This episode is the final part of my special Brand Story Masterclass dedicated to getting your brand story written once and for all and giving you the confidence and know-how to get out there and tell it.

If you get your brand story straight, you'll have a whole heap of content ready to go. It's perfect for your website - a refreshing change to an About Me page. Check out Lucy and Yak for a great - and highly creative - example.

Your values also hold exciting content to show others what the experience of working with you or buying your products would look and feel like them. Bring this to live on your website or social media. Oatly is bloomin' brilliant at this.

But beyond just your website or social media bio, where else can you use your story?

• Introducing yourself at a networking group. No more scrabbling around for the right words to say; your brand story drips effortlessly off your tongue.
• Entering your brilliant self for an award or pitching yourself to journalists or investors? Your brand story makes for a much more interesting that'll catch their eye and make you more memorable.
• Sharing real-life stories of when you went above and beyond to help someone. Or when you responded to a social, political or environmental issue that's part of your story that highlights your values.
• Bringing your vision to life creatively by painting a picture with words of your future-inspired world.
• Sharing your journey and how you ended up doing what you're doing now. Don't forget to include what you learned along the way (good and bad) and how this helps you now solve your customer's problems.

If you'd like more ideas, grab a copy of my workbook - How to tell Business Stories, which includes ten story templates you can customise and make your own.

Do you want to continue the conversation or get extra support with telling your story?

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

The brilliant Suzi @story_publishing produces this podcast.

Ok, this is simple. We, as people, look to work with others or buy from brands that share the same values. If you don't talk about your values, how will we ever know what you stand for? It sounds like a lost opportunity to me…

As a brand, your values are the principles that guide you in everything you do. And, if you have people working for you or plan to bring them on board in the future, they also suggest what you expect from others.

Here are my top tips for thinking about your values.

1. Be true to yourself. Don't say what you think others want to or expect to hear.
2. Don't discuss a value, like sustainability or diversity, just because you see everyone else doing it. It will trip you up in the future.
3. Dig deeper beyond the obvious. Being honest, transparent, fun or working with integrity are all fine, but what do those words mean to you personally?
4. Think about how you can say what you mean with different, more creative words in line with your brand style. You can have fun with it too.
5. Don't forget to tell your audience what these values mean to do them. How do they impact the experience of working with you, and how do they 'add value' (excuse the pun) to their sense of right and wrong?

Do you want to continue the conversation or get extra support with telling your story?

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

The brilliant Suzi @story_publishing produces this podcast.

If your vision is where you'd like to get to one day, your mission is what you're going to do every day to achieve it.

It describes how you'll act on purpose to deliver your vision and - most importantly - imparts a whole heap of handy information to your audience to attract them to you in the first place and get them to hang around for longer too.

If you listened to my last episode, you're hopefully already figuring out your vision (if not, it's worth stopping and going back to).

So now it's time to get your mission statement sorted. And to make it super easy - which is what The Everyday Storyteller is all about, here's a simple framework for you:

1. Explain your product and service offering (make it short and sweet)
2. Identify the problem you're solving and for who
3. Connect how your offering solves the problem and the value of this back to your vision
4. Condense these three statements into one - making sure it's clear, concise and free of fluff.

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5 Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how they can make sure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one.

Do you want to continue the conversation or get extra support with telling your story?

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

The brilliant Suzi @story_publishing produces this podcast.

If you want to feel confident, you know where you're heading and be motivated to keep going, even on a bad day.

Or if you want to feel fulfilled and understand why you get out of bed every day. If you wish to stop chasing every brand new sparkly thing that comes your way, then, my dear friends, it's time to figure out your vision.

In the last episode, we examined your purpose - why you do what you do. This time, we'll explore your vision with five questions you can ask yourself.

