Strategic Storytelling

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MARKETING
Strategic Storytelling

Strategic Storytelling blends together the magic of storytelling with practical strategies for copywriting and marketing, especially creating content, branding, and planning. Forget about movies, bedtime stories, and fairy tales: Cathy Goodwin, an online strategist and published author, show you how business storytelling will directly impact your bottom line. No fairy godmothers allowed!

  1. MAR 27

    175 Three Ways To Create More Powerful Headlines With Storytelling

    You’ve got a nice draft of the copy, all set to go…but will your audience ever read that copy? The answer is: Not unless you’re reeling them in with a strong headline! The truth is, most people don’t get past the headline when they’re reading a sales letter. And yet headlines can be incredibly hard to write…unless, of course, you start with a good story. In this episode you’ll get three tips for using stories to write headlines. It’s one of my favorite topics because we tell business stories to help the copywriting—not to entertain or amuse the audience. You will learn: The purpose of a headline in copywriting (and it’s usually not to sell) Why an AI headline generator will often not be enough to get a great headline A good example of a client’s hidden backstory The kind of story that’s not helpful in writing headlines Why to write a headline for what the client consciously wants (not what you know is good for them) And more! RESOURCES Free ebook on finding the client’s backstory: Click here, Course on writing headlines: Click here.

    12 min

  2. MAR 21

    174 2 Straightforward Topics To 2X Your Selling Story

    Telling the right story, the right way, can lead to more clients and more sales.   You don’t have to come up with a story that keeps you in suspense--a story that could be made into a movie or a slick Superbowl commercial. The selling story for a solopreneur calls for two key ingredients. You don't have to dig into your life story to come up with edge-of-the-seat excitement. In this episode, I'll share two ways you can tweak your story to turn listeners into buyers.   You will discover... ...the two tricks to get increasing sales from your story ...when a memorable story can work effectively to explain a concept (but not be a selling story) ...the trap to avoid when you share your client's problem with your audience ...the one element to include when you describe your solution  ...some good examples of solutions that could become great stories  If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to leave a review, preferably with Apple or Spotify.  Would you like to be featured in a future podcast? If you're a profit-oriented solopreneur, send me an email with a burning question about marketing or storytelling...and you'll be featured. Related Episode: When nobody understands what you do, tell these 2 stories.      NOTES AND RESOURCES  Kendra Perry My book Grow your business one story at a time Cindy Bidar Christina Hills Article on pitching a story at networking events Strategic consult Video review

    12 min

  3. MAR 13

    114 Which story attracts clients for entrepreneurs: natural talent vs. hard work and struggle (Encore)

    You've heard it over and over. Success come from hard work, not talent.  You're not a good writer? Not a natural business person? Just work, work and work some more. So hard work is admirable, right? People are most impressed by hard workers? Wrong. Research studies asked this question directly, "What impresses employers and investors most?"   Employers and investors listened to stories of people achieving success by hard work...and stories of people who were so talented, success came easily. And the winner? Listeners reported greater respect for people who found success easily. If you think about it...we shouldn't be surprised. Who would you hire as an accountant: the one who struggled to get C's or the one who coasted through on A's without breaking a sweat?  So when you present your story... This episode gives you ... 3 reasons why you'll get better clients by focusing on natural talent than by focusing on hard work.  ...a recipe for presenting yourself using these insights - without bragging or self-promotion.  RESOURCES: Inc Magazine article describing the research Free Report on Story Archetypes Podcast Episode Featuring Nicole Lewis-Keeber - How A Story Can Traumatize Your Audience Strategic Intensive Consultation

    15 min

  4. MAR 6

    173 From story to sale: How Solopreneurs Can Connect With Their Audience: An interview with Angela Wills.

    Angela Wills created her Life  Style Freedom business by making connections. She believed business doesn’t dictate your lifestyle: your lifestyle creates your business.  “I’m really passionate about helping business owners find a business model that supports their lifestyle.”  - Angela Willis Angela is a very down-to-earth business owner who’s built her business by understanding her clients. She understands the juggling act of being a parent and a business owner.   “That is a skill," she says. "To me, it comes naturally now…the ability to connect with telling stories.  Being approachable as well as businesslike is a skill…when people know who you are, they don’t even look at the subject line. "They want to know you…it’ll become, ‘Angela has a course and I’m in.’”   Our interview was especially fun when Angela and I gave each other new ideas for connection. I suggested that Angela focus on “connecting the dots” in her career move from chemistry to business. We talked about how she made that journey. And then I asked, "But what about people in business who have trouble making connections?" That’s a question I have. I’m not a mom and I live in the city with a cat. Can people connect with me?  Angela says yes. People connect with all kinds of activities. “There are people who don’t go out a lot..but they bake bread. Or they do interior decorating.” So she had some very specific suggestions for the way I can connect to people as a cat lady in the big city. For one thing, we cat ladies have problems with time management, just as moms do. They’re just different problems.  Highlights of the interview: : How Angela’s stories connect with her clients Why Angela believes everyone has the potential to connect with clients, using stories How Angela’s chemistry background helped her get started as an entrepreneur How to keep your business lean and simple (avoiding surprises and crises) Angela’s suggestions for helping me connect with an audience that’s very different from me RESOURCES: Link to Angela's free course Angela's website Living Lifestyle Freedom Cathy Goodwin's Website

