brand storytelling
638 posts
The Value Conundrum
When I was growing up, my mother tried selling various products from home to earn extra money to support our family. I remember cookware and cosmetics being demonstrated to small groups of her friends over cups of tea and homemade sponge cake in the living room. From day-to-day, Mum used the same ol
Your Goal Is To Matter To The People You Serve
I once worked with a startup in the financial services industry. The foyer of their office building was all polished floorboards, high white walls and minimal seating. Inspirational magazines were strategically arranged on low tables, next to the espresso machine. The walls were completely bare apar
Are You Ready To Find Your Voice?
Eleven years ago, as I was pivoting my business, I began reading a new book. I was barely two paragraphs in when the following sentence stopped me in my tracks. ‘Either you’re going to tell stories that spread, or you will become irrelevant.’ Those words, written by my friend and colleague, Seth God
Why Should They Care?
The ‘For Lease’ sign attached to the first-floor window of the shopfront is one of half a dozen along Gertrude Street. And the sales copy on each of them does nothing to differentiate one premises from the other. The signs give us dimensions, details about the facilities and ‘good natural light’. Th
Listening To Lead
The promise of the digital age was the ability to more cheaply and rapidly raise awareness of our value, our message, or our cause. Digital media levelled the playing field and gave all of us the chance to spread our ideas. In some cases, the desire to quickly spread ideas has led to the misbelief…
Consistent, Persistent And Patient
The slim woman dressed in activewear, in line at the cafe next to the gym, orders a black coffee. As she’s handing over her card when the barista asks her the question he’s asked every single customer who ordered a takeaway coffee that morning. ‘Would you like a glazed doughnut for just $2 to go…
Perfect Timing
An ideal audience isn’t just one that’s available—it’s one that’s receptive. When we say something is just as important as how we say it.
Nurturing Growth
When we begin to think in terms of nurturing (protecting something while it grows), we are compelled to be more intentional about how we grow—and focusing on how makes all the difference.
Showing Value
We can all benefit from learning to demonstrate, not just explain the value we create. Marketing and sales are about showing and telling.
On Finding The Right Customers
Building a sustainable and fulfilling business isn’t just about finding enough customers—it’s about finding enough of the right customers. Company-customer fit is unerrtated.
The Lost Art Of Storytelling
What stories will you tell today and why will they matter to the people who hear them?
Only Human
We need to constantly remind ourselves that we are neither all head or all heart and act accordingly.
Believed In
The one thing all successful ideas have in common is that they spread. But why?
Worthy
The people you’re trying to reach and resonate with are filtering. From the contacts you try to add on LinkedIn, to the clients you’re hoping to attract. They are deciding who is worthy of their permission and their time.
Stand Out
You, your product or your company can stand out by changing how someone feels about themselves in your presence, not just today, but every day.
The Value Of Discernment
The better we are at discerning who our right people are the more shared value we can create.
Exactly Who Do You Serve?
It’s easier to build the right business for the right people when you know who those people are.
Immeasurable Success
How we keep score changes the stories we tell, the businesses we build and the societies we shape.
The Power Of Owning Your Work
When we own the work we’re proud of it becomes more valuable to the people we serve. How are you owning the work you’re proud of?
Disappointment And Delight
You can find an opportunity to delight, especially when you disappoint. A mistake doesn’t always have to end in disappointment.
