what types of detail to use to make your point my 3 best tips for writing details that keep attention.
If you're done cobbling together tips and tricks and just want to tell stories that make people understand the value in your expertise, make it happen with my Short-Form Storytelling course.
That's all for this week.
Until next time, remember…
Someone Will Be Better Off When You Share Your Story,
Cyndi
