If you hang around with other business owners, you’ll find we’re careful about what we say to each other. You have to know someone very well before you’ll venture a comment like, “Isn’t he really all smoke and mirrors – a big fancy guru act but he’s really broke?” Or, “She talks a good game but she’s really living off her trust fund.”

Thomasina asks me, “Do any of your networking groups need a speaker? I just published a book and I need visibility!”

So I reply, “Where’s your speaker bio?”

She sends me a classified ad. Attended school at this Ivy League college. Worked with these Fortune 50 companies as a consultant. Big yawn.

“How did you help those companies?” I ask. I like Olivia and want her to succeed.

“Increased profits by 70% in one year for Company X. Doubled revenue for company Y.”

“Impressive numbers,” I say truthfully. “But what did you do to get those results?”

That’s the essential question to ask when you want to appear as the expert, authority go-to person. When I work with clients on bios and About Pages, I ask for 3 success stories.

Your success story begins in the middle of the muddle. Your client faces challenges. You provide a specific solution. Your clients enjoy a specific outcome.

Thomasina might write:

“When I started working with Company X, their salespeople were not incentivized to promote the most profitable products. I used my proprietary profit-magnet system to identify the heavy hitters. Salespeople now sell twice as many products in the high-profit category as they did before.”

Stories work for testimonials, too.

Unfortunately, most testimonials go like this:

“Cathy is an amazing copywriter. I’d recommend her to anyone.”

You believe that? I didn’t think so.

Here is an example of a “surprise story” testimonial someone could write about me:

“I wasn’t sure about hiring Cathy. She doesn’t fit the image I had of a copywriter and she talks about her dog all the time. But the copy she wrote for my website helped me get more clients and she was fun to work with.”

Another imaginary example, this time in the “saved from disaster” style:

“When I hired Cathy, I’d been trying to put a website together for 3 months. Cathy came in, wrote copy and found techie types who put it together for me. Now my site brings me clients and revenue, hassle-free.”

Stories add credibility to your bios and testimonials because…

… you can show exactly what you did, instead of encouraging your audience to believe in magic

… you can begin with doubts and objections, which make the story seem more real

… you can demonstrate why you’re unique without bragging, referring to your proprietary systems, your people skills and your personal style

Now it’s your turn: Write 3 success stories to demonstrate how you’re unique and what you can do for your clients. Not sure how to turn those stories into a compelling brand? Sign up for the Strategic Intensive. You won’t just get a brand with colors and a slogan. You’ll get a foundation to build the rest of y 

“I need to make changes in my marketing to be more profitable…but what’s my next step?” 

Get an outside perspective on a marketing question when you need someone to listen with an open mind, introduce fresh ideas, and point you to surprising new opportunities.

Want to explore the different ways we can work together? Click here to send me a message.

Just today I received an email from Lorrie Morgan, who taught me most of what I know about copywriting. She wrote about her top 3 pet peeves in an entertaining, insightful message.

That got my wheels spinning. Instead of “pet peeves,” I think of them as crazy-making, credibility-destroying marketing strategies.

1 – People who open their emails with an intimate embarrassing anecdote involving underwear (or loss thereof), deep-dive medical symptoms, or humiliating anecdotes from their childhood (which should be repressed, regardless of what their analyst says).

You probably don’t do this! But maybe consider giving yourself some space before sharing a personal anecdote. More than once, I’ve written myself out of my content after a day or so of chill time. There’s a reason we use the term “cringeworthy.”

2 – Emails that promise “3 easy ways to solve this difficult, expensive, business-killing problem.”

You open the email. You learn all about the difficult, expensive, business-killing problem.

You want a solution? Ah…now you have to take the next step. You either buy a product…or you set up a phone call with a coach who presumably will guide you to a solution.

I believe emails should deliver value to you when you open them…an aha moment, actionable advice, and/or access to something rare or time-sensitive.

As a corollary…those emails with the subject line “free gift.” Turns out it’s a free gift only if you buy the big high-end product they didn’t warn you about.

Creating curiosity can be a powerful marketing tactic. Finding just the right amount you can “tease” might require some testing.

I created a video on this some time ago. It’s still valid information but be warned: I’ve learned more about sound quality since then. If you think you’re hearing a “meow” in the background, you’re not imagining things.

You can get away with this if you’ve got solid guru status and a loyal, responsive tribe who will follow you to the ends of the earth, no matter what. But do you want to?

3 – Defensive responses to your critics.

