Personalize Your Project Portfolios & Case Studies with the Power of Stories

One of my favorite songs is “El Paso” by Marty Robbins. Back in 1959 record executives weren’t sure if they wanted to release it. At 4:38, it was almost two minutes longer than the recommended play length for popular songs of the time.

They took a chance and it payed off. The iconic tale of a cowboy who finds love and then loses his life was a hit, and it still gets airplay today.

People love stories. Books. Movies. Songs. And they love the heroes who star in the stories. Stories have power. They move us. They shape us. They can influence behavior. How many young girls snuck around their neighborhoods, pretending to be Harriet the Spy or Nancy Drew? How many young boys got bowl haircuts and black rimmed eyeglasses, and secretly wished that waving a #2 pencil at the class bully was all it took to vanquish him?

Through case studies, project descriptions, and more, you can use this power to define your business, make a connection with a prospect, and to sell your product or service. And along the way you’ll create heroes, who’ll help you make those connections.

• Are you a manufacturer of B2B products? Tell your potential customers the story of how your product was created to solve their problems, and the way it changed their industry, as well as the fortunes of the businesses already using it.

• If you’re a contractor who has nothing but some pictures with titles in your web portfolio, you’re missing an opportunity to connect with and create desire in your prospects. Tell the story of your projects so you inspire readers to aspire to what your clients – people like them – achieved with your help.

• Health coaches can use stories to share their clients’ results and triumphs with prospects. The person struggling with a behavior he wants to change can realize he isn’t alone and success is indeed reachable.

• How about financial services professionals? Or realtors? Lists of investment strategies or properties for sale are typical and expected. But instead, imagine sharing stories of clients who are flourishing, happy, and secure because they followed your money management guidance, or they bought the home you told them would be perfect for them. Use your stories to create a sense of longing in your audience, a desire to experience the sort of life your other clients enjoy.

Together we can use stories to transform your marketing messages. And I promise, we won’t start any with, “It was a dark and stormy night.”

Let’s start writing stories your readers will love.

⇒  Here’s a story about the personal connections created by non-profit, community radio.  WDVR Community Radio 

⇒ Here’s a brief story about The Parker Agency, published in the WDVR-FM newsletter.  WDVR Parker Agency

⇒ Here’s a brief story about Frenchtown Home & Hardware, published in the WDVR-FM newsletter.   WDVR Frenchtown H&H