What does “your story” have to do with building your online business?
Plenty!
Growing an online biz is all about getting to know people and let’s face it. We are all drawn to stories.
Think about the blogs you read on a regular basis. Or the ones you share. My guess is the writer has resonated with you in some way and most likely it is in the telling of their story.
Done wrong, it can be the biggest turn off EVER!
Have you ever been to a blog where someone is whining and complaining? Their story is oh so sad but instead of putting the positive spin on it for people to learn from, they just go on and on about how terrible their situation or life is?
When that happens to me, I can’t click the exit button quick enough! That’s NOT the kind of story I’m talking about.
How about this?
You’ve had a bad day because your copier broke down, your child’s teacher called, and nobody seems to want what you’re selling. Instead of a gripe session on your blog, you write about how you had to improvise without a copier, you ended up giving the teacher some advice, and you’re wondering if your low sales are due to your lack-luster sales copy or if the market just wasn’t quite ready for your product.
See the difference?
Instead of the “oh pitiful me” story that doesn’t elicit any sympathy and will scatter your readers faster than you can type, this story actually resonates. There has been someone who has had to make-do without their copier, someone who thought other people never got calls from the teacher, and someone who has experienced poor sales.
All complaints aren’t bad!
The occasional rant is different. Key word here is occasional. In fact, a good rant can resonate with a very wide audience. As long as you put the right spin on it, add some humor, and don’t get malicious, the rant can be your friend.
Just remember. You are building an audience with your blog. It’s like building a close group of friends. They will enjoy your writing if it rings true and if “your story” sounds a little bit like theirs!
Have fun out there in blogland!
-Martha
Martha
Martha Giffen is a speaker, consultant, and best-selling author of "Be Social Be Rich." She coaches biz owners on how to reach more customers in less time, and dishes it all out with a warm southern flare!
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Simple and so true Martha!
To me the point of emphasising your story is the fact that no one else has it! That’s your ‘unique selling point’ right there! it’s YOU!
Couple that power of complete uniqueness with finding the learning, the growth, the positive, life affirming and uplifting within the story, or experiences you’re sharing, and you’ll go a long way…
Thanks for sharing!
Jym | Commenting Strategy recently posted..How to use Strategic Blog Commenting to Market Your Blog
I agree that elegant venting, when done occasionally, can be both cathartic and ice-breaking. We are, after all, human bloggers, human entrepreneurs, human everything, and an occasional letting down of excessive guard is a good and empathetic thing. Martha, thank you in particular for the insight that it is helpful to put a beneficent, beneficial spin to our tale of woes so it doesn’t cast a morose pall over everyone, but instead takes on the warmth of outreach. Thank you Martha! Great blog!
Jonathan Wutawunashe recently posted..LESSONS FROM MY SISTER EDNA PART 2
Good advice! It’s all about authenticity and building relationships and everyone’s “story” or manner of presentation is different. What works for one person may not work for someone else at all!
Sandra McLeod Humphrey recently posted..DARE TO DREAM BIG!: From Welfare Mother to Billionaire Author
Great advice. I totally believe in what you’re saying here. That is what my blog is all about – putting the positive spin on life. You are so right about negativity and complaining turning people off. People think it’s fun to do because it has become so popular on FB and Twitter to rant and complain all day everyday with status updates. But it’s important to note the power of positivity and how that connects with people on a deeper and more sustainable level. Thanks for sharing!
Alexis recently posted..Song of the Week: “Never Give Up” by Yolanda Adams
My guess is if the complainers and whiners keep it up long enough, they won’t have anyone following them
Good points!!! Keep it upbeat. Find out what resonates with people and give them more!. It’s authentic and your readers sense that.
Thanks!
Susan
There you go. Give them more! I like that attitude
Martha – outstanding advice as always! I completely agree that our story is our greatest single asset!
Tor Constantino, MBA recently posted..12 Rules for Every Family
Thanks for stopping by Tor. Always appreciate your comments!
Take the good out of the appearances of bad and give your readers cause to feel good. Easy peasy
Thanks Martha!
Ryan
Yep, it’s always about them
These are good suggestions. I think that a little humor can make a “bad experience” or “frustration” story more personable. I try to find humor in situations whenever possible!
