Your Story Sells It (And You)

I‘m a bit of a soap addict—discovering fragrant hand soaps in beautiful packaging can easily make my day.

Since choosing soap is such a tactile experience (shape, smell, packaging) my choicest discoveries have usually been found live and in person.

But I digitally stumbled across a line by Compagnie de Provence when looking for something else. Their packaging was so simple and yet arresting that I kept clicking to learn more.

Their story sold me.

“In 1990, two friends from Marseille, passionate about decoration and design decided to revisit an old tradition: the iconic cube of Marseille soap. Aware of its place in Provençal cultural heritage, they decided to reinterpret it in a modern and contemporary way.”

Let’s just break that down for a moment.

Two friends—I like the idea that friends created something together.

Passionate about decoration and design—they’re just like me!

The iconic cube of Marseille soap—for a soap addict and French-born American, this tradition means something.

Reinterpret it in a modern and contemporary way—we aren’t slaves to tradition but channel it for how you live today.

All of that, conveyed in 42 words (and let’s not forget, married with beautiful modern packaging that reinforces the feeling they want to create in their ideal buyers).

OK—so you’re selling consulting and advisory services, not soap.

But the process is exactly the same. Every single line in your story should connect the dots to your sweet-spot clients.

I bought soap for a fragrance that I couldn’t smell on the basis of a compelling story and elegant packaging. How different really is that from your clients buying your services on-line?

Exactly.

So one way to decide how well your story is working for you is—with your client profile or avatar in hand—to evaluate each line in your story and ask yourself:

Does this line capture what my best clients experience with me?

Is there a better—more compelling—way I can say this to both encapsulate me/my brand AND attract the right clients and buyers?

Would it be hard to impossible for someone else in my space to say exactly the same thing?

You’re not quite done yet.

Now, try seeing what ISN’T there. Perhaps there are elements of your story you’ve just never considered putting out there. Experiences that made you who you are and that no one else can replicate.

Sometimes, those are exactly the bits that reel in your ideal clients.

And by the way—this technique works just as well for any story you’re telling to bring you business. From your one-line introduction at a meeting to the full-on courtship of a new client.

Make your story sell you.

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