the!5best!storytelling!strategies!to buildconfidence ...report+-+5+… ·...

Copyright © 2016 Lisa Bloom, Story Coach Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://story-‐coach.com

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The 5 Best Storytelling Strategies to Build Confidence, Credibility &

Attract Amazing Clients! I’m amazed by how we all tell stories naturally (yes, it’s part of our DNA!), yet so many people struggle to tell stories that really work. When I say really work, I mean that they do what stories do best -‐ engage your audience, create connection and attract people to sign up for your programs. Not only will this report give you 5 Stunning Storytelling Strategies that will rock your world! There are other treasures hidden here!

1. Your strategy storied -‐ a story for each point to illustrate the power of your story.

2. 5 additional articles for you to deepen your awareness of how critical your story is for your business

3. Guiding Questions – so you can quickly and easily implement these strategies and transform your business

Remember: Your Ability to Understand the Power of Storytelling is the Single Most Important Business Development Tool and the key to Massive Income Increase


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Strategy 1 – Tell Your Own Story Don’t make it up. Don’t borrow someone else’s story that inspired you. Don’t think that you don’t have any interesting stories – you do. They don’t have to be ‘life-‐threatening, jump-‐out-‐of-‐an-‐airplane-‐get-‐caught-‐in-‐an-‐avalanche’ kind of stories. Everyday stories are fine, actually they’re better than fine, they’re the real thing. The trick is to tell something that MOVES you. It’s that simple. You see, when it’s true, it’s easy to tell. No stress, no pressure, you just tell what happened (with intention and some crafting of course!)

The one time in the last 6 years that I have not written and sent out my weekly story to my ‘list’ was the week my dog died. I was devastated, heart-‐broken and I just couldn’t find the energy or interest to do pretty much anything. I did manage to post on social media a picture of her and how I felt. I was amazed! Within hours, I was inundated with condolences, prayers and good wishes from far and wide. My confessing my emotional state touched and moved people across the globe.

Guiding Questions –

1. When did you experience or notice something that made you feel different to how you felt before?

2. Where were you? When you recall the moment, what do you see? Describe the moment with all your senses.

3. Why was this special? Why does it move you? 4. What is it’s meaning in relation to your business, your clients, anyone

else?

Strategy 2 – Make It a True Story There’s nothing more attractive, sexy even, than authenticity. The true is, people want ‘the real deal’. Trust is the most valuable commodity in business and the hardest to come by. The main reason we don’t trust someone is because they seem inauthentic and therefor untrustworthy. You can’t fake it. People try but you can detect authenticity a mile away! When you show up


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authentically by tell a true story, it builds trust and attracts enormous business growth. It’s refreshing and exciting and attracts your perfect match in every sense!

I was working at my local café, talking with another professional that often sits across from me. We were talking about story in business. He showed me the website for his on-‐line store. Under ‘our team’ he had created characters, with names, pictures and personal details. They were all fictional. He said sometimes people called up asking for people specifically, they are often disappointed and don’t want to speak to anyone else, he said. ‘If I were starting over, I’d do it differently now.


1. What achievement are you proud of? 2. What event would you rather had never happened? 3. What would you hate people to know about you? 4. How are these exact traits, experiences, situations empowering for you?

What was your big lesson?

Strategy 3 – Be Present In this world of extreme distraction, true presence is a gift. How many times have you spoken to a friend, colleague or service provider and had the distinct impression that their mind was elsewhere? How often to you find yourself multi-‐tasking with the intention of getting more done…only to realize that you were so distracted you got nothing done. When you tell a story and really live it as you tell it, you are present to the story and therefore present to the listener. Experiencing someone else’s presence is an intense, moving and beautiful experience and far to rare. Be present and you will reap massive reward.

I had no intention of buying anything in the store. I was just browsing attracted to go inside because the unusual crafts that were displayed in the window. The assistant came over to me, smiled and began to chat. It felt just like that, a


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chat. She told interesting anecdotes about the craft designers and the history of the store. She asked me questions about my family and my interests. There were other customers in the store but I felt like I got special attention. I suspect we all did! I walked out of that store with the perfect gift for each member of my family. That’s the power of presence.


1. When do you find it most challenging to be present? 2. When is it easy for you to be in the moment? 3. How do you practice presence? 4. Who do you admire for their presence? List what it is about them that

you like so much. How does their presence make you feel?

