”There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou

Whether you realize it or not, we ARE our story.

Whatever we tell ourselves, that’s what our brain will choose to believe. Do we rely on the opinion of others to shape our lives? Or can we think “outside the box” and be the person we are intended to be?

Many of my past articles dealt with my philosophy on life, commentaries on books that I value, and personal experiences. Today, I’d like to give you practical business advice. After 25+ years of creative writing, interviewing and video producing experience, I’d like to offer these seven strategic tips to help you grow and expand your business.   There is magic in your stories!

Seven Strategic Secrets In Marketing Your Stories

1. Have a “UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION” (USP) – What makes your business different from everyone else? Tell YOUR story in a compelling way, and people will notice. My “USP” is “Bringing Stories To Life”… going above and beyond to support causes through writing, videos and live video streaming interviews.

My work extends from serving those in education, healthcare, social services to the arts and the environment. Here’s a photo of me climbing down a ladder during our family’s healthcare mission in Ecuador. After doing publicity and email marketing, and gathering more donations than I had thought possible, it was quite an uplifting experience to help children in need.

2. Know Your Target Market – Who is your audience? Where can you find them? What are their traits and characteristics? The better you know your ideal audience, the better you’ll be at marketing your products or services.

3. Solve Your Listener’s Problems. People want to know WIIFM – What’s in it for me?  In your video, let your future clients know the benefits you’ll provide for them. Repeat your message at least three times through your video.

4. Build A Media Library. Keep your camera handy for all different events during the year. When you’re ready to create a video, you’ll have lots of footage to enhance your story. Here’s a candid photo from a client’s video interview.

5. Prepare For The Three P’s – Pre-Production (Scripting, research, preparation), Production (the actual shoot), Post-Production (the editing.). Create a time line and allow enough time for a professional to write a script, based on your objectives and audience.

6. Hire Professionals To Help You Create A Video Story.  More people than ever are watching videos instead of reading. Have you considered repurposing your message into a video? Even if you do it yourself, here are some important consideration:

Write down an outline, bullet points, or the content of your story. Weave your message with testimonials and B-Roll (supplemental footage that’s inserted to help tell the story.)

Make sure you have proper lighting and high quality sound. Make sure you have a good editor, who can keep the pace flowing smoothly.

If you create your own video — Get professional feedback at SOME point to ensure the proper lighting, sound and content.

7. Market Your Content On Multiple Platforms.  Once your story is completed, use it as a marketing tool. Repurpose your blog or video by embedding it on your website. Post a video on YouTube. Add a favorite quote on a social media channel.

Best of all, consider being showcased as “the expert” online with a video interview. We can interview you on a private or livestream video interview, to share your stories with an interactive audience. There’s nothing like it!

Here’s an example of a livestream video interview with internationally recognized singer, songwriter and speaker, Tiamo de Vettori. My friend, Roland Takaoka served as the wingman, and oversaw comments in our comment stream. Check out:

http://bit.ly/HOA-Tiamo

I encourage you to share your stories online. Get over feeling self-conscious on camera. (Just push yourself past the fears!) Recognize the value you bring to your audience.

The more you give of yourself, the more people will seek you out. I believe in YOU!

Warmly,

Lynn Sanders

P.S. If you’d like to share your story as a guest on my program, “The Difference Makers,” or need help in writing, you can reach me at:  lynn@https://differencemakersmedia.com

P.P.S. Here’s a great checklist that you can use to determine your greatest story marketing needs. Visit: http://bit.ly/DMM-Checklist