This week I’ve been reading an excellent book with a misleading title: Performance Breakthrough: A Radical Approach To Success At Work.

The author, Cathy Salit, works with a performance ensemble for executive and personal development projects.  Her book focuses on using elements of theatre — especially improvisational acting — to frame business interactions.

One of Salit’s key points is that being authentic isn’t about finding the Real You. We have many authentic selves and we can draw on those selves in different situations.

Often it’s easy to identify with one identity and fall back on using that self in all situations. Yet growing into new careers — and new business opportunities — often calls for finding new selves and new ways to respond.

In other words, change the character you play in your story. Or create a new story to fit the character you want to be.

Some ways to do this:

(1) Tell a story as a character — someone as different from yourself as possible.

When practicing in a safe space, you could try some of Salit’s recommended exercises.  

Practice telling a story as if you were a fiery preacher … or as if you were sharing a secret with a few close friends … or as if you were down at the bar with a few of your closest friends, where you felt totally comfortable.

If you see yourself as a shy introvert, play the role of an extroverted sales rep.

You won’t be this character when you’re working with clients, making a presentation, or writing your copy. But you’ll be more open to showing a different side of yourself.

(2) Choose your self-disclosure persona.

Salit is a big fan of self-disclosure. She encourages executives to share their personal stories with colleagues, to develop closeness. The idea is that people have to buy into you before they buy into what you’re selling.

I bring a different perspective. I’m more concerned with setting boundaries. If I had to pick one right that was most important to preserve, it would be privacy.

So it goes against my core values to say, “You MUST tell everyone about your abusive mother or your alcoholic dad or your daughter’s run-in with the law.”

Salit shares a lot of stories about executives who bravely shared sensitive experiences. In her book, all the stories end on a positive note. Audiences respond enthusiastically — in one case, with a three-minute standing ovation. But it’s likely that some self-disclosures end less happily, especially without the kind of intense coaching Salit gives her clients.

I once told a story about going to the gym. I wanted to be “up close and personal.”

Now you have to realize I actually love going to the gym. As a child, I was a wuss and skipped as many PE classes in high school as possible. (The gym teachers marked me “present” sometimes because they were so happy I wasn’t there.) But now I’ve held a gym membership for most of my adult life: Zumba, weights, yoga … you name it.

When I told this story to one audience, the air went cold. It took me a while to realize that most of those people positively hated working out. They resented every bicep curl.

I learned. Just the other day I posted on Facebook, “Trying to convince myself that a cucumber salad is just as satisfying for an afternoon snack as a blueberry muffin with butter and coffee.”

That resonated. You have to pick your stories.

(3) In a new situation, come up with a listening role.

Whether you’re networking or participating in a sales conversation, think of yourself as an explorer. In the language of improv comedy, an “offer” is an opportunity to take the scene in a surprising new direction. 

What “offers” are you getting? What is your “scene partner” saying that could lead to a whole new story? What can you dig into with more questions?

If you’d like to explore these ideas further, join me for a one-on-one consultation. We’ll explore the ways you can expand your marketing … and maybe add some stories to fit your strategy.

An opening is the first paragraph that appears right after the headline or sub-headline. It’s sometimes called a hook because that’s what it does: it hooks readers and motivates them to stay on the page.

Your opening might be

… a startling fact: “The rules of managing money have changed in the last six months.”

… a pull question: “Are you ready for …”

… the first sentence of a story: “It wasn’t so long ago. I was working as a productivity coach. As part of my coaching, I would ask my clients, ‘What’s your morning ritual?'”

There’s one opening that can be especially tricky.

“If you’re on this page, you’re probably searching for a …”

Or, “You’re probably looking for someone to show you the best way to save for retirement…”

Or we might see a variation without the “probably:”

“You’re looking for someone to dig deeply for the real reason people choose your brand.”

This “we assume” opening needs to be used with care because you’re telling your reader’s story. If you know your audience well, your readers will recognize themselves. They’ll say enthusiastically, “That’s my story!”

But when you impose your own story on your audience, you can get pushback.

One relationship coach sent an email marketing message that began, “I bet you’re looking for a new relationship!” One of her readers posted on social media, “I’ve been happily married to the same person for thirty years. That was a quick unsubscribe.”

It’s like a friend saying, “You’re probably going to be watching the football game on Monday,” when you loathe sports and are more likely to attend the opera.

