116 | The Importance of Story Telling in Customer Growth with Maggie Patterson

Maggie PattersonIt is common to hear people say “tell stories” to engage the listener. It is totally true. And yet rarely do you find the right story format to really impact your customer acquisition. Maggie Patterson is an expert storyteller and the best part is she shares her secrets about how to frame the story to help you acquire more customers. Maggie talks about what most people get wrong when telling their stories so make sure you don’t miss this episode. Discover the new rules of marketing beyond hero’s journey.

Share the LOVE and TWEET about this episode.

Maggie’s Target Audience: Maggie works with entrepreneurs who have surpassed the six- figure mark and have been doing everything themselves in their businesses yet feel stuck. It could be a mindset issue or skill issue that is blocking them. Maggie provides them a roadmap to break free and create a system that frees them up to work on the most important aspects of business.

As a Communication Strategist, Maggie deals with 3 aspects of marketing: 1) the storytelling part; 2) the content part (i.e- blogging, website copy); and 3) promotion (social media, guest posting, etc).

So what are the keys to telling a great story for your business? Well, Maggie explains that it is important to go deeper than just talking about how you left your job. Every entrepreneur had to “leave their job.” You must talk about what you can do for them. Answer your customer’s question which is: “What’s in it for me?” Maggie also recommends sharing your customer’s success stories- not merely testimonials but case studies that reflect actual benefits and results.

Maggie says the most common mistake she sees is when people tell the “hero’s story.” Maggie calls this the “headshot” version of you which is not the real you. Be real. Be mindful of what your audience needs to hear from you. They will trust you more if you are honest. And yet there is a fine line between being vulnerable and being a victim. Being a victim is when you overshare. Be real to the point where you are not being detrimental to your business.

Maggie PattersonMaggie also recommends creating a very simple email opt-in. It should be something that can be used immediately. So many people are placing a lot of value on their freebies that it’s too overwhelming to use. Then, once someone becomes part of your email list, make sure you nurture that list. Create a relationship.

Maggie admits that she was in the trenches for about the first 8 years of her business because she was doing it all on her own. She hired a team which is now allowing her to focus on aspects of her business she really enjoys. She can now see a bigger vision for her business and feels excited and FREE. She is even looking forward to some travel time.

In order to get where she is right now, Maggie had to give up control. She had to start trusting her team. She also had to make some uncomfortable investments in coaches which she now firmly believes was imperative to her growth. Coaches hold time and space that you can’t hold when you are in the trenches.

In this episode we’ll cover:

  • The keys to telling a great story for your business
  • How to tell a deeper and more meaningful story
  • The fine line between being vulnerable and being a victim in your story
  • Why creating a simple opt-in is the way to go
  • How hiring a team has allowed Maggie to be FREE
  • Why getting a coach helped her to see more clearly

Resources and Links

Practical and Actionable

Get clear on what you stand for and on what do you deliver. Showcase that. Be sure to find a mastermind partner or coach to help you figure out your big vision and your the next steps.

To give Maggie a shout out, follow her and send her a message.  Connect with me too on LinkedIn or Twitter at @genehammett.

Do you have questions about today’s episode?

Did you know that you can apply to chat with me by phone? This is a limited time offer to help anyone that is serious about refining their business as well as developing a clear & compelling strategy that will drive them forward. Complete the questions and our team will follow up with you to schedule time for your “Vision Breakthrough Session”. These are limited to 30 minutes, completely free and oh, so valuable. Apply Now!

A Quick Favor

And lastly, please leave a rating and review for the Leaders in the Trenches on iTunes (or Stitcher) – it will help us in many ways, but it also inspires us to keep doing what we are doing here. Thank you in advance!