4 Ways I Use Stories to Get Clients (Not Just Engagement)
Marketing storytelling works. Using it randomly doesn't. In fact, it can even backfire. Here's how to tell stories that bring you actual clients
Our brains are wired to connect with stories, but storytelling has become a dangerous buzzword in the marketing world.
So, if you’ve been trying to “tell stories” but they only brought you fruitless engagement rather than paying clients, fret not: that’s about to change.
The first chapter? Understanding the difference between random and strategic storytelling.
I’ll then share the 4 main ways in which I (and the women who work with me) use stories to connect with our target audience, make something ‘click’, and compel them to take action.
Marketing storytelling works…
Our brains really are wired to connect with stories – I wasn’t exaggerating. When we’re told a story, our brain releases specific chemicals: cortisol (which helps us formulate memories), dopamine (regulating our emotional response), and oxytocin (creating or maintaining a connection since it’s associated with empathy)
We remember them more easily – Facts are 22 times more likely to be remembered when they’re part of a story. Since your audience is exposed to 6,000-10,000 marketing messages EVERY. SINGLE. DAY (yes, really), being noticed and remembered can make all the difference for your business
Stories sell – On average, marketing storytelling leads to a 30% increase in conversions. So, you’ll get more paying clients
In other words, it’d be crazy not to use storytelling in your marketing.
… but only when used correctly
Unfortunately, storytelling has also become a marketing buzzword.
Many gurus and self-proclaimed experts promised you that, as long as you tell random stories and show up authentically, clients will magically want to invest in your services. As if!
In fact, in some cases, consistently telling “the wrong” stories can train them to only see you as an online friend or influencer rather than “the authority they can trust with their money”.
For example, this is often the case when:
You share business stories that undermine your credibility (I’m all for being authentic and talking about how we overcame certain struggles, but if you’re making your ideal clients think “Uuuuh, working with her feels like a gamble” or “She seems nice and relatable but I’m not sure she knows what she’s doing”, it’d backfire big time)
You always share random personal anecdotes without tying them to what you actually do for your clients or what you stand for when it comes to your industry
That’s why, in my world, my clients and I do things differently (and if you’re tired of wasting time or money on fruitless marketing or finding yourself on so many calls with “I’ll think about it” prospects, I suggest you do, too).
4 ways to tell stories that help you get actual leads and clients
1. Client stories
Instead of sharing screenshots of clunky testimonials opening with “She’s lovely to work with”, we tell the story of how that person went from their problem to their goal through our help.
2. Relevant parts of your own story
For example, did we use to be in our ideal clients’ shoes? Did we make some of their same mistakes (and how did we overcome them)? Did we have an epiphany that can be a game-changer for them, too? Maybe we let go of an unhelpful belief?
3. Non-business anecdotes that can amplify our key messaging
Stories and analogies make it easier for people to absorb our message. So, have we got a fun / quirky / emotional / unusual / relatable anecdote we can turn into a relevant analogy or business lesson?
4. Our ideal clients’ story
This is the most important and effective marketing narrative. So, instead of sharing endless tips or impersonal “buy from me” posts, we paint vivid pictures of our ideal clients’ life, problem, and goal, making them think “She really gets me” and “She can help me”.
Ready to rewrite your story and attract more perfect-fit, ready-to-start clients?
If you want to get tangible results from your marketing and make more sales, it should never be about telling random stories. It’s about connecting with your ideal clients, proving you can serve them better than anyone else in your niche, and positioning yourself as the only logical choice.
When you do that consistently with your marketing, you attract more perfect-fit clients without putting in all the effort on a 1:1 basis—like answering the same questions, dealing with endless calls and back-and-forths with time-wasters, or chasing uncommitted leads who then ghost you—because the right stories will show your ideal clients that you can help them rewrite theirs.
If this made you look at your marketing from a different perspective, there are 2 main ways to build on this momentum and actually make it happen:
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Marketing storytelling works. Using it randomly doesn't. In fact, it can even backfire. Here's how to tell stories that bring you actual clients