You can also attract the wrong audience.

Recently I got an invitation to attend a networking event. The organizer wrote, “If you are hesitant about attending, answer this simple question: Aren’t you tired of networking that fails to produce results? At [our event], expect to leave with a new contact that just might turn into a client or business partner for years to come.”

Now as it happens, I really enjoy networking. But I’m not sure I want to go and meet people who are tired of attending networking events! Maybe they’re just not good networkers.

Besides, does the organizer really want to fill a room with people who are worn out with networking? I suspect not.

So what can you do instead?

The simple fix: Replace assumptions with questions, hypotheticals, and multiple scenarios.

That’s why many copywriters begin by asking, “Can you relate to these scenarios?”

Hypotheticals read like this:

If you’re an entrepreneur and you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by all you have to do, you may have been advised to hire an accountability coach.

Or they present exemplar scenarios, as I do on this sales page for my Become A Copywriter course:

Mary, who’s bored to tears with tech writing and wondering if she’s creative enough to write sales copy

Bill, who’s had it up to here with life in the corporate cube, and wants to start copywriting “on the side” as the first step to self-employed freedom

Suzanne, who’s done some copywriting and can’t figure out how to expand into a full-time, lucrative business

Or they identify their target in a straightforward way.  “This message is for you if you’re ready to find your soulmate.” That way you politely exclude the readers who found a soulmate, or who feel their cat is all the soulmate they want right now. You honor the reality that not everyone will share this story.

Learn more ways to enter the conversation in your prospect’s mind with my free report, “Nail Your Client’s Backstory.”  Click here for immediate access.

“Behind every successful business is a good story.”

But that’s just the beginning. Many people do not realize that Walt Disney was a teller of tales, not a creator of stories.

These days as a marketer you’re trying to reach an audience that’s already feeling overwhelmed. More and more, they’ve also heard a lot of stories.

Starting with a good story — a story that supports your business strategy — is just the beginning. You have to communicate your story.

I’ve seen some compelling, suspenseful stories presented like paragraphs from a badly written college textbook. And I’ve seen good-enough stories presented so enthusiastically, the audience hung on every word — and remembered the speaker, too.

How does one become a good storyteller? What are small nuances that turn a story from so-so to suspenseful? What are must-have standards? What extremely positive examples must be taken as inspiration?

These 7 techniques will help you get started as you seek to tell stories that will get your audience to say, “Tell me more!”

(1) Make Your Story Come Alive.

Many writing courses emphasize the “Show, don’t tell” rule, especially in any kind of narrative writing. Your challenge is to help the reader feel they’re living an experience, not listening passively.

So instead of, “He was clumsy,” you say, “He banged into the table and knocked over a chair.” You go heavy on action words, description, and details and light on the adjectives and adverbs.

(2) Don’t be too easy on your hero.

Unlike the classical “beginning, middle, and end” stories, marketing stories begin with a problem.

But to keep your audience engaged, marketing stories need to incorporate an element that’s common to most good stories: conflict.

Here’s a story from Gloria, a home schooling mom:

I’ve stayed home with my own kids since my first son was born ten weeks early. It took a LOT of time for me to prepare preschool activities for my boys.

“When I started home-schooling, I would spend at least 4 hours prepping each day. I was totally exhausted and frazzled by noon…and was getting by on just a few hours’ sleep. My husband and my other kids were feeling neglected.

“People told me to forget about homeschooling and send my son to a regular school…”

That’s the first conflict. Gloria had a second conflict:

“Even when I found an activity they loved, I still wondered if it was the right activity to support their educational development. Or was it just a fun way to spend some time together?”

When I first heard the story, I found myself wondering: “Will Gloria find an answer? Did she give up?” And I don’t even have kids.

(3) Think like a mystery writer.

Fans of murder mysteries will recognize this pattern. Around page 240 the hero seems to solve the mystery. As a reader, you start to relax and wait for the fun part of wrapping everything up.

But you’ve got another 75 pages to go. That’s way too long to celebrate the victory.

Sure enough, just as you and the hero get ready to say “The End,” the author introduces a twist.

You thought the butler did it, but he’s got an airtight alibi. And the heroine’s boyfriend is acting mighty suspicious.