    45 min

  5. FEB 27

    172 What's wrong with the advice, "Tell a story to be authentic"

    Solopreneurs often get advised to show their real selves--to come out from behind the website and reveal who they really are. And one way to do this is to tell stories. What's wrong with this advice? First of all, "Just tell a story" means, "Curate a good story portfolio." A story may represent your self...but you have many selves. The first part of this podcast talks about this point. Which self is the Real You? At about 5.0, you'll get 3 tips to share authentic stories: 1 - know what "be yourself" really means 2 - why "I understand where you're coming from" can mean "I'm clueless" (and what to do instead) 3 - how your audience will have way too much fun with your fish story (with one of my favorite real examples)  This podcast will be especially helpful for solopreneurs who want to showcase their authentic, human selves...but wonder which side to share. After all, you're one person when you attend your friend's formal wedding. And you're another person altogether when you're attending a picnic with friends who enjoy four-letter words every other sentence.  If you'd like to see how one solopreneur combines personal stories with financial knowledge, listen to the previous episode of this podcast. Jacquette Timmons, a financial behaviorist, tells stories to make people understand the role emotions play in finance...and she does this without making you uncomfortable about hiring her. Click here for the link. REFERENCES: Article by Herminia Ibarra: The Authenticity Paradox  Book: Getting to Yes And: The Art of Business Improv Book: Training to Imagine If you're wondering if you've got a fish story on the line, I'll be happy to take a look! Sign up here. My website: https://CathyGoodwin.com And please leave me a rating and a review, preferably on Apple or Spotify where lots of people see it.

    13 min

  6. FEB 20

    171 - How A Financial Behaviorist Uses Stories To Illustrate Our Financial lives: Interview with Jacquette Timmons

    When you tell stories, do you ever think, "That's all well and good for life coaches with personal stories. But I'm a technical person who wants to help people discover new ways of thinking about their actions. Talking about finance seems to call for discussions of numbers, trends and charts with percentages in three colors. Jacquette Timmons brings a different perspective. She's a financial behaviorist, someone who helps people deal with issues related to money, income and investments. Money reflects what's going on in people's personal lives. If you want to understand money conflicts, you need to understand family dynamics and individual emotions.  To illustrate, Jaccquette uses stories about what happens when ordinary people encounter massive shifts in money. She talks about how she realized that money reflects what's going on in our lives -- and how changes in money also change our lives. What makes this especially interesting is that Jacquette is an Educator archetype. (If you want to learn more about the archetypes, click here.) Her message is, "If you apply what I teach you, you will reach your goals." Her stories are told to educate readers by making a point, not to help us get to know Jacquette as "the person behind the web." On this episode, you will hear: -- Jacquette’s origin story: what made her motivated to be a financial behaviorist -- sample stories of how family background creates a ceiling on your business earnings (and the dynamics of money management in a marriage) -- why you need to acknowledge your relationship with money (and how it mirrors several relationships you have in your life) -- how Jaquette uses stories to make her clients realize they're not alone (so they're more comfortable sharing their challenges) -- how Jacquette uses stories from her own experience to help her explain complex concepts to clients Learn more about Jacquette at her website: JacquetteTimmons.com  Get a free exercise to understand your own relationship with money: jacquettetimmons.com/wheel You can also find her. on Instagram and LinkedIn. Learn more about me on my website.  My new book on solopreneur branding will show you how to use the archetype framework for your own marketing. You'll see why marketers are successful with different kinds of stories, depending on how they choose to position themselves. Free with Kindle Unlimited.

    38 min

  7. FEB 14

    170 How to bring emotions into your business planning by using stories

    Oh no...the New Year begins with two tasks a lot of us dread: planning and taxes. I can't do much about taxes, but this episode is all about making planning more realistic and more fun. Most people make plans and schedules with their left brains. So you get cold, analytical plans...or even worse, daydreams about the future. That's fine if you're a big business...if you sell cola, beer, or sportswear. But if you're a solopreneur, especially if you provide a service, you have a double role. You plan and you deliver. Let's face it: there's no Planning Department for solopreneurs. So your planning has to be based on your motivations and your personality. You checked all the boxes. You filled out all the squares. You have good intentions. And...nothing happens!  That's because you engaged your left brain and not your right. It's like driving in just one gear. You might be able to get there...but you probably won't. And you'll be damaged along the way. This episode is an experiment. I presented the material in a short workshop format, so it's more educational than some episodes. I hope you'll comment and tell me how you liked it!  Some topics you'll learn about... Why storytelling helps you plan by engaging both sides of your brain 3 types of stories for planning How each story brings you different benefits and requires different aspects of what you offer How to reward yourself in a meaningful way that might seem frivolous You can also order a workbook to help you plan with stories. Go to this link and learn more. Of course, I'd also love to work with you on planning for your own business. Let's get together for a 90-minute session to discover what stories to tell. We'll identify your archetype and your brand and answer any questions you may have.  Click here to learn more. …

    19 min

  8. FEB 11

    169 How to explain web development to a die-hard football fan

    What kind of stories can you tell to explain complex or unusual concepts? What metaphors?  This podcast gives just one example: How do you explain web development, especially the role of designers and copywriters? One way is to use a football metaphor. Each player on a team has a role to play. The copywriter is the quarterback and the designer is the offensive line. How do these roles work together? Why is one the quarterback and another the offensive line? That's what we talk about in the podcast. It's very short and to the point. Here's a question for you: What stories do you tell when you need to explain a concept?  What metaphors do you use? If you'd like to work with me on your metaphors, visit this link to set up a consultation.

    9 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Strategic Storytelling blends together the magic of storytelling with practical strategies for copywriting and marketing, especially creating content, branding, and planning. Forget about movies, bedtime stories, and fairy tales: Cathy Goodwin, an online strategist and published author, show you how business storytelling will directly impact your bottom line. No fairy godmothers allowed!

Information

  • Creator
    Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    173
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Strategic Storytelling

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