The Secret Ingredient To Make Your Stories Memorable & Persuasive!
There are 11 herbs and spices that make KFC chicken finger licking good!
But…
Colonel Sanders failed to sell his chicken recipe for 2 years. He drove across America trying to persuade Mom & Pop Store Owners (that’s independent restaurants to you and me) to start selling chicken with his recipe, cooked his way. They all turned him down until…
He added one final ingredient!
What was the magic ingredient?
The magic ingredient that led to the world’s second largest restaurant chain after McDonald’s was…
Salt!
Not Pink Himalayan salt or any other exotic or hard to find ingredient. Ordinary table salt.
That was the magic ingredient. That’s what made all the difference.
There’s one magic ingredient that makes you stand out in a crowded marketplace!
There’s one magic ingredient that can attract your ideal customer to you like bees to honey.
There’s one magic ingredient that will make the cash register ring louder than anything else.
What is this magic ingredient?
Storytelling!
You see, your brand is your story. Your story makes you unique. Your story gives you a competitive advantage that no one can steal.
Great… but… how do you tell an inspiring personal story?
Here’s the good news: great storytellers are made, not born. They simply learn the system to tell a great story and then use that system better than anyone else.
I’d like to show you how to use a simple 5-step system to tell your inspiring personal story. This is the same system used by Hollywood screenwriters and novelists. I've simplified the storytelling system to make it more effective for personal stories. After all, this is not fiction. This is the process of telling a true story to inspire people to change their lives.
You can learn how to use my simple storytelling system by clicking this link: The Simple 5-Step System To Tell Your Inspiring Personal Story
But…
You might be thinking that you don’t have an inspiring personal story.
I know that’s not true! I know you have an inspiring story that is waiting to be uncovered and shared with the world.
How do I know that?
Because you are reading this blog!
Because you are on the path less traveled. Because you are carving your own path in life. There's a story there. One that will inspire others to change their lives. One that will make you unique in the market.
But…
How Do You Uncover Your Inspiring Personal Story?
Your inspiring personal story begins with the moment that you said enough was enough! The moment when something forced you to make a change in your life.
I have deliberately used the word forced, because chances are you didn't reach the decision to take the path less traveled with a rational argument. The moment of change was unlikely to have come from careful planning.
If you’re anything like me, then the moment of change was forced on you. Something outside of your control pushed you down a different path. In my case, the moment of change came when I burned through my life savings.
Back in 2009, I was running Google and Facebook ads for my photography and graphic design studio. I was getting a lot of cheap eye-balls… but they weren’t converting into customers.
What I know now is that my website failed to turn eye-balls into buyers because I didn’t tell prospects why they should work with me over anyone else or doing nothing.
The truth is, I had a website with virtually no copy on it. The truth is, I was expecting my customers to read my mind. You see, I hoped they would land on my site and immediately see that I was the photographer or graphic designer for them… and that they would pick up the phone and book me.
Customers will not finish your thought. They will not take any action unless you tell them.
So…
In 2009, I was burning my way through my life savings, desperately trying to save my business. I thought that if enough people saw my site that I would get business.
In 2007 and 2008, I was flown around the world to take pictures for international corporate clients and to create brochures and websites for them. My weekends were booked with weddings and the rest of my time was filled with delivering the work and finding new business.
Life was good. Life was busy.
That changed overnight with the financial crisis.
It was like someone took the ringer off my phone and unplugged my router.
How could I save my business? That was my big question. And I asked everyone I knew.
A management consultant I knew told me that successful companies often spend more on marketing in tough times so that they can win more customers, steal market share and thrive in the turbulent environment.
That sounded like a good idea, so that’s what I tried to do.
There was just one problem…
I couldn't turn eye-balls into leads and then leads into happy paying customers. The truth was, I knew a lot about Google and Facebook advertising, but I knew nothing about internet marketing. So a chance conversation turned into, trying to spend my way to success, rather than learn my way to success.
That stupidity only lasts for so long. In my case, it continued until my bank account was empty.
That was the outside force that kicked me down a new path. A new path to discover how marketing could make the cash register ring.
Was that experience fun or pleasant? No! That beating left me bruised for years. That beating kept me focused on my goal, no matter how painful the setbacks. Why? Because nothing is as painful as watching your business die and your life savings disappear.
So, what was your moment of change? What caused it? Where were you? And how did you feel?
You see, those are the details that bring your moment of change to life. Those are the details that make this particular event significant.
That’s where your story starts. But where does it end?
Your story ends with the real-world proof that your system works. This could be making money, getting healthy or finding love.
That’s your Story Arc. A painful beginning. A challenging middle. A happy ending.
Once you’ve uncovered your thrilling tale and you’ve told it using my simple 5-step storytelling system, how can you improve your story? How can you add in some explosions and car chases? How can you tell a better story… one that is more memorable and more persuasive?
You need to add…
One Secret Ingredient To Tell Better Stories
There’s just one thing that you need to add to your stories to make them better. By better, I mean more memorable and more persuasive.