Strategy 4 – Acknowledge Acknowledge yourself. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt, we’re too quick to judge ourselves (and others) negatively. Be proud of your story, it’s more powerful than you can imagine. Also, when you can acknowledge someone else’s contribution, their talent and excellence it actually showcases YOUR values. When you genuinely see and praise the brilliance of your audience, your competition and your clients they will be much quicker to tell your story too. The importance of acknowledgment is vastly underestimated. The practice of acknowledgement is often sorely lacking. When you focus outside of yourself and whole-‐heartedly support the work of others, your generosity pays back ten fold.

I had just started calling myself a storyteller – though I had been telling stories my whole life, I never quite realized it and certainly never thought of it as a profession. I felt like a total newcomer, very uncertain and hugely lacking in confidence. All the best storytellers were at the event. The hostess, famous for her teaching, guidance and brilliance in the field started introducing the new faces. When she introduced me, she said things that I hadn’t even known about myself at that time. Her generosity was humbling, her kindness vast. It made the world of difference to me. Her words became a part of my story.


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1. How often do you acknowledge the people around you; partner, family, friends, colleagues?

2. How do you feel when your efforts are not acknowledged? 3. How can you create a practice of acknowledgement? 4. What self-‐acknowledgement have you been lacking? List 10

achievements that you want to congratulate yourself for.

Strategy 5 – Appreciate When you appreciate what you have rather than constantly live with the dissatisfaction of what is lacking, it transforms your life (and your business). There are people that constantly focused on what isn’t; that’s their story. It’s hard to be around these people sometimes. When you tell the story of what is, and celebrate it (even though it’s not perfect), this is hugely attractive to others. Allowing yourself be optimistic and upbeat is a gift to yourself first and foremost!

My eight year old son said, “thank you for the food we have on the table and the wood in the fireplace that keeps us warm”. Tears welled in my eyes. We had been practicing gratitude, every evening over dinner – we called it, ‘the thankyous’. Everyone had to say a thank you. For weeks I had heard, “I don’t have any thankyous, nothing good happened today, he hit me” and other usual stuff that kids get focused on! We just plodded on, thank you for…and we’d list off little, insignificant things. Finally, it had worked. Even my little one could feel the gratitude!


1. What do you appreciate in your life, right now? 2. Do you have a gratitude practice? If not, create one today. 3. Try to last one full day without making a single complaint. If it’s easy for

you, do it for a week.


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4. By the way, thank you for downloading this report – I appreciate you. Who can you thank today?

5 Articles on the Power of Story – bonus material!

1. 10 Ways Your Story Makes All the Difference http://story-‐coach.com/10-‐ways-‐your-‐story-‐makes-‐all-‐the-‐difference

2. Get More Creative – 5 Ideas that Really Work http://story-‐coach.com/get-‐more-‐creative-‐5-‐ideas-‐that-‐really-‐work/

3. 4 Storytelling Secrets that Every Coach Should Know http://story-‐coach.com/4-‐storytelling-‐secrets-‐that-‐every-‐coach-‐should-‐know/

4. 5 Secrets to Make Your Story Stick (so you get hired now) http://story-‐coach.com/making-‐your-‐story-‐stick/

5. 4 Productivity Killers – And How You Can’t Avoid Them http://story-‐coach.com/4-‐productivity-‐killers/

Now that you’ve discovered these 5 Storytelling Strategies, go out and tell your new story. Stories can only live if we tell them. Make sure you tell yours!


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Lisa Bloom, founder of Story Coach works with entrepreneurs and business owners that are overwhelmed and stressed to help them find confidence attract ideal clients and make more money by finding their success story. She also works with organizations developing Transformational Story Leaders and creative yet resilient cultures and trains coaches to use storytelling as a powerful approach to impact their clients and grow their business.

Lisa is a professional Storyteller, accredited Coach, Author, Mentor and Leadership expert. Her groundbreaking techniques have enabled her grow her business and take to the stage where she speaks internationally about this amazing approach to business, leadership and coaching.

Lisa lives in a small town with her partner and their 4 sons; she is a great storyteller and convinced that telling a good story is the remedy for most ills!

Lisa is the author of the Amazon bestseller "Cinderella and the Coach-‐the Power of Storytelling for Coaching Success!” -‐ the creator of the Certified Story Coach™ and Stories That Sell Programs.

the!5best!storytelling!strategies!to buildconfidence ...report+-+5+… ·...

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