It’s one thing to rant against stupid practices in your industry. You deliver value by encouraging your audience to question those practices. You support those who have already begun to wonder why “everybody” promotes something so silly.

But a direct attack on you or your business? That goes with the territory. Getting defensive puts you in a one-down position.

“I got the question, ‘If you’re so successful, why are you still going to these meetings?'”
“At a live event someone came up to me to say I need to dress up more. I’d just connected with two people who became four-figure clients.”
“I’d just given a talk and sold $10K in an hour. A total stranger chose to advise me: “You should consider joining Toastmasters. You had too many ums and uhs.””

Hey, you don’t have to explain to us! We’re your loyal, loving audience.

On the other hand, I enjoyed this story, because the speaker shared a bigger lesson: turn snark into strategy. She’s not responding. She’s empowering herself with a “listen and learn” approach:

“I had just gotten off a stage, where I’d won a generous award in recognition of my success. Someone came up to me and said, ‘Your problem is, you are too corporate. You need to loosen up.’

“At first I was furious. After all, I’d just been validated with this award. But then I started to think. Yes, I am corporate. I can embrace this identity. My business now focuses on helping solopreneurs who want to do business with big companies…and they learn from my corporate style.”

See the difference?

Speaking of networking, Episode #81 of the Strategic Storytelling podcast introduces networking tips, including ways to manage the dreaded Coffee Date. That’s when someone says, “Let’s go get coffee and talk about our businesses.”

“Do you have anything specific? Have you been to my website?” I ask.

“No,” they said. “I just figured we’d start with our coffee…”

I guess that’s Pet Peeve #4. Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google, or your favorite platform.

What’s your pet peeve? Add a comment or send me a message at https://cathygoodwin.com/contact/

Yvonne wanted to find a way to monetize her podcast, Late Bloomer Living. She interviews midlife men and women on the topic of career transition. In her words:

[The podcast] brings together people circling their 50’s who are committed to busting through their Midlife Funk to inspire, cheer each other on, share our stories and take bold action, so that we can define and rock the next chapter of life and achieve new life goals whether it’s pursuing a passion project, pivoting careers or finally running that marathon.

Each person has a story to tell and every story is different. Even so, Yvonne has found common themes among the stories. Fear. Testing the waters. Taking the risk.

Yvonne has learned a lot from her podcast and she’s getting rave reviews. People tell her how good they feel after they finish their interviews.

Now, she faces a challenge. How can she monetize her podcast? Yvonne isn’t an expert on psychology or life transition. She started the podcast because she experienced change herself and wanted to talk to others making similar life transitions.

As Yvonne says, she’s not an expert. She’s a skilled photographer who specializes in helping her clients develop a personal brand. Her expertise shines, whether she’s taking headshots or “slice of life” action photos.

Can she — a non-expert — create a course that will help others transform their lives?

Some people would tell Yvonne, “You’ve got impostor syndrome. You have your own experience. Of course, you can do this!”

She doesn’t have impostor syndrome. She’s got an accurate perception of her own expertise. Even more important, she understands that potential buyers want to validate her expertise and credentials.

The Long Game: Becoming an Expert In A New Field

If Yvonne wants to become known as an expert on life transitions, she can begin by creating content that shows her expertise. She can create her own blog, write guest posts for other blogs, and begin to publish on outlets like Medium. Eventually, she’ll even have a book.

If you choose this strategy, it’s important to develop a unique message that will resonate with your audience…something that makes readers say, “I’ve never heard that before. But it makes a lot of sense.”

Having a body of content will establish your expertise with potential buyers of your course. You might even attract attention from the major media.

That’s what I did. When I was focused on my career site, Midlife Career Strategy, I didn’t pitch to the media. But I got found by writers for top journals like the Denver Post, Money Magazine, and the WSJ Online. They came to my blog, liked what they saw and called me. I was invited to join broadcasts, too.

All of them said the same thing: “You’ve got an unusual take on this subject.”

The Shorter Game: Borrow The Expertise

Yvonne might decide she has no interest in getting established as an expert in a new field. She’s doing just fine with her photography business.

In this case, she can borrow the expertise. For example:

Find someone who’s unmistakeably an authority: a psychologist, a marriage and family counselor or a life coach with experience in this area.

The expert can co-create the course as a joint venture. Yvonne would lay out the curriculum and co-present the courses. Most likely the expert already has a following and a place to promote the course. They could split the revenue 50-50.

