There are two stories to tell when communicating about your business. Neither are wrong, neither are right. The story you choose to concentrate on tells others quite a bit about why you do what you do and how you do it.
What are these two stories?
There’s a long-term story. And there’s a short-term story. Click to tweet!
Most online entrepreneurs are telling a short-term story. It’s the story that is focused on the present, on the growth of the business. It’s the story of immediate needs, quick fixes, and hype.
It’s based on perception. It’s works towards near-sighted objectives.
There’s a place for this story. It drives you to generate revenue now, to attract clients now. It keeps you motivated even when the going gets tough. It allows you to celebrate small wins – and celebrating is oh-so-important.
This isn’t a bad story to tell – especially when you’re telling it to yourself.
But there are those telling the long-term story. It’s the story focused on value, on the way forward, on the client relationship. It’s the story that produces movements, conversations, communities.
The long-term story creates collaborative goals. It’s the tide that lifts all the boats.
When money is tight, when resources seem scarce, the long-term story is the last thing you want to think about. The long-term story seems like a luxury.
But the long-term story is what your customers & clients are looking for. They want to know you’re here for the long haul. They want to know you’re as concerned with their needs as you are with your own. They want to feel care for, nurtured, understood.
The people attracted to the long-term story are the ones you want to work with. There the ones who want your best work. They’re the ones who pay what you’re worth and understand your value. They’re the ones that support you as an artist, thinker, creator.
Your customers believe in you because you give them a story to believe in.
So what story are you telling? Does you website tell the long-term story or the short-term story? What story does your social media tell? What story does your person to person interaction tell?
What story are you telling?
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Are you telling a story your customers can believe in? http://t.co/BMH2i2C6 #youeconomy
Great post, question, and perfect timing for me, as I am in the process of writing content for my new website launching soon, and the story part of my site has been the biggest stressor for me because there are so many points of view, and ideas that others swear by, and I think ultimately, we each have to follow our own gut instincts about what path we take with our business, as only WE (and sadly maybe our families, partners, children) will face the consequences good and bad, and not those judging us.
To be fair, I have been a silent observer for a few solid years before more recently being vocal and connecting more one-on-one with Mid and Up-level, successful people online. But those of you already reaping the rewards of your own path of trial and error, have the advantage of “practice”, of being established, of having the support system of other dynamic successful entrepreneurs, of having great fortune in the bank, etc. So, I am conflicted with a statement that the long-term story is the one people are looking for.
What about those of us literally just taking flight, don’t we have the same opportunities as our mentors, coaches, guru’s and Shaman, to firstly give it our very best, knowing we will make mistakes, and just keep going, and knowing we will never please everyone, or never do things in all the ways that other people deem best?
As an up-level successful entrepreneur, what do you, Tara, tell people like Me, with nothing but truth, hard work, courage, a women who in her mid-life years, is reclaiming who she is and wants to succeed at helping others in their own journeys more than anything else in the world, and with willingness to swallow the consequences of whatever happens, but is fearless to Go For It with Heart and Soul…..What story do you suggest I tell? Or maybe for me it’s a combo. I am genuinely curious to get your feedback and I will THANK YOU in advance.
Thanks for the great comment, Teresa!
Yes!! This is not a post against experimentation. We all need to experiment, test the waters — and in fact, it gets much HARDER as you move forward and gain a following.
But where is that experimentation headed? What are you trying to accomplish?
When you’re first starting out, it’s easy to try to tell the story in a way to get people to believe in YOU. To support you. To be your cheerleader. But you don’t want cheerleaders. You want customers.
Customers want to believe in THEMSELVES. How can you tell a story that will support your growth while encouraging your potential customers to believe in themselves, the movement, and the community? That’s the story that will put food on the table and increase your personal abundance.
I hope that helps!
Thank you Tara.
Your response is very helpful and
I still hope I can work with you some day in the not to distant future
Thank you for modeling the “healthy, thoughtful and honest” approach as a leader in the online community.
All Best.
RT @taragentile: Are you telling a story your customers can believe in? http://t.co/BMH2i2C6 #youeconomy
RT @taragentile: Are you telling a story your customers can believe in? http://t.co/BMH2i2C6 #youeconomy
That’s a great question to ask (regarding long versus short story). In my particular case, it’s actually a combination of the two.
After publishing my first book of Christian poetry, I posted twenty-five percent of my content on the Internet to attract customers. Then I started writing and posting new poetry to support my long-term goal of attracting new readers. Since I’m writing new material, I’ve met some short-term goals of creating new poetic manuscripts, which eventually will be converted into new titles and new products for my customer base. And thus the writing cycle continues.
-Joe Breunig
Reaching Towards His Unbounded Glory
Thanks for sharing your story, Joe! I think it IS important to tell both stories. Short-term goals are so important and are often overlooked by big thinkers.
What concerns me is when the long-term story hasn’t been honored & thought out, so all you see on a website or social media stream in “now, now, now – me, me, me!”
Your customers believe in you because you give them a story to believe in. http://t.co/dspQmj8k #youeconomy
Your customers believe in you because you give them a story to believe in. http://t.co/lZXpGLGH #youeconomy
Oh Tara, what perfect timing! I had felt so conflicted about the launching of my health coaching practice because I could see the short-term story for the clients I have chosen to focus on, but I really needed to feel the long-term story for myself and it just wasn’t coming to me. I finally got it and felt so elated when I did! It’s great to hear that it’s also going to mean that much to them
There are 2 stories to tell when communicating about your business. What are they & which are YOU telling? http://t.co/HhaBTOLy @taragentile
There’s a long-term story. And there’s a short-term story. http://t.co/HQjQ6SBM #youeconomy
Hi Tara I really enjoy your posts. This one in particular is a real corker as we all too often see people focused on short term results and the bottom right hand corner of the income statement. Its the brand vision and story that people want to see unfold and be (if they choose) a part of its creation. I (try!) Step back once a month for 2 hours to check on how all my actions and upcoming planned ‘priorities’ / activities match back to the bigger picture. If not, then why put energy into it?
You’ve worded it beautifully!
Zivana
Which story are you telling? http://t.co/SBLXTQO7 by @taragentile
There’s a long-term story. And there’s a short-term story. http://t.co/lJRq4SJJ #youeconomy
So good! RT @taragentile: There’s a long-term story and a short-term story in your business. Which are you telling? http://t.co/hWqol9cz
RT @NikkiGroom: Your customers believe in you because you give them a story to believe in. http://t.co/vKTDd1rP #youeconomy
More clarity from @taragentile: Are you telling a story your customers can believe in? http://t.co/GddVF9IE #youeconomy
Which story are you telling? http://t.co/HpGUFl7c