Kristen @ stress and health online recently posted..The Demands of Grant Writing
Humor is always an ice-breaker!
oh don.t get me started on telling stories and ranting ;D
have my best moments when i start ranting on the social situation of people on welfare in germany.
and people seem to like that ;D
nothing to do with design.
but who cares – now and then.
helen bogun recently posted..9 Questions on Pictures
Hey, if people like it and come back for more, that could be your forte. Keep it up!
I’ve been thinking about the whole story thing a lot lately. I share stories on my blog and put a positive spin on them so that I can share a lesson, teach something, help a reader or offer a tool or strategy for handling something. It about being real and connecting with my audience, for sure. What I’ve noticed about the people who impact me the most in business, though, is that their story is intimately connected to all they do. It’s not bits and pieces of stories here and there (like isolated incidents). Those are great, but with these women, it’s THE story . . . their hugest lesson or struggle or achievement in life . . . and it’s absolutely a part of what they’re all about in their business. I’m not explaining it well (I hope you kind of get what I mean), but that’s what I want to create in my business and it has required a huge shift within myself to get to this point. I’m excited about getting real on a whole new level.
Leanne Chesser recently posted..Gratitude Expressions
I’m trying to understand what you mean. Our story is our story. Whether we tell the whole thing at once or dole it out in small bits at a time really doesn’t matter. It’s who we are, where we’ve been, how we ended up where we are and where we’re going. Make sense?
What I found out from the very beginning is that my core audience is women JUST LIKE ME. They might not resonate with my whole story, but if they’ve ever been a stay-at-home mom, a work-at-home mom, a college graduate at age 40, a baby boomer, an online biz owner, a former realtor, a social media nut, an author, or any number of labels that I can put on myself, then they will resonate with me. That’s just the tip of the iceberg as to who I am.
Don’t get hung up on the “right” story. Your story IS who you are and it SHOULD be connected to everything else you do. There doesn’t have to be a big, mountain-top experience. Just let “who you are” shine through your story.
Make more sense?
I obviously didn’t do a good job of trying to express what I meant
. In your comment back to me, you wrote, “Our story is our story. Whether we tell the whole thing at once or dole it out in small bits at a time really doesn’t matter. It’s who we are, where we’ve been, how we ended up where we are and where we’re going.” That’s what I’m talking about. Not a lot of people do that. I haven’t really done that until now. The people I admire do do that. What’s more common is sharing isolated personal incidents (can also be called stories) from your life and using them as ways to teach lessons, etc. That’s what I’ve mostly done in the past and I don’t only want to do that anymore. I have a powerful story that I’ve shied away from sharing. It’s not about a “mountain top experience.” It’s about finally having that be a vital part of what I share.
Does that make more sense now? If not, don’t worry about it
. LOL.
Leanne Chesser recently posted..Gratitude Expressions
When I read this; I felt a lump in my stomach; because I am committed to being authentic; however, I can see how too much griping without a solution, can be depressing.
Thank you for an insightful read; I am off to be positive on my blog!
Maureen Wielansky recently posted..When To Eat? Self-Care by Honoring Your Natural Rhythms.
I think that’s where the difference is Maureen. With the people who complain and complain without figuring out the solution. Or being open to help from another. A little ranting is OK but be sure it’s constructive and not malicious. You are like me, we prefer having our blogs be in the positive!
This is great advice. You will often see posts on my blogs about “a few days ago, this happened…” or “Last week…”
Why do I wait so long? Sometimes it takes a bit for me to turn it around and put the positive spin on it. Some days I’ve just got posts already scheduled and such. Anyway, I think it’s often great if you aren’t able to be positive about it in the moment to reflect back on it and find the good points.
Amethyst recently posted..Misty and the Tarot
Same here! I’m a threat to start a post with, “last night” or “yesterday, while in a group, such-and-such was said.” I usually try to go with it pretty quickly UNLESS it’s a rant, then I think on it a couple of days
There is always the” fear”that if I open up too much and showing a vulnerable part of me, my image as an expert might be challenged.
I see what you mean with your post, it is sooo true that we enter in rapport more easily when we put ourselves at the same level as our readers!
Thansk for this great tip Martha,
Patricia
Yes, that’s the hard part. Overcoming the fear of putting yourself out there. However, there’s no need to share intimate details. Just enough to say, “Hey, I’ve been here too.”