This one thing will make the cash register ring louder and longer. It will also make your stories go viral. Your stories will go viral because they will be remembered and retold by your customers!
So…
What is this magic ingredient?
Emotion!
Emotion is for stories what salt is for food.
You see, you can cook a meal with fresh ingredients, and without a little bit of salt, it doesn't come to life. It's not finger licking good.
That’s what Colonel Sanders found after 2 years of rejection and grind. It wasn't him that added salt to the recipe! It was an owner of a Mom & Pop Store. The owner said that he would use the recipe if he could add salt. From that day forwards, salt became part of the recipe.
You might be thinking, that’s fine for cooking. The salt shaker is on the table. How do you add emotion to a story?
You can instantly add emotion to your stories by sharing with the reader:
- Hw you felt
- Why this event was significant
- What was the impact on your life
Emotional Storytelling Tool #1 – How You Felt
Stories are about events that happened in your life, good or bad.
You got the new job, or you didn't. Either way, tell me how you felt when you got the news.
You see, if you don’t tell me how you felt, then you are leaving the salt out. You are expecting me (your reader) to read your mind.
If you had 3 interviews and then didn’t get the new job, I’m going to assume you were disappointed. Maybe you felt angry. Maybe you felt stuck in your life.
Why would I think that? Because that’s how I would feel.
But…
I’m not you. If you tell the reader how you felt, then you are creating a strong bond with them. You are giving the reader the opportunity to say Yes, I’m just like this guy.
If you got the job you wanted how did you feel?
Show the reader how you felt in words that they can see!
For example, I was so happy that I threw both my arms in the air before Hi-5'ing everyone in my team. Then on the way home, I bought Champagne to celebrate with my wife.
And…
Don't leave out the final details. Did you drink the Champagne from sleek crystal flutes? Or did you drink it out of teacups because that's the only thing you had in the house?
Those final details tell the reader volumes about the situation that you were in. That's a beautiful way of showing the reader that you were struggling or that you were comfortable, without explicitly saying it.
Emotional Storytelling Tool #2 – Why This Event Was Significant
The events that lead up to a significant moment will give the reader an idea of how you felt, but don’t expect him to read your mind. Tell him why this event was significant.
So, let’s return to the new job example.
If the story starts with you in a stressful job you hate, with a maniac boss, and a long commute, pay that just covers your bills, then the reader understands your situation. They know why you endure the 2-hour commute each way and why you put up with the maniac boss.
Chances are, they have been in a similar situation at some point in their life.
That’s why they know you don’t just quit and why you desperately want to find something else.
You know that looking for a new job is a soul-destroying experience. You complete 5 job applications a week, and if you are lucky, one will tell you that you were unsuccessful. The others force you to chase them, so they can make the bad news that much more humiliating.
The adult in the room will tell you that sharp sting of reality is just the way of the world, that you just have to play the numbers and grind out the result you want.
The child in your head wants to curl up in the corner and cry or firebomb their building (maybe that's just me).
Six months later you are still enduring the job and commute you hate? Are you still sending out 5 job applications a week? Has your enthusiasm taken a beating? If so, then share this with your reader. Why? Because it builds the emotion for why your heart leapt when you finally got an interview.
(Please note: I’m not suggesting you exaggerate your story. I’m simply trying to show you the details to include to give your story a stronger emotional pull.)
When you’re asked for a second and then a third interview, all you can think about is writing your letter of resignation.
So…
Why was it significant that you got or didn’t get the new job?
What made this job different from any other?
If this was the job of your dreams, then share that with the reader. If this job would give you double the pay and cut your commute in half, then tell the reader your delight at kissing goodbye to standing on a cold train platform every day.
If getting the new job proved that you should never give up on your dreams then share that with the reader.
They won’t know why this event was so significant unless you tell them.
Emotional Storytelling Tool #3 – What Was The Impact On Your Life
A list of dates is not a story.
A list of job titles and the time you worked at each company is a CV, not a story.
What makes a story interesting is the impact the event had on your life.
So, let’s go back to the new job example. If you got the new job and it doubled your salary and cut your commute in half what difference did that make to your life!
If the shorter commute made it possible for you to attend your daughter's concerts and plays, then tell the reader what that meant to you and your daughter. Were you the proud Dad sat on the front row? Was your daughter delighted that you made time for something important to her? Did that bring you closer together with your family?
These are the things that will make your story more memorable and more powerful. These are the things that will make your reader say He’s just like me.
What else can you share with your reader… in words that they can see?
How you celebrate?
Does the news compel you to buy a bottle of Bollinger and some crystal Champagne flutes on Amazon prime plus so you could toast the moment in style when you got home?
And… did Bollinger taste as good as you hoped?
In what other ways did doubling your salary change your life? Did it get you out of worrying about your car passing the MOT and finally buying the car of your dreams?
You see, that’s how you add emotion to your story. That’s how you share with your reader the significance of a specific moment.
There’s One Final Salt Shaker That I’d Like To Leave On Your Table…
An emotion word list.
When it comes to telling your story, my advice is always going to be, write like you speak.