From our earlier example: Gloria found a solution to her son’s learning needs…

but now she faces a new plot twist: How do you adapt this popular Montessori program — designed for groups of children nursery schools — to the chaotic home environment of a busy mom?

After you solve the first problem, you’ve got an even tougher problem…and that’s the story that sells.

(4) Replace “Get Personal” with “Relate To Your Audience.”

Recently a business owner told a rather long story about the insights she’d achieved at a yoga retreat in one of those five-figure cruises to a South Seas destination.

Her whole life was transformed. Events that would have turned her into a nail-biting mess now leave her calm and confident.

But will this story resonate with her readers?

This type of retreat isn’t just expensive. It requires a level of intensity, commitment, and fitness that will be beyond the level of many readers.

I’m currently trying to do yoga myself, via online classes. I go for the easy poses and plan to stay at the beginner level for the rest of my life. So the story held some relevance.

A year ago? I wouldn’t have gotten past the first sentence.

(5) Get your audience involved.

During a traditional theatre presentation, the actors rarely try to break the fourth wall. You can bring your audience into your business story with lines like, “Imagine you were looking over my shoulder.”

Or, “Picture yourself on an airplane and I’m sitting in the seat next to yours.”

(6) Create empathetic characters.

There’s no stock formula for characters, beyond having a protagonist. An adversary

adds interest. You can engage your audience by providing details about the characters and giving them distinct personalities.

When you’re the hero of your own story, you have to present yourself as likeable — not a know-it-all, not someone preaching to your audience from a superior position.

Here’s a tip: Create heroes who resemble your ideal client.

If you want to work with financial planners on designing websites, make the hero a financial planner who needs a website.

(7) Commit to your characters with dialogue.

If you want to work with moms of young children, make the hero a mom and give her some kids with carefully chosen ages and temperaments. Do you teach moms how to handle kids who resist parenting…help them get their angelic brilliant children into Ivy League schools?

Dialogue makes your character come alive. When you change your tone and vocal style to match the characters, you show commitment to your characters. Ideally, your audience will recognize “Uncle Jim” and “Harry the business owner” just by their speaking style.

Dialogue grabs attention, whether written or spoken. You don’t need to be funny. You can be dramatic, serious or playful.

Bonus tip: Use stories that reinforce your brand.

Business owners can feel pressured by the advice to, “Tell a story…any story!” So they create a story that’s entertaining but doesn’t support their brand..

Tell stories in a style that will match your brand.

Your brand evolves as your business grows. You’ll need to find new stories to match your new brand.

I hope you can apply at least one of these tips in the near future. When you do, please drop me a line and let me know what you did. What was your audience’s reaction? How did you benefit?

Most of these tips come from my Amazon Kindle book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. You can download it here.

Check out my course – How to give a memorable 5-minute talk.

Sometimes I wish I were more of a perfectionist. Then when I got a new idea, I’d hesitate. I’d wait to be sure it was *exactly* right. I’d tweak the copy till it was perfect…which means forever.

Instead, I tend to take action early. More than once I’ve rushed to market with an idea that sounded SO good, I couldn’t wait to write the sales letter.

I have to be careful or I’ll waste a lot of time. I have many excellent products that nobody wants.

Most of us have had the experience of waking up at 3 AM with an idea that seems absolutely brilliant… till the flaws appear when the idea gets exposed to the light of day, sometime around 10 AM.

And we’ve also had pretty good ideas that got shot down too fast because some well-meaning coach or mastermind member threw cold water on them.

After working through these challenges with clients in many fields, and after watching some of my own bubbles burst after much-wasted effort, I created this 5-point checklist for my clients – and try to remember to use it myself before diving in to create my Next Big Thing.

 1- Do you have the knowledge to add something of your own to the topic?

When I first learned copywriting, I was so excited about the topic, I found myself re-packaging the core ideas into articles and even courses. They were adequate (and the world was less critical back then).  

Today I won’t release a product unless I can promise to offer something my audience can’t get anywhere else. My courses about storytelling are completely different than what others share.

It’s not enough to be different. You have to show how this difference becomes a benefit. Otherwise it’s about a blue one versus a red one.

2 – Can you write up the before-and-after scenes?

Once I got a fantastic idea for a telesummit. I presented the idea to half a dozen people who were equally enthused and who agreed to participate immediately.