Alternatively, Yvonne can find a series of experts. Each would be interviewed for a specific session (or group of sessions) of the course. She can set the course up as a summit, which normally would be free to listen for a limited time with a charge for recordings. She can offer affiliate commissions to everyone who sells the recordings.

If she’s built a large audience from the podcast – and she can document a substantial number – she could attract guest experts to participate in a course because they’ll get solid exposure.

First Step To Monetizing: Find your message.

When you pivot to a new direction in your business, you need to explain with your story. Yvonne can show how being a personal brand photographer has given her insights that she can apply to helping people in transition.

Secondly, she has to figure out what problem she’s going to solve in her course….and. the next problem and the next.

Based on her podcast interviews, what do people say they need during a transition? What aren’t they able to get elsewhere?

If she taps into a truly urgent need, with a solution that resonates with the transitioners, she’ll easily find ways to monetize her podcast.

FREE: Listen to my podcast, Create Your Course With Storytelling.

On Apple.
On Spotify.
On Your Favorite Platform – Episode #58.

BTW you’re looking for ways to monetize your expertise, I can help! We can make significant progress in just one Strategic Intensive. It’s not just a consulting session – it’s a whole program. Click here to learn more and sign up.

I also offer a course on course creation – http://mycopy.info/createyourcourse

When you’re a service business, you’ll often want to position yourself as an expert. Your brand might differentiate your business based on what you know and how your knowledge delivers results for your clients.

One of the best ways to establish expertise is to tell a story that surprises your listeners, creating an “Aha!” moment for them. Your goal as a service professional is to provide transformation.

Transformation almost always begins with an awareness of what’s happening now and what needs to be changed. As a change agent, you often create this awareness by delivering what’s come to be known as “aha” moments.

Let’s review some examples from one of the best books I read last year:   The End of Average, by Todd Rose. At first I thought the book would be more self-help, along the lines of, “These Days You Can’t Afford To Accept Yourself Average. You Have To Be Outstanding.” Instead, his message is, “The concept of ‘average’ can be dangerous to your business, education and life.”

What makes this idea shocking is the word “dangerous.” Most systems, products and institutions are designed to target the “average” person. It seems reasonable…until you realize that targeting the average person means targeting nobody. And that means you deny admission to many highly-qualified people.

Rose creates an “aha” moment with two stories.

Story #1 opens the book with a concept story.  Back in the 1940s, the US Air Force took measurements of pilots across several body dimensions, such as arm span, waist, hips, neck and shoulders. They used the average of each measurement to build cockpits.

Following a series of air crashes, the Air Force went back and measured thousands of pilots on ten dimensions. Not one pilot even came close to the “average” measurement on all ten. Ultimately, they learned to create adjustable cockpits, with seats, backs and armrests that could be adjusted for each pilot.

Rose concludes this story with a stunning episode of a fighter pilot who saved a plane was nearly destroyed in combat — a small female who didn’t fit the averages.

You can read an excerpt here.

Rose uses body size as an example of what he calls”jaggedness.” Nobody will be average on all dimensions of body size. And nobody will show a personality trait through all situations and activities. I’m very comfortable speaking to groups but I avoid most parties. Some children behave well at home but not in school, or vice versa. So, Rose, suggests, it’s better to say, “I’ve got this personality style in this situation but not that one.”

This story works because

— it fits the purpose:  It’s intended to show the importance of respecting jagged edges and not rejecting people who don’t fit the standard (because maybe nobody does)
— it’s relatable: Many audiences will know someone who’s been in the military and many will relate to the hero as someone they could admire. Strongly anti-war or anti-military audiences won’t respond.
— it’s undeniably true
— it’s consistent with the author’s brand as an Educator

Story #2  is an origin story with a purpose.

He was such a poor student in high school that his options for college were extremely limited. Bored with classes, he achieved poor grades and was known as a problem to many of his teachers.

When Rose got to college, he decided to figure out how to make academic life work for him. His advisor recommended getting the basic courses out of the way freshman year. But, Rose knew, he wouldn’t do well in boring classes. He needed to build up his study skills with classes he enjoyed. He realized a certain math class would be stultifying, so he found a way to test out of the required math classes.

But Rose also considered his own temperament and quirks. He avoided classes where he’d be seeing his high school friends. He knew he’d slip into his old “class clown” role and become a problem rather than a success story.

Even more remarkably, Rose talked his way into the college honors program. He discovered these classes encouraged free-wheeling discussion — something he enjoyed. And he learned how to pass a critical thinking exam by building on his own analytical style, with diagrams and pictures.

