Why Story Power
It happened again yesterday. Another expert-in-his-field told me he doesn’t have what it takes to generate creative content and powerful business-building stories. Another struggling business owner who wants to be a stand-out in a crowded market but decided, without trying, that he is a storytelling washout. Another man left on the sidelines watching others play…
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There’s an old legend about an up-and-coming motivational speaker who joined the National Speakers Bureau and hired an agent to book gigs. The speaker’s name: William Boring. The agent begged the speaker to change his name. “No one will put you on stage with that name,” the agent said. Reluctantly, the speaker hired a lawyer,…
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I spoke yesterday to a business owner who doesn’t like getting emails… …so she doesn’t want to send them. “I’ll be honest about email lists or subscriptions,” she said. “I don’t really like being on them. because I always feel like I’m being bombarded by emails…So I’m only intending to send (email) out once a…
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Raise your hand if you feel an emotional connection with Amazon because you’re drawn to founder Jeff Bezos’s origin story. (Me neither) Why do I ask? Because I read yet another article about storytelling in one of those big-time business magazines that dished out rotten advice. The article said… “Online shopping behemoth Amazon is another…
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I read an article this morning in one of those big-time business magazines about “how to create an unforgettable origin story.” It was kinda forgettable. It contained lots of dos and don’ts… …be honest… …don’t just list a chronology of events… …include specific details… …describe a vivid moment… …and so on, and so forth. But…
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A self-proclaimed “respectful” reader reacts to yesterday’s email about Bill Russell and dominating presence…. “This one was a bit self-serving – don’t you think?” Here’s what I think… Oh no! The jig is up.I’ve been exposed.My evil scheme is foiled. Oh wait… …check that… That’s not what MEthinks. That’s what HE thinks. Turns out he…
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When basketball great Bill Russell died on Sunday, I spent a couple of hours reading about him, watching videos, and searching for his quotes. He said lots of memorable things. But here’s the quote that stood out, the one I included in yesterday’s Monday Mash-Up: “What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he…
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The meeting with my new friend, Erica, was rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ along. We agreed to promote each other’s businesses. We discussed ways we might work together. We hit it off. But when I asked Erica if she’d like to join my daily(ish) email list… …we went from rollin’ to reelin’. We went from “Yes!…
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On my 14th birthday, Mom and Dad gave me two 10-packs of Maxell XLII-S cassette tapes. Yes!!!!!!!!!! Greatest birthday gift ever. Back in the early 80s, before CDs or MP3s were a thing, cassettes were THE thing. Affordable. Portable. Swappable. Indispensable. High-fidelity cool I raided my friends’ record collections and taped my favorite albums. I…
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Here’s a question sure to prompt furious debate: Which show is better:Breaking Bad orBetter Call Saul? If you don’t know these shows, stick with me. There’s a heaping helping of storytelling how-to below… …and you don’t need to know diddly about the shows to dig in. If you do know the shows, cast your vote. Which…
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