When I started to write the sales letter, the whole thing came apart. I couldn’t assemble a list of features and benefits, let alone an opening. I couldn’t explain how attendees would be transformed.

Write out the backstory of the people who will eventually buy your course. What are their deepest fears? What’s holding them back? What have they tried?

Write a paragraph about the outcome: “Imagine yourself spending an hour to create a blog post and then earning hundreds or even thousands of dollars from a program you didn’t even create.”

“Imagine that…” might be a tired, trite copywriting phrase but it’s a good first start.

3 – Would people promote this product for you?

It would be hard to get anyone to promote a product on storytelling or limiting beliefs or basic copywriting. Anyone marketing to those audiences will have their own.

Create a product that’s different from what’s out there.

Dennis Becker has a really cool product on learning to write stories by digging into the family history.

Cindy Bidar has a truly unique product on planning.

Connie Ragen Green has a product on affiliate marketing.

I promote them (yes, those are my affiliate links!) and so do a lot of people. They’re unique.

4 – Can you create promotional material for this product?  

Ideally your product relates to other products and services you offer, so you can create tie-ins and specials. You can test yourself with writing 5 to 10 titles of articles, blog posts and webinars that relate to the product.

 r instance, I have a low-end product on Personal Branding With Stories.  I can promote this product when I write about anything requiring people to promote themselves, such as About Pages and bios. 

Conversely I also have a product on Udemy on a highly specialized topic, Websites for EFT Practitioners. I created it on the suggestion of a business coach who works with EFT practitioners, and I sell it on Udemy because they reach a really wide market.

5 – Does the idea hold up when you give it some time?

I tend to be one of those people who hit the “send” button to announce an idea as soon as it crosses my mind. Then a few hours later, I sheepishly remove the social media posts I created and hope nobody noticed the emails I sent.

The truth is, ideas need time to gel. Give them a few days and see how you feel.

Don’t rush to market, even if your idea passes all the tests. In particular, when you’re working on a concept for your company or a significant product funnel, you may need to wait a long time to get everything together.

Kelly created a unique personal transformation program to help people get through life transitions. The program involved a unique blend of graphics, audio, pdf files, and videos, with optional classes. It was structured to proceed in a certain sequence.

I assumed Kelly had conceived the program as soon as she opened her virtual doors for business. But one day she told her own origin story:

“I kept trying to come with a model and a core program for my business. It was frustrating and a little embarrassing. I was seeing clients and making some money, but I just didn’t have a brand or sequence of steps. We just worked together.

“Then one sunny day I was sitting in a coffee shop, in a playful mood, jotting down ideas…and then it came to me! My program emerged full blown, with modules practically writing themselves on the page.

“But I knew I just had the germ of an idea. I worked on it for just a few weeks. I did some testing. Finally, when I introduced the concept to my audience, they were more than ready.”

If you’d like to talk through your own ideas, click here to set up a consultation.

And you’ll find built-in tests and filters in my Create Your Course program: create your own profitable online course.

You’ve probably heard the classic “Tale of Two Young Men” Wall Street Journal story. Some consider it the greatest sales letter ever written. It sold $2 billion worth of WSJ subscriptions between 1975-2003. And it’s in almost everyone’s swipe file. For a good analysis, click here.

Essentially, two young men graduated from the same college with similar grades and similar demographics. They went to work for the same Midwestern manufacturing company. Twenty-five years later, one managed a small department; one was company president.

The difference? One read the WSJ.

You can read more about the “two paths” format in my book on storytelling, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time. It’s free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, which many of us are.

And here’s a challenge. What would your company’s “two paths” story look like?

The template goes like this.

Two services offered X.
Service A did this.
Service B did that.
Service B delivered value far more than Service A.
Or
People who chose. Service B are far better off, in measurable ways. 

For instance, several years ago I was getting ready to buy a new home. I talked to two Realtors. Anne, the first agent, did the usual things. She came over, looked at my place, made some “fix-up-to-sell” suggestions, and then began sending me listings of properties.

But then I ran across Mark’s website. Mark didn’t have the usual photo gallery. He wrote about specific buildings where he’d sold homes. It was clear he knew the local market inside out.

After I called Mark, he said, “I’m not going to come visit your place till we’ve done some preliminary work.” He knew several of the buildings I asked about. And he didn’t send me a single listing: he wanted to meet me first.

