It was some time during high school, career
guidance class. I distinctly remember that night
at home, going through a long spreadsheet that
listed professions.
I guess half of the common professions today
didn’t even exist then!
I stopped at Marketing. Dad, what is marketing?
Sitting on the other side of the living room, he
barely raised his head and, without hesitation, he
said ‘it’s the art of convincing people to buy
what they don’t need, don’t want and might not
even like’.
Wow, sounds powerful Dad, he looked up and just
raised his eyes.
It was a powerful message for sure.
From that day it was clear to me that marketing is
a BAD thing.
It took me years to learn how to understand, then
appreciate and even come to love it.
And it all changed when I discovered the power of
stories. And I don’t mean the kind of stories
that convince you to buy what you don’t need!!!
I mean authentic story.
Story that tells of genuine struggle that
transforms into empowerment.
Story that tells of the human condition and how we
can become resilient and compassionate in the face
of challenge.
You see when you tell authentic stories, you step
into the true value of what you offer. You step
into it for you and for your client.
The story does the work.
If the story moves you, you feel the value. Even
if it’s not something you want right now, you
don’t feel manipulated or ‘sold to’ you simply
appreciate the value of the offer.
And as the teller of the story, you remind
yourself of what you truly stand for.
The type of marketing IS powerful and it’s also
fun and easy.
You see, no one can tell your story better than
you. You’ve lived it. You get it. You’ve
transformed through it.
And when you can experience the power of your own
story, you come to love to tell it.
You get to love marketing!
What are you struggling with in your marketing?
Where do you need a stronger story in your business?
Leave a comment below.
If this resonates for you, you need to understand
the power of storytelling in your coaching
business.
Check out the Certified Story Coach Program to
learn more!
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great post Lisa – I'm realising more than ever how important story telling is and this concept has profoundly changed my perception of marketing. I used to feel pushy and now I feel passionate and energised when I market myself.
That's a great thing to say, Nicky.
why thank you Q J 😉
Nicky Moran you're welcome. I've had some thoughts since our last chat, btw. I'll be in touch soon.
Q J cool
Thanks Nicky – amazing how the reality shifts when the story does! best wishes…
I believe that marketing is a “necessary evil”.
The central idea of marketing is even convince someone that needs something you want to sell. From this point of view, one can say that marketing is a kind of “black magic”, considering it has the ability to drive a person to do what she at first did not want or need to do.
Moreover, without marketing, no business thrives. This fact is due to the way it is structured the dominant economic system in the world today.
So, no matter if we want to sell Coaching or Coca-Cola, we need the marketing for this task.
My conscience is reassuring regarding the issue of “black magic” when I reflect and evaluate well my proposed product or service before offering it to the market.
Acting with honesty and sincerity, with a real good intention, I believe you can use the marketing in an ethical manner, respecting others and their will and at the same time promoting their products and services.
The technique of storytelling is phenomenal for this purpose for two reasons: 1) removes the “burden exclusively selling” of the offer; and 2) involves the consumer something with meaning more directly related to their real life.
Of course, there are stories and stories. There are stories designed to deceive and mislead. But this problem is a human problem and occurs with almost everything in life. A knife can cut bread or kill a person.
For Coaches and those who work with human development and seeking real ways to help people by disseminating truthful messages, the Storytelling applied to marketing is a more pleasant and organic way to convey your message and offer their products and services to the public general.
PS: Forgive some English mistakes. I’m from Brazil and our language is Portuguese.
Forgive your English! You English is wonderful! Thanks for your thoughtful comment – absolutely agree! best wishes, Lisa