Ultimately, he earned graduate degrees at Harvard. Not bad for a kid whose teachers had given up on him.

Once again, this story works because

— it fits the purpose:  It’s intended to show that sometimes failure isn’t due to the person; it’s due to an improper matchup between person and situation.
— it’s relatable: Everyone’s been in school. Many of us were bored or couldn’t relate to the way we were being taught.
— it’s undeniably true
— it’s consistent with the author’s brand as an Educator: Rose isn’t sharing the story to help us get to know him better; he’s using his own experience to clarify a concept.

These findings can be applied to business as well. How many times have you heard someone say, “I became successful when I realized that the prescribed rules wouldn’t work for me.” And have you listened to someone telling you, “If you don’t [go networking, create a podcast, do a lot of speaking, post to Pinterest four times a day, work 60 hours a week, or … ], you will never be successful.”

Hang around long enough and you’ll find someone who never did those things. They did SOMEthing, but they made the process their own. Maybe they shifted to a new business model to accommodate the way they work. Maybe they adjusted their goals. But ultimately they honored their own uniqueness.

Similarly, saying someone is “a successful businessperson” doesn’t mean they’re successful on all dimensions. They’ve learned to compensate for their weaknesses and leverage their strengths. If you rate them on qualities such as time management, interpersonal skills, perseverance, and technical savvy, they probably won’t score high on all those dimensions. I can’t imagine someone succeeding without strong audience awareness, but I bet somebody out there has done just that.

Would you like to experience some “aha” moments to begin your own marketing transformation?   Click here to learn more about the Story Consult, my most popular consultation.

Or check out Bragging101: the course that teaches you how to brand yourself by telling stories.

So you get an email where a business owner appears to be sharing stories. But in fact, they’re sharing half-stories. They’re leaving out critical information. They skip a step. Or they take liberties with facts. For example:

Tina works with business owners to create a mindset that supports their entrepreneurial activity. It’s somewhat woo-woo but she claims to get solid results.

Tina wrote an email promising, “You don’t need a website to start your business. I didn’t have one and my practice filled within three weeks.”

Sure, you can start a business without a website. But Tina’s not sharing the whole story. Her boyfriend, Justin, was a well-known online marketer with a very large, very responsive list. Justin introduced Tina to his list, with claims like, “Some of my clients start making money after just a couple of sessions with Tina!” He does make a disclaimer about their relationship but he’s very convincing. Tina could fill her practice from Justin’s one email.

Janet experienced an abusive encounter with a prospect when she tried to pitch them in person. After crying all the way home, she put on her business owner hat and decided things had to be different.

As she tells the story, “Finally it hit me: I was trying to appear like someone I wasn’t. So I attracted prospects who hated me. I started sharing the truth of who I am. I allowed myself to be vulnerable.

“I focused on building relationships,” she reports. “I became more visible. Clients started finding me. My income doubled.”

Janet actually added a step to her story. Her success didn’t come from being vulnerable and authentic. Most likely she gained momentum by building relationships and clearly identifying her message and her brand.

Finally, Tom told a story like this: “My client Betsy needed a quick infusion of cash. I sent her my templates for a sequence of 3 emails. Betsy sold 10 copies of her class at $997 each — giving her what she needed and something left over to celebrate.”

Wow. I was almost ready to sign up for Tom’s program to get my three emails!

But Tom has skipped ahead several steps — just the opposite of Janet.

In order to sell even one program at $997, Betsy needs a program with an irresistible promise her audience will believe. Most programs in that price range aren’t made in a day.

To sell ten at that price, she needs credibility and a responsive list. List size isn’t important: some people could sell 20 programs at $997 from a list of 1000 or less. Some couldn’t match that goal with a list of 10,000 or more.

Tom’s story may be completely accurate. But without those intermediate steps, his three emails won’t make a difference.

So what makes a really good, effective, honest success story?

Here’s an example that would be appropriate for a financial planner (from my book, Grow Your Business One Story At A Time):

“Bob, a bank manager in a medium-sized city, and his wife Susan feel frustrated because they don’t have enough money each month. Bob feels Susan spends too much money on hair, nails, and the latest fashions. But Susan says Bob spends a lot more on “expensive golf and fishing trips.”

“Susan called because she couldn’t stand to face another fight with Bob over money. She was considering a divorce. 

“As a financial planner,  I introduced Bob and Susan to the No-Fault, Win-Win budget system. Although this couple had tried other budgeting systems without success, this one worked because I offered them support and guidance along the way.