Guess who’s probably going to be my agent, if I decide to move forward.

Another “two-paths” story comes from a client whose testimonial appears on my Story Consultation page.

To summarize: “I was looking for help with my branding. I wanted to send a consistent message. The first two consultants I hired were focused on branding in the traditional way. It took three months to get my colors.

“Then I hired Cathy. Within 3 minutes after we got on the phone, Cathy figured out the story archetype I needed to build my brand…and I got some copywriting tips for my sales page too.”

That’s my ideal “two paths” story. What’s yours?

Can you come up with two paths — one where most people end up and one where you’re the winner (or where you help someone win big)?

Reply to this message with your own story. How do you feel when you tell this story? Do you sense that you share

It’s a good way to share your story in a professional way without boasting. And it’s a good way to get a fix on the way you’d like your clients to appreciate you.

Want help writing this story? Get the 3 story templates to write the 3 essential stories you need to sell — including this one.

If you’re a solopreneur or small business owner, you’ve probably been asked this question more times than you can count:

“How did you get into this line of work?”

It’s a simple question. But most of us answer it the wrong way—off-the-cuff, rambling, or full of irrelevant details. We tell the truth, but not the useful truth. We don’t realize that this moment—when someone’s genuinely curious about your journey—is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate value and connect.

Your origin story isn’t just about you. It’s a strategic tool. Done well, it shows how you’re qualified, how you understand the problem your audience is facing, and why you’re the right person to solve it.

But here’s the catch:
An origin story should never be just a list of milestones. It should answer a deeper question for your audience.

“Why should I trust you with this problem?”

The story becomes powerful when you frame your turning points not just as personal wins, but as moments that built your insight, credibility, and commitment. When someone hears your story, they should think, “That’s exactly who I want to work with.”

So if you’re still telling your story like a resume—or skipping it entirely—it’s time to rethink.

In this week’s podcast, I walk you through how to craft an origin story that attracts clients, builds trust, and makes your marketing feel more natural.

Listen here on your favorite platform.

You have a brilliant idea for a new offer — a course, ebook, or consulting program. You know your audience will respond.

You just need to write a sales letter….and some blog posts to get your audience primed for what’s coming…and the content for the product itself…and a series of launch emails to your list.

You’ve also got to plan for post-launch and that’s a whole other set of writing requirements.

Each year the content creation demands become more intense.

When I started online you could get away with wooden prose and titles like “7 ways to get more readers on LinkedIn.” You can still offer 7 ways but they’ve got to be “amazing” or “little-known” or “used by the 10 most successful business owners.”

Today you’re competing with hundreds of gifted writers who share out-of-the-box ideas and give you an “aha” moment in every other paragraph. You’ve got to find graphics (or hire someone to create them for you).

But you just don’t have enough hours in the day. 

At this point, some people give up their lives, chain themselves to their laptops, and become write-a-holics. Or they say, “No thank you” and find a way to pay the mortgage without writing at all.

Never fear: those aren’t your only two choices.

I’ve been through this challenge myself and helped dozens of clients get past Writing Overwhelm, so they can go back to enjoying their lives again.

Here’s a quick tour of three methods I’ve found to get the writing done and still have a life.

(1)  Match your message to your story archetype.

Jane decides to write about time management. She shares a story about how she almost flunked out of college because she couldn’t organize her study time. She’ll write about how she tweaked her study schedule and ended up graduating with honors. Her writing goes smoothly.

Jane is what I call a Role Model archetype. Her message is, “If I can do it, you can too.” She markets her business by sharing stories of her personal struggles and accomplishments. She doesn’t waste time wondering how to write her story: she understands her message.

Edward tries to come up with a story like Jane’s. But it’s torture. He tries one story, then another.

Edward needs to realize he’s a different archetype. He’s an educator. He might tell a generic story of struggle (“For years I came to the end of the day and realized I got nothing done”).

But his message is, “I’ve got the knowledge to help you solve your biggest problem – and I know how to make it really simple.” His article will practically write itself when he presents “3 research-based ways to manage your time…and they actually work.”

Once you’ve identified your message, you now have a framework for writing blog posts (or anything else). Notice it’s a framework – not a set of handcuffs. You can go off course every so often, especially when you reference other guest experts.