1. What are the hopes and dreams for your business?
2. What is the problem you're solving for the greater good, and what impact will this have on others?
3. Who or what are you aspiring to change with what you do? (If you've worked on your purpose already - think about the villain in your world or the people/things you're against - how do you impact/change them?)
4. How do you want your vision to make people feel? What do you hope it will make them do or think?
5. What motivates you to achieve your vision? What thoughts or beliefs will keep you going, even when times are hard?

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5 Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how they can make sure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one.

Do you want to continue the conversation or get extra support with telling your story?

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

The brilliant Suzi @story_publishing produces this podcast.

When outdoor clothing company Patagonia say, 'we're in business to save our home planet', wow, do they mean it. They epitomise what it means to be a purpose-led brand and demonstrate it relentlessly.

You may not be a multi-national brand (yet), but in the words of Patagonia's founder Yvon, when figuring out your purpose, "you have to start right from the beginning."

I share three questions to help you think about your purpose as part of your brand story.

1. How and why did you start your business? What was happening in your life? What problem did you need to solve? Did you have a deep-rooted belief in something which guided your path?
2. What do you stand for? Or maybe if it's easier, what do you stand against - who is the villain in your world?
3. What are you setting out to do? It can be as simple as bringing joy to others, enabling connection, inspiring new experiences, evoking pride and confidence (that's my one) or impacting society, whatever that might look like for you.

You can also read more about why we could all learn something from Patagonia's purpose here. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5 Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how they can make sure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one.

Do you want to continue the conversation or get extra support with telling your story?

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

The brilliant Suzi @story_publishing produces this podcast.

If you want to attract your dream clients, create an audience full of engaged, wonderful people or even land that killer job you've set your sights on, figuring out your brand story is one of THE most important things you can do.

To mark National Storytelling Week (30 Jan - 5 Feb), the podcast is transforming into a step-by-step, day-by-day masterclass that will allow you to talk confidently about who you are and what you stand for.

Most importantly, you'll learn how to use your brand story to lead people in your direction, build the relationships you need to succeed and differentiate yourself in a noisy marketplace.

But, like many important things, it's not always the easiest. But don't worry; this is all about to change.

Over the next five episodes, you'll learn:

• How to figure out your purpose and act on it
• How to understand and articulate your vision and mission
• How to define your values and use them to differentiate yourself
• How and where to use your story as part of your content strategy.

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5 Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how they can make sure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one.

Do you want to continue the conversation or get extra support with telling your story?

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

The brilliant Suzi @story_publishing produces this podcast.

Did you know that research shows 62% of customers actively seek out brands whose values align to theirs?
There's no getting away from it. We want brands to do do better. And we only want to give our money to those that do. 
By sharing your higher purpose - the things that really matter to you, above and beyond making money, your customers can make an easy choice about working with you. 
Sharing stories of how you live and breath your values everyday or how you specifically support a cause or movement helps them understand the impact that buying your products or services could have not just on then but the wider world view you both share. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

Let me blast a common misconception out of the water. You don't need some 'I was down to my last 20p before I spotted a massive opportunity and now I'm a squillionare' tale of inception to have something interesting to say.
Talking about how you started your business works on many levels
First up. It helps your ideal client understand more about the person behind the brand i.e. you which good for trust and great for relationship building
Next. It shows others the problem you initially set out to fix (which is likely to be the same problem they have now) and gives them confidence in your ability to help them, because you've 'been there, done that'
And finally. It helps unite your audience around your common purpose; this story shows them what's important to you and what drives you so they can connect their own journey to yours.

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

You want to make it super easy for potential customers to know whether you can help them or not. Like instantly. Or else they're likely to look elsewhere until they find their answer.
Of course this does rely on one thing. You understanding what the problem is you solve in the first place. 

Stories that describe your ideal client and the problems you solve for them helps others quickly see whether you're a good fit. For those that are, they will connect more deeply with you, knowing that their needs are being listened to.
And for those that are not well suited? Well, let's just say no-one's time will be wasted. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

How do you go about introducing yourself and your business to the people you want to work with? 