“Two months after our meeting, Susan called me again. She’d forgotten about divorce and was celebrating a special date with Bob …”

This story could be expanded to show details of how the financial planner worked with the couple. He might refer to intake sessions and additional information. The real story features the planner as hero and emphasizes, “There’s no magic!”

Bottom line: Every service-based business owner needs at least 3 success stories. When I work with clients in the Story Consultation, we work on the details. Often we turn up a story that the business owner hadn’t considered. When you’re close to your business (as you should be), you almost always overlook stories that will appeal to your best clients. “Of course, it turned out that way!” you’re saying.

Your client may have had a very different experience with a different kind of service or with a competitor. Or your client simply may not realize that these results were possible and realistic.

To learn more, check out my newest course on Content for Credibility. Currently in the introductory phae with an introductory price.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Profitable, Persuasive, and Professional. Gaining leads and clients with content that you’re proud to show your prospects. Not leaving clients confused. Not spending hours writing (and rewriting). Not using tactics that don’t fit your style.  I enjoy watching my clients grow as they differentiate themselves, gain confidence and attract their ideal clients. They also delight in using the power of storytelling to make marketing more productive, more effective, and more fun. 

If this sounds like something you’d want, visit this page or send me a message if you’ve got questions. 

A few years ago the New York Times ran a story about Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos. The Times describes the company as “the Silicon Valley company that was once the poster brand for biotech breakthroughs,” but now stands accused of “widespread fraud.” The story is described as a “slide into ignominy,” a phrase we rarely see.

The story focuses on the way Ms. Holmes branded herself by wearing a black turtleneck — the same type of turtleneck apparently favored by Steve Jobs. The article’s author, Vanessa Friedman, points out that Ms. Holmes thoroughly understood the elements of memorable branding: consistency in “creating an instantly identifiable image.”

“But,” the article suggests, “such an individual uniform has a risk if you don’t live up to the promise. In the end, it’s the substance behind the style that makes the difference; what you wear becomes its expression.”

Ms. Holmes and her black turtlenecks (and hopefully her association with questionable practices) will seem far removed to most of us.

But the article serves as a reminder that we’re branded by more vivid associations than logos and colors. In particular, we’re branded by our stories — those we tell and those our audience tells about us.

That’s just one reason it’s rarely a good idea to follow the oft-quoted advice to “be vulnerable and tell your whole story.”

Stories stick. That’s why they’re powerful.

One marketer used to tell a story about running away from home to live on the streets. She posted that story right on her About Page. When her name came up, you’d sometimes hear, “Oh yes, she’s the one with that terrible childhood.”

Not a bad association, but I suspect that’s not what she hoped would make her memorable. She eventually dropped that story.

By contrast, a money coach used to tell the story of helping a divorced woman with ruined credit and minimal savings. Together they developed a plan and within two years, the woman owned her home and was financially stable. That story shows what she can do. It resonates with her audience, who didn’t seem to mind hearing it over and over.

A lot of advice to “brand with a story” encourages you to brand with your own story, preferably how you triumphed over obstacles and now live in a mansion, take vacations in your own plane and of course help countless others who want to match your success. But why not brand with a signature story of how you helped your clients transform their lives … a realistic story that makes listeners think, “I want what they got!”

Any, those stories are far more relevant to a thoughtful prospect who wants to work with you.

 I follow the WNBA basketball league (my favorite teams are Seattle and Phoenix). And I’m constantly reminded that some great players, such as Dawn Staley, make great coaches. Some players who weren’t superstars also make great coaches who transform superstars (such as Geno Auriemma). And some players were Hall of Famers who just couldn’t make it as head coaches.

Coaching calls for different skills than being the league MVP. And when I hire a coach or consultant, I want to know how they help their clients … not how they triumphed over adversity to become great players way back when. 

Want me to help you polish up your story and maybe your website as well? Let’s start with a Power Hour Consultation.

You can also sign up for my home study course, Brand Your Business One Story At A Time.

One time I told a story to a mastermind group. Afterward, someone later complimented me on being “vulnerable.” 

I was horrified. I wasn’t being vulnerable. I don’t remember what I shared,  but I do remember I made a conscious decision to share that story with the group. I was supplying an interesting anecdote I thought the group would enjoy. And they did.

A lot of people talk about Brene Brown and her writings on vulnerability. But if you read her work, she never encourages readers to bare their souls, especially in business.