Exercise: When you read articles, emails, and blog posts from the most prolific writers, notice how they tend to reinforce their message. It’s how they save time — and come across more consistently, too.

(2) Write only content that you can use at least three times 

You send a message to your list. You revise the message to become a blog post. Then you take the same content and incorporate it into your new ebook. Or you turn it into a lead magnet.

As you commit to the 3X promise, you’ll start seeing even more ways to recycle content. For instance, one day I realized I could take a  short comment on a blog post and turn it into an article.

Exercise: Next time you get ready to write, ask yourself, “What are the 3 ways I will use this content?” Make your commitment in writing.

Resource: Karen Thackston’s guide to repurposing your content. Click to here to purchase through my affiliate link.

(3) Start with your reader’s story.

The standard structure for articles these days is,

Story with a problem.
Solutions.
Tips for readers who are facing the same problem.

One way to do this is to tell your imaginary reader’s backstory. “Tom has given up sleeping. He feels he’s going in circles – reading the same email over and over again, revising the sales letter for the ninetieth time. He missed dinner with the family five times last week…”

You can write the opening in the second person, with questions rather than statements: “Have you given up sleeping because you’ve got so much work to do? Do you find yourself making payments late because you’ve lost the bills?”

Now you’ve established the problem. You know who you’re trying to reach with your article.

You can …

… share your own story of struggle and show how you turned things around.

… tell the story of a client who struggled with the problem.

… relate to your client by writing in the second person (“Are you struggling with…”)

Once you’ve shared the backstory, your article gets written faster.

You know exactly what you’re writing about and why.

If you can’t clearly identify the problem, you’re probably not ready to write the article. You need a new topic.

When it’s not coming together quickly, go away or get help.

When you’ve spent days struggling with a sales letter, or your website project gets held up because you haven’t written your About Page … it’s time to take a break. Many times I’ve been reading to give up on the project…but then I had to walk the dog or take a class at the gym. By the time I got home, the problem was solved.

You’ve probably heard of ROI — return on investment. Successful business owners also calculate ROT. That unfortunate acronym stands for “return on time.” What are you paying yourself as you keep revising that sales letter or landing page?

As I grew my copywriting career, I was surprised to find experienced, competent marketers hiring me to write their copy. They were perfectly capable of writing their own copy. But they realized they had a better use for their time. After all, I do this all day long. I can do it faster. And because I’m not too close to the project, I can bring an angle they can’t.

Getting help can make the difference between meeting or missing a deadline. It’s not unusual to solve a problem in just 90 minutes, not 90 days.

You may not need a full-blown writing project.

My Story Consultation will help you figure out why your copy isn’t working. You’ll get solid ideas that will get the project finished and generating revenue faster … and you just might find a new way to view your marketing. Click here to get started. 

Resources to Become More Productive

I’ve been writing about content productivity and looking for systems for a long time. Then I came across this guide from Dennis Becker, just released at a very good price. When it comes to content creation,  I’m not easily impressed. But I really like the system Dennis presents.

I’ve attended a lot of presentations where gurus (or guru wannabes) made a big deal about creating one type of content … articles, blog posts, podcasts, or videos. Dennis shares methods of not just creating content easily, but also repurposing each type of content to another format, so that you end up with greater copywriting productivity — getting yourself out there in front of the major players in your target audience.

Dennis shows you how to create 10 pieces of content in 5 different formats in one month. It’s very do-able (I’ve used it myself). You can repurpose each of these 50 pieces of content (such as turning a blog post into a Powerpoint video and then strip out the audio portion to make a podcast episode, and then maybe also post the article to Facebook and to an article directory).

The content creation of 50 content pieces in a month might take you around an hour a day, 5 days a week, and then maybe a little more time spent repurposing each. Of course, any or all of this process could be easily outsourced if you wanted.

Dennis calls this the 5×10 system and you can get your copy here.

Karen Thackston’s guide to repurposing can be found here.

And if you’d like to work with me on identifying your story brand, developing your content strategy, and strengthening your message,  let’s set up a consultation here.

As always, I may make a commission when you purchase through my links.

We’ve all heard it: “Storytelling is powerful.”
And it’s true—stories can captivate, connect, and inspire. But if you’re using stories in your business, there’s a more pointed question you should be asking:

Do stories make you money?

Because in business, likes and follows are great—but they don’t pay the bills. So let’s get real.

