The Story Sandbox

10/23/2024

Why is it that so many businesses are wary (a.k.a. terrified) of being different? What is it that holds them back from zigging when their competitors are zagging? I'm a theater nerd, so the quote that comes to mind for me is from Hamilton: The Musical: "If you stand for nothing, Burr, what'll you fall for?"

If you want customers to choose you over competitors, you need to truly understand and embrace what makes your business unique. And then you have to fly your freaky flag loudly and proudly!

I share a few thoughts about all of this in my latest Substack. Check it out and then let me know what your freaky flag is! https://open.substack.com/pub/shorterrunway/p/want-customers-to-choose-you-then?r=za3mj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The Shorter Runway is a reader-supported publication.

07/16/2024

If a picture is worth a thousand words, you better be sure the images you're using to communicate with your target audience about your business are conveying the right ones!

The power of visuals in brand storytelling should never be underestimated. So, determining your brand's visual identity upfront is SUPER important.

Want to find out what your brand's visual personality is? Great! Take my latest quiz to find out: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/6689baf05d65c5e26a17b545

Not really a fan of quizzes? No problem! You can read my blog post — "Make Your Brand Storytelling Picture Perfect" — and learn how to become A-MAZING at choosing the right images that'll tell the right story about your brand. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3Y9s48P

Unveil the visual style that aligns with your brand's soul. Start crafting an irresistible brand identity today!

07/09/2024

13 milliseconds.

This is how long it takes the human brain to process an entire image.

And THAT, my friend, is only 1/10 of the time it takes us to blink — which comes in at a comparatively lengthy 100-150 milliseconds.

Fun fact? Yes.

BUT — for solopreneurs who are serious about marketing their businesses — it's also a "must-know" and a "must-not-forget" fact.

Why?

Because every single image you use on your website, your emails, your social media feeds, your sales materials or ANYTHING else that bears the name of your business is telling a story.

And it tells it FAST — which is great if it's the right story, but not so great if it's not.

What this means for you as a business owner is that you need to be an expert curator when it comes to choosing images that will be used to represent your business, your products or services, your values, and your purpose.

Learn how you can become the image curator and visual storyteller your brand deserves: https://bit.ly/3RZwV8K

07/01/2024

I did some spring cleaning today.

And by that I mean that I took a metaphorical broom and swept the metaphorical dust out of my email inbox.

Companies that send me multiple emails each week announcing another sale? UNSUBSCRIBE.

Online marketers who flood my inbox with subject lines like "Time Is Running Out!" or "We're Extending the Deadline to Sign Up"? UNSUBSCRIBE

These weren't spam emails. At some point in the past, I signed up to be on these senders' lists because I thought they would provide things of value like:

Tips

Recommendations

Something to make me laugh

Really great stories

I knew they'd be selling me things, too — which they tried to do over and over and over again. But, in exchange for access to my inbox, I expected at least a spec of value.

That's not what I got, though.

And it's okay. We parted as friends as far as I'm concerned. I just don't want to hang out with them anymore.

If you're given permission to show up in a potential customer's inbox, make it worth their while. Inform them. Entertain them. Support them. SURPRISE them.

If you do that, odds are you won't be swept out the door with those who are doing nothing but selling.

(BTW, I'm loving my squeaky clean inbox! It's lemony fresh!)

07/01/2024

Want to be a great storyteller for your business?

Be a squirrel.

Gather ideas and experiences and memories. Then, store them away in a place where you can easily find them when you need them.

Here's an example of how it works:

I was walking my dog the other night and looked up at the moon.

As I did, I remembered that my parents told me the first word I ever said was "moon" — although I think it sounded more like "muuuuuune."

This led to me think about how solopreneurs — in order to stand out — need to develop a business vocabulary of sorts.

How do they describe their products or services?

How do they talk about the challenges faced by their ideal audience?

How do they demonstrate the connection between the values of their business and the values of their customers?

When first starting out, many solopreneurs don't have a fully formed vocabulary for their business.

But that's okay.

It shouldn't stop them from talking.

Instead, they just need to start building it one word, one sentence, one idea at a time.

Sometimes it might sound a little weird — like "muuuuuune."

But eventually, it'll sound just right.

Like a squirrel, I had stored that acorn of a memory away. And, when I needed it, it was there.

So, start gathering those story sparks and put them someplace safe.

You'll be glad you did.