 In fact, in her book I Thought It Was Just Me, she tells a story on herself. She shared her frustrations as a young mother with someone she thought was a friend. The friend promptly said, “I always loved being a mom.” Yeah right – every minute. In retrospect, she says, she reached out too soon.  

 In her book Daring Greatly, Brene Brown makes an even stronger statement: 

“Vulnerability is based on mutuality and requires boundaries and trust. It’s not oversharing, it’s not purging, it’s not indiscriminate disclosure, and it’s not celebrity-style social media information dumps. Vulnerability is about sharing our feelings and our experiences with people who have earned the right to hear them.   [Emphasis added.] 

So when it comes to YOU, forget about being vulnerable when you’re marketing. Your prospects and clients rarely have earned the right to share your feelings on every aspect of your personal life. 

But there is a place for appreciating vulnerability in business – and that’s when you communicate with prospects and clients. They are often extremely vulnerable when they come.

In I Thought It Was Just Me, Brene Brown points out that credentialed experts hold the power to shame others – and that includes their clients. 

So as a business owner, when you read Brene Brown’s work, think of how your clients feel. Sometimes they feel vulnerable just by hiring you. They have to admit they can’t do something or they’ve somehow gotten into a mess. And it’s individual.  

It’s very individual. We can understand why most people would be terrified about calling a DUI lawyer. But people get intimidated by calling tech support, financial advisors, life coaches and even lawn care services. 

That’s where you write your content to say, outright, that you’re not judgmental. One life coach I know says, “I’m the least judgmental person you’ll ever meet.” 

People get traumatized by experts.

In his book on The Tapping Solution, Nick Ortner tells story after story about people who were shamed by their doctors. He tells horror stories of doctors who say bluntly, “There’s nothing we can do. You’re gonna die,” and then leave the room. 

And here’s the thing. People who have been traumatized by the last professional they hired are going to be scared of hiring you too. If their last accountant told them they were spendthrifts who needed to earn more money, they’ll be very nervous about hiring another accountant. If their last lawyer said, “Boy you really screwed up,” they’ll wait way too long to hire a lawyer the next time. 

Brene Brown gives an example of a woman who postponed prenatal care – realizing the risks she was taking – because she couldn’t face a doctor telling her she was fat.

That’s one reason I believe your client’s backstory has 3 parts – their problem, the obstacles that keep them from solving the problem, AND what they’ve done so far. Your client brings baggage – and often that baggage includes a great deal of vulnerability.

For more on client baggage – download my free report https://cathygoodwin.com/baggage

This topic was explored in more depth in my podcast episode #51 – Listen on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.

But home pages aren’t what they used to be. When you’re looking at websites, you might find yourself thinking, “This isn’t what my mentor’s home page looked like.”

And that’s a good thing.

Belief #1:  Your home page should share your story. 

Interpretation: People giving this advice will view their Home Page as a place to make a personal connection with visitors.

Reality: You do need to establish personal connections with visitors. But these days, the best way to establish a connection is to add someone to your list. You can connect momentarily on a personal (or non-personal) level. One minute later, the visitor is gone, just like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. All that’s left is the grin …. i.e., a new name for your opt-in list.

Additionally, the notion of “your story” has begun to change. More and more, we’re realizing that every business owner has multiple stories — not just one. Specifically, the story of “how I came to be here” will resonate with some markets — but not all. Do you really care if your cardiologist has recovered from a heart attack?

If you’d like to learn more about why these stories won’t work, check out my Amazon kindle book – free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers:  Grow Your Business One Story At A Time.

Belief #2: Your home page shouldn’t be a landing page. 

Interpretation: These marketers believe the primary role of your home page is to help visitors decide if they want to work with you.

Reality: Many of us (including me) used to say, “Your home page needs to answer the question, ‘Am I in the right place if I need a certain type of service?'”

Belief #3: Your home page should be LONG. 

Interpretation: Visitors will spend a lot of time on your home page.

Reality: Home pages have fewer words today – sometimes a lot fewer. Designers encourage you to use bigger type to communicate visually the importance of your ideas. They also prominently feature images. Large images — often taking up all the space above the fold — have become popular. Free graphic programs like Canva make it easy to superimpose text on the photos.

If visitors want to learn more, they’ll dig deeper into your website.

Why not? Lots of successful people do that.

FREE Guide: Your website makeover planner

Comprehensive website review: http://mycopy.info/webreview

Want to refer back to this post?  Get a pdf download here.

Explore further … 

And if you’d like to work with me on marketing or copywriting, let’s start here, with the Strategic Intensive.