Why Most Business Stories Miss the Mark

Too often, business owners focus on two kinds of stories:

• Stories that are fun (or emotional) to tell
• Stories that reveal something about you

There’s nothing wrong with that—until your story turns into a memoir instead of a marketing tool.

If your stories aren’t aligned with your strategy, you’re telling bedtime stories to a business audience. And those don’t convert.

Stories Can Make You Money—If You Use Them Right

Here’s how it works. Stories drive revenue in two distinct ways:

1. Indirectly: Stories as a Marketing Power Tool

Think of stories as high-performance tools in your marketing toolbox. When used strategically, they help you:

• Plan better. You’re not just checking boxes—you’re giving your plans texture and purpose. I even created a workbook to help business owners do just that.
• Clarify your strategy. The stories you tell (or don’t tell) reveal how you position your brand. Want to show you’re client-focused? Share a story where a client succeeded because of your process.
• Explain a concept. Abstract services can feel slippery—until you anchor them in a story. For instance, if you offer a space-booking app, tell a story about someone trying to find a last-minute birthday venue that wasn’t a hotel or a restaurant.
• Understand your client’s world. When you build your client’s “before” story, you speak their language. You write copy with empathy, not ego.

2. Directly: Stories That Sell

Now let’s talk ROI—Return On Story.

Yes, a great story can lead directly to a sale. But it’s not just any story. It has to be:

• Relatable. Your audience sees themselves in it.
• Emotional. Not sappy—just resonant.
• Visionary. It casts a picture of what’s possible.

One business coach I know sells high-end VIP days. She doesn’t start by listing deliverables. She starts with this:

“Imagine yourself having breakfast on a sunlit terrace. No distractions. Then we dive into your business challenge with fresh clarity…”

That story creates space. It isn’t pushy. It invites the listener to step into a better version of their day—and their business.

That’s the power of a well-told sales story.

So… Are Your Stories Making You Money?

If you’re not using stories yet, you’re probably leaving money—and connection—on the table.

If you are using stories but they aren’t converting, it might be time to rethink your approach. Are you telling stories that entertain…or stories that sell?

Strategic stories do more than sound good. They drive results.

Use stories to sharpen your strategy.
Use stories to build connection and open the door to a sale.
And always, always ask: What’s the purpose of this story?

Want a second set of eyes on your story?

If you’re not sure whether your homepage, about page, or landing page is telling the right story, I offer video reviews that give you personalized, honest feedback—with a marketing strategy lens. Click here to learn more and sign up.

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When I got started with online marketing, one question often came up at conferences and informal conversations: “What’s the single most important thing I need to learn in order to be successful?”

If you talk to any Online Gurus, Famous Names, or Internet Millionaires, they’ll freely reveal the answer. They will tell you that visitors make buying decisions based on the words on your website. They will share stories of how you will benefit when you create compelling headlines, beefy bullets, and irresistible hooks.

What most people don’t realize is that once you study copywriting, you have a new all-purpose business tool…a “secret sauce” you can use to add flavor in all your marketing activities.

So you get to be sneaky.

You will find ways to use your skills even when you aren’t working on marketing actions typically associated with copywriting, such as your website or brochure.

You can think of copywriting as “the sneaky strategy” because most of your audience won’t realize you’re using it.

Sneaky copywriting place #1: Once I belonged to an organization that offered an annual showcase for members to present themselves. The catch was, you had to send an application, describing what you’d talk about and why you should be one of the three featured speakers.

I’d never written a proposal like this one, but I figured I’d just use my copywriting experience to promote value, even though I was less experienced than my competitors.

It worked. I got to be one of those speakers, ahead of people who’d been in the group a lot longer.

By the way, this also works for gaining admission to groups and submitting yourself for an award. You’re selling yourself, right?

Sneaky copywriting place #2: When you’re invited to be an interview guest, you will need to prepare a list of questions, a summary of your topic and a brief biography.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? In fact, each element calls for copywriting. Your questions need to be as compelling as headlines. Your bio needs to showcase your expertise – without a hint of boasting. Your interviewer needs to be sure you won’t sound like a used car sales stereotype.

Sneaky copywriting place #3: When you create an information product or write a book, you can use copywriting to create mouth-watering title and chapter headings. They’ll help you reach your target market in the same way your copywriting headlines draw readers into your story.