(Ann Handley talks about this concept — including the whole squirrel metaphor — on Jay Acunzo's new FABULOUS podcast called "How Stories Happen." Listen to it — and then thank me for the recommendation in the comments. 😊)

Want to learn more about storytelling for business? Sign up here https://bit.ly/3yKF1LG for my free 7-day email course — Getting Started with Brand Storytelling. I designed it specifically for solopreneurs and entrepreneurs.

07/01/2024

It's summertime.

And that means that we're enjoying the symphonic chorus of all of those tiny cricket voices singing in unison each evening here in the South.

It's beautiful.

But it's not when crickets are ALL you're hearing after you send out a launch email, a newsletter, a social media post, or any other type of content to market your business.

Here are three quick things you can do to silence the crickets and turn up the volume on customer engagement with your content:

✅ Prove that you "get it." Address a specific challenge your ideal customer is facing and share a story about how your product or service has solved similar challenges for others.

✅ Be human. People have to know, like and trust you before they'll do business with you. So, publish content that showcases your personality, your values and (GASP!) your vulnerability.

✅ Provide real value. If almost every piece of content you publish is trying to sell something — even the crickets will stop singing for you. Selling is a necessity. But providing value has to come first.

You can use storytelling to turbocharge your content. Get started with my free 7-day email course called — wait for it — "Getting Started with Brand Storytelling." 😉 Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3yKF1LG

07/01/2024

Here's the one thing you need to do to stand out from competitors — no matter how small your business is or how large theirs is:

Become a better storyteller.

Learn how to tell stories that your ideal customers relate to, remember, share with others, and are moved by.

There's nothing magic about it.

But when it's done well, it surely feels like there is.

Ready for some magic of your own? Abracadabra! Sign up for my free 7-day "Getting Started with Brand Storytelling" email course. You can grab it here: https://bit.ly/3yKF1LG

Also, join me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michele-lashley-ma-jd-b996783! That's where I'm hanging out and talking about all things related to using storytelling for business. :-)

07/01/2024

168 words.

That's the length of one of Aesop's most familiar fables — The Tortoise and the Hare.

Within those 168 words, the scene is set, the challenge is raised and a lesson is taught. "Plodding wins the race." Or, as it's more often stated, "Slow and steady wins the race."

It's a simple story with a simple truth.

You don't have to work to understand it.

You don't have to struggle to connect the dots.

When creating stories for your business, this fable is the gold standard.

Simple.

Clear.

Meaningful.

So, instead of rushing to push yet another piece of content out as part of a numbers game, remind yourself to be the tortoise.

Take your time.

Create simple — yet powerful — stories.

And win the content race (or, more accurately, marathon).

Those hares out there won't ever be able to catch you.

Like this? Great! Consider signing up to receive my free weekly newsletter — Storycraft for Solopreneurs. Like the tortoise, just plod on over here to sign up: https://bit.ly/45n2FtR

Also, join me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/michele-lashley-ma-jd-b996783! That's where I'm hanging out and talking about all things related to using storytelling for business. :-)

06/24/2024

Let's pretend your business is a person. Is it someone others would want to get to know? Someone they'd ask out for coffee? For solopreneurs, this is a question we should all be asking (and answering). Check out my thoughts about this in my latest blog post — and take the "What's Your Brand's Coffee Personality/" quiz!

“Hey! Let’s Meet for Coffee!” There’s something about being asked to join someone for coffee OR being the one who does the asking. It signifies that a connection has been made between two people. But not just any connection. It’s one that means you and another human being actually want to ...

05/03/2024

With all of the news out there about AI taking over the world, it can be a bit scary. But in my latest post, you might just find some comfort. Check it out and let me know what you think. https://www.storysandbox.co/why-nprs-the-moth-is-my-antidote-to-fearing-ai/05/2024/

04/22/2024

Let's be honest. Starting a business is HARD — especially when all you've been hearing is how easy it is and how fast you'll start making money. Here's the thing: We're paying too much attention to fairy tales. In my latest blog post, "Starting Your Own Business: Fairy Tales vs. Truths", I discuss my thoughts about how to reframe the way we think about what it takes to start a business and stick with it — even when things get tough. https://www.storysandbox.co/starting-your-own-business-fairy-tales-vs-truths/04/2024/

03/27/2024

Struggling to convey your brand's story? Let's fix that!

Dive into "Get Started with Brand Storytelling," our FREE 7-day email course tailored for solopreneurs like you who are eager to captivate and engage their audience.

Transform your brand through the power of story! Sign up for FREE to unlock your storytelling potential!

Sign up for my FREE 7-day email course that'll help you get unstuck — even if you think you're not a storyteller. (Spoiler Alert: YOU ARE!!)