Story Consulting
What is Story Consulting?
Great marketing is story-based. It's focused on showing potential clients how you and your business, as their guide, can positively impact their lives.
Story Consulting is the process through which we’ll begin to refine your story and determine how we can best market your story to potential clients.
The Elements of Story
While the specifics change, the elements remain essentially the same:
The Character
The client is the main character--the hero--in your business's story.
The Plan
It needs to be crystal clear how a client can start doing business with you and why they should trust you.
The Challenge
Every hero faces a villain or a challenge. What difficulty is your client facing?
Call to Action
A client has to be challenged to take an action, make a purchase, download a handout, or send a message.
The Guide
You are the guide who will help solve the problems your client can’t solve on their own.
Success or Failure
As their guide, it's imperative to show potential clients how you can improve their lives and avoid failure.
These steps will be our framework as we develop a clear, engaging, and authentic story to your clients.
"Charlie was really patient and collaborative in helping me get my site up and looking the way I wanted. As a therapist, it was important that whoever worked on my website could understand the field, the needs potential clients may have, and not create a copy/paste website. Charlie started off with getting to know me, what makes me tick as both a person and a therapist, as well as wanting to know about my potential clients. From there, he was able to help me design a website that fit all my needs as well as being reflective of my personality. I've already referred Charlie to others in my field and wouldn't hesitate to do so again!"
-Neil Wolfson, MEd, LCSW
Story Consulting is a
Collaborative Process
There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to Story Consulting. It's a process unique to each business and their needs. There are four key parts of the process I use to help clients express their story:
Conversation & Listening
In our initial meetings we will focus on conversation. I'll get to know you, ask you questions, and start to formulate the story we want to tell. The focus will be on you and I'll listen as I begin to understand you and your business. This is one of the most important parts of the storytelling process.
Questions to Ponder
In between meetings, I'll ask you to ponder questions that come up. To assist in this process, I've developed The Storyteller's Worksheet--a series of questions that takes you through the elements of story from clearly identifying your client to determining how you will transform their lives.
Making Connections
A huge part of psychology is paying attention and making connections between parts that don't obviously fit together. I do something similar as we work together--I notice, wonder, and ask questions so that we can learn things about you and your business that might be below the surface.
Translating & Creating
Translating what you know, what you believe, and what you feel into something marketable isn't easy, but it's where I thrive. As we transition into building a website and creating content, you'll see the essential elements of who you are and what makes your business unique come to life.