After all, this is your story. If you write the way you speak, then you will infuse it with your personality and your swagger.
And…
I also know that there are days when writing is easy, and the words flow like water. On days like this, you need to write like you speak and enjoy the moment.
There are other days when writing feels like blasting rock with your bare hands. On days like this, an emotional word list can help you to make progress without cuts and bruises.
So, here’s an emotional word list that means time pressure will never force you to write Happy or Sad.
Absorbed
Adoration
Afraid
Aggravated
Alarmed
Alienated
Amazed
Ambivalent
Amused
Angry
Anguished
Annoyed
Anticipating
Anxious
Aroused
Attraction
Awkward
Bitter
Bored
Brave
Calm
Caring
Cautious
Cheerful
Comfortable
Compassionate
Concern
Confident
Confused
Contempt
Content
Curious
Defeated
Delighted
Depressed
Disappointed
Disgraced
Disgusted
Disillusioned
Disliked
Dismayed
Disoriented
Distrusting
Disturbed
Dreading
Eager
Elated
Embarrassed
Enthusiastic
Envious
Exasperated
Excited
Exhausted
Exhilarated
Fearful
Fondness
Frustrated
Grief-stricken
Grumpy
Guilty
Happy
Hateful
Helpless
Hesitant
Hopeful
Hopeless
Horrified
Hostile
Humiliated
Hurt
Indifferent
Infatuated
Inferior
Insecure
Insulted
Interested
Intrigued
Irritated
Isolated
Jealous
Joyful
Liking
Lonely
Love
Lust
Melancholy
Neglected
Nervous
Numb
Optimistic
Outraged
Overwhelmed
Panicked
Pity
Pleased
Powerless
Preoccupied
Proud
Rage
Receptive
Regret
Regretful
Rejected
Relaxed
Relieved
Resentful
Restless
Revulsion
Sad
Safe
Satisfied
Scared
Scornful
Self-conscious
Shamed
Shocked
Sorrow
Spiteful
Stunned
Suspicious
Sympathy
Tender
Tenderness
Trust
Trusting
Uncertain
Uncomfortable
Vengeful
Weary
Worried
Now It’s Your Turn
Now it’s time for you to grab the salt shaker from the table and infuse your stories with emotion.
This will make your stories more memorable and more persuasive. They will also better attract your ideal customer because they reveal more of your personality.
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve told your story. Just ask yourself if you are sharing with your reader how you felt after each win or loss. Are you sharing why the win or loss was significant and the impact that it had on your life?
If not, then you can make your story more powerful with these 3-tools.
Please use the 3 Emotional Storytelling Tools to tell better stories that will grow your business.
If you've found this useful, then please leave a comment below.
If this blog can help anyone you know, then please email it to them.
Until next time…
Carpe diem
Roland Eva
P.S. if you'd like to start or grow a business then you need a proven system to turn leads into happy paying customers.
After many, many failures, I’ve created a simple 5-step system to turn leads into happy paying customers. This system made me £672,989 in just 9 days!
I’d like to give you a free ebook that reveals: how to use the simple 5-step system that made me £672,989 in just 9 days!
How To Turn Expertise Into Cash
Here’s just a taste of what’s inside:
- How to find your ideal customer – those that desperately need your help and can pay for it.
- How to test your business idea for FREE! And how to scale fast with the proof of market demand.
- How to sell products and services at any price (£27 to £6,000) in any market without a sales team!
- How to make yourself unique… even in a crowded market… so you never compete on price… and easily attract your ideal customer like bees to honey!
- Remove the confusion, fear, and doubt about turning your idea into a profitable business by following a proven 5-step system that made me £672,989 in just 9 days!
To download your free copy just click the link below:
How To Turn Expertise Into Cash
I’ve used this system to make £672,989 in just 9 days… and £6 million in 12 months!
I’ve used this system to help hundreds of entrepreneurs to make a giant leap in sales, so I'm confident that it will work like magic for you too.
Grab your FREE copy by clicking the link below:
About The Author
Roland Eva is a copywriter and marketing trainer, mentor and consultant.
For the last 5 years, Roland has helped authors, coaches, mentors, and trainers in the property, technology, finance, personal development, and business opportunity markets to fill seminars and sell high-end programs ranging from £1,000 to £6,000 by telling true stories that inspire people to change their lives. Many campaigns have made over £500,000 in just 9 days.
Roland’s marketing journey began when he lost his first business, a photography and graphic design studio. The pain of watching his business slowly die, motivated him to discover a proven system to find your ideal customer, earn their trust and make them feel good about buying.
Today Roland’s mission is to prevent every business owner from suffering through the same pain as he did. Roland wants to take entrepreneurs on the ecstatic ride that comes with having a proven system to turn leads into happy paying customers. Roland helps entrepreneurs in 3 different ways:
- Training– Roland will teach you how to use his simple 5 step system
- Mentorship– Roland will do the work with you
- Consulting– Roland will do the work for you
To contact Roland, please email him on: Roland.Eva@RolandEva.co.uk