Additionally, every chapter needs hooks – stories or ideas that grab the reader and won’t let go. It’s usually the opening paragraph of a sales letter, but also the opening of a chapter or even the book itself.

One of my favorite opening lines comes from a murder mystery, The Rosewood Casket by Sharyn McCrumb:

“Dying cost nothing and could be done alone; otherwise Randall Stargill might have lived forever.”

Many authors skip this step, but it’s important, particularly for kindle books. When readers click on “Look inside,” they’ll see chapter headings – and some hooks too.

You don’t have to become a master copywriter or even a professional copywriter to benefit from these skills. In fact, your success will be less about the wordsmithing than about the copywriting mindset: asking the “what’s in it for me” question, getting into the conversation in your client’s mind, and telling a purposeful story.

Once you adapt this mindset, you’ll likely find yourself achieving gains in many areas of marketing, with considerably more enjoyment and considerably less effort.

If you’d like to learn more about copywriting, check out my course on Copywriting With Stories. We introduce stories directly into the copywriting process – not as an add-on. Use coupon code “copypro” to save $20 on the price.

And grab your free download – 7 Copywriting Tips To JumpStart Your Sales.

Back when I lived in Seattle, a speaker opened his talk with, “I’m sure you’d rather be outside on this beautiful day when we’re not having rain for a change.” Suddenly everyone’s focus shifted from the speaker (who was pretty good, by the way) to a rare view of Mount Rainier.

That speaker just lowered his own value in the eyes of 100+ people attending the event. Up to that moment, he was viewed as an authority, even a thought leader. After all, he’d been invited to speak to the crowd.

This one casual remark blew his cover. He admitted to us, “I’m the default option — the place you go when you don’t have a choice. You’re dining at a fast-food chain because you don’t have access to a 5-star restaurant.”

If you attend business events, you probably know this one-sentence opening isn’t unusual. Even established, high-profile business people are reluctant to promote their personal brand. They’ve been brought up with sayings like:

“The nail that stands out gets hammered down.”

“If you’re really good at what you do, the world will find you.”

“Humility is a virtue.”

These ideas make sense in a purely social or personal setting. If you’re joining your family for a holiday dinner, you probably won’t tell a story about how you helped your kid get into Harvard on Early Decision. You won’t share the story of how you created a 5-step program to help your rescue mutt stop chewing up the sofa after three obedience schools gave up and handed you a dog biscuit as a consolation prize.

You won’t talk about your successes; you’ll be modest and humble as you compliment Aunt Jane on her pumpkin pie.

In a professional setting, when you don’t share your success, your audience will feel awkward and even alienated. They will actually be insulted when you suggest they should be spending their time elsewhere. You’re suggesting that, by choosing to be here, they’re exercising very poor judgment. Or you remind them, “You didn’t have a choice. You’re stuck.”

The truth is, when you’re selling yourself, your marketing success depends on your ability to brag – without sounding like a used car salesman. The best way to do this is to find your unique stories and share them in all the right places.

If you’re a productivity pro, you probably have a story about helping a client find an extra five hours a week without sacrificing her goals. If you’re a dog trainer, you’ll have people on the edge of their seats when you share how you replaced your chewed-up couch with a beautiful new one — and it’s still looking good five years later.

A life coach? Share how you helped a client conquer fear of heights and go on to climb Mount Rainier. You could even share how you climbed a small hill, if you can make that story fit your purpose.

Exercise: Expand your opening into a purposeful story. When you try to make a story out of, “You’d probably rather be somewhere else,” you’ll most likely realize there’s no story here. And if you find one, why on earth would you want to share it?

One comment I hear often is, “It’s SO hard to talk about myself!” So I created this affordable short Bragging 101 program to get past the barriers to promoting yourself and enjoy attracting clients who will be eager to work with you.

Click here to claim yours now… and take the first step to claiming your bragging rights without giving in to hype, sleaze and unprofessional copywriting.

And if you’d like me to work with you on your own story, let’s set up a one-to-one consultation. We can use the time to review a copywriting project, find your story (and brainstorm the best way to tell it), strengthen your message, or deal just about any challenge you’re facing now. Click here to take your first steps to your marketing breakthrough.

And claim your FREE download – 7 Common Storytelling Mistakes Most Business Owners Make (And How To Fix Them).