The Power of Your Story
I started out this book by telling you my story, because without a story, it is very difficult to understand and trust someone else. The same thing is true with all the opportunities you are going to attract into your life. From interviews, applications, networking, investor meetings, trade shows, speaking engagements and so on, the number one reason people will remember you and want to work with you in the future will weigh heavily on the story you have told.
Now it’s your turn to craft your story and use it to get the opportunities that will give you the life you deserve. Here is a simple 3 step method to crafting your story:
- Find a Turning Point Event (regret, trauma, obstacle, opportunity, etc.)
- Write It Down and/or Make a Video
- Share With EVERYONE
It took me nearly a year after launching Neechie Gear to finally share the story of how my friend Johann and his family helped me to take part in soccer when I was an underprivileged youth. One evening, I sat down and began to write down exactly what had happened in my childhood – and how it had empowered me to use my brand to give back a portion of profits to help underprivileged youth who can- not afford to take part in sports. The next step was making a video that showcased the story of what actually happened and the empowering feeling it gave me. The video went viral and our sales increased by 300% over the next 12 months. Without my friend, it wouldn’t have been possible for me to play organized sports and ultimately launch my first company years later. It was that turning point event that changed everything. But more importantly, it was the courage to step outside of my comfort zone and share my story with every- one that made the magic happen.
I have had many of my coaching clients follow this pro- cess and even share their stories on Facebook, YouTube and in the media. People want to share stories and it is the easiest way to self-market. The experience of sharing your story is uncomfortable if you have never shared anything personal before; but once you do it, you will feel amazing and begin to attract opportunities within your network because you have shared a story – something that most people are too afraid to do. Every entrepreneur I have worked with has seen their sales increase by following this method. Every professional I have coached has seen opportunities come around that they never would have seen had they not shared their story. Your story has the power to help you get anything you want; share it with the world!
How to Influence People with Your Story
When you are meeting new people who have no idea who you are, your story is important. In fact most people are thinking the following things when they first meet you:
1. Who Are You?
2. What Do You Have?
3. Why Should I Care?
Your job is to leave them with a simple pitch that makes them want to ask more questions about you. If you get them asking questions, you have already won. The rest is building more trust and leaving with a call to action that encourages you both to carry on your relationship. The more you make an effort to reach out to the other person, the more the person trusts you and will think of you when opportunities arise.
Here is a pitch I teach my clients. You can use this in your life and business. It’s very simple and extremely effective to get your point across.
The 6-Figure Pitch Formula
- Introduction: name, company name and Short Description
- The Problem: describe the problem you are trying to solve
- Your Solution: demonstrate how your product/ser- vice solves this problem
- The Close: finish with a call to action that makes them want more!
Pretty simple, right? In 2013, I was competing in a $20,000 business plan/pitch competition in Phoenix, Arizona. For the first pitch, I only had 30 seconds to convince the judges to choose my business to move on to the semi-finals. It was then that I created my pitch off of the above formula. This is what I said:
“Hello. My name is Kendal Netmaker. I am the founder and CEO of Neechie Gear. We are a lifestyle clothing company that empowers youth through sports! We sell everything from men’s and women’s street and sportswear and at the same time we are committed to providing 5% of our profits to help fund underprivileged youth to take part in sports. You see, when I was in grade 5, my best friend from South Africa helped me to take part in soccer. He and his family paid for my fees, gave me rides to games and eventually gave my family a running vehicle so my mom could continue to drive me to sports. Now fast forward to my last year of university – I was able to create a brand that now impacts thousands of kids across Canada. And now, with over $800,000 in revenue, we are on the brink of exploding!”
Thankfully the judges wanted to hear more and I ended up moving on to the finals and winning the prize money that day. Use the same formula I did and apply it to your life and business to get more opportunities and make prospects want to learn more about you.
If you only have 5 seconds or less in a conversation, you can sum this up by following this script:
I help________(niche)________To________(solve problem)________ by________(product/service you offer)________.
As an example, I would say: “I help driven entrepreneurs and professionals make money with their story through my academy and coaching program!”
If you follow these strategies, you too will see results by influencing the people that cross your path. People only do business with people they know, like and trust. Use the power of your story to create the opportunities that will get you closer to your goals.