HERE’S THE TRUTH: Whatever your imposter syndrome is telling you, your customers want to learn about the person behind your brand AND how that person can help solve their problem. 
WHY? Because they want to be able to trust you. They want reassurance you believe in the same things as them. And they want to buy from someone they actually like. - and feel a connection to. 
HOW DOES IT HELP YOU? Trust + connection = relationship = loyalty, sales and telling a tonne of other people about you. 
Don't panic if this sends you spinning into an existential crisis. Just telling people one thing they won't expect or didn't already know about you can be a great way to grab attention and create that all important engagement. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

Being a female business owner, you can sometimes feel like you’re a square peg in a round hole. But when you find others just like you, that changes everything. Suddenly, you're not alone in your journey; you're part of a collective force, each with your own unique experiences and stories.

So, how do you spot when a group of people are right for you? Here are 5 green flags to look out for:

1. You feel energised, not drained, after spending time with them
2. There’s a genuine exchange of support and ideas
3. They celebrate your victories as much as you do
4. You can be vulnerable without judgement
5. They inspire you to grow and evolve

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

How many times how you found yourself stuck to the same script in your business? Saying the things you think you should instead of sharing your unique story. 

I get it. We stick to the script because it feels safe but what if there’s more power in breaking free? Instead of same old, same old, consider this: your story is your strength. Break free and share what makes you, your journey and your business special. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

If you’ve ever felt a little stuck when it comes to storytelling for your business, today I’ve got a game changer for you - customer success stories. 

Every time you share a story talking about how you’ve helped a customer, you’re achieving three incredible things:

1. You’re building unbeatable credibility
2. You’re reinforcing your relationship with your customers
3. You’re reducing the fear factor for potential customers by showing them what it’s like working with you / buying your product. 

And when you do all this in story form, you’re not just informative, your memorable and impactful too. What more could you want when building your business? 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

A lesson in getting the basics right when launching your website. 

All too often I have business owners coming to me because they’re struggling to write their website copy. So what, I hear you say, that’s not particularly unusual. I guess not, but what if I was to tell you that a high proportion of them are struggling because they don’t actually know what their business is?

So before you tie yourself up in knots trying to write your website, take a moment to breath and run through the following questions. 

1. Who are your target audience? What do they look like, what do they value, what problem do they need solving and why do they need it solving right now?

1. What is your proposition? How does what you sell or produce help your target audience solve their problem, how do you do it better than your competitors and what will life look and feel like for them as a result?

1. What is your brand story and how does this relate to your audience? Why do you do what you do, what are you trying to achieve in the long run, how are you doing this day-to-day, what do you value and why does this all make a difference to your customers?

1. What are you actually selling? Is it a physical good or service or what that actually does or makes someone feel? For example do you make children’s games or bring joy and fun into the lives of children and adults alike?

1. And finally what do you want your website to do. Is it just somewhere for prospective clients to come to and validate you are who you say you are or do you need it to generate sales for you? If the latter, how will it do that? What are your call to actions? Will you offer a free download? Can people buy directly from the site or do they need to set up a call with you. If so, can they do this via the site?

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

Creatively do we ever reach a point when we’ve said it all? Maybe, maybe not. But as long as we’re experiencing things, meeting people, growing our businesses, living our lives, surely there is always a story to tell?

In this episode I challenge you to pick 5 pieces of content you’ve shared over the last year and see if you can make relevant again by applying to it something going on right now or a new experience you or maybe your customer has had. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

Thinking about the impact we want to leave on the world can feel like a super big topic but it doesn’t need to. 

Sure some business owners leave monumental legacies but for us mere mortals, what we leave behind can be far more achievable. For me my legacy would be more women in business telling their stories with unashamed confidence. Notice that I don’t quantify how many - just 1 more woman doing it that wasn’t before they met me is a success factor. 

In this episode I invite you to think about your own legacy and how talking about the vision you have for the future can help build closer connections with your dream clients. 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

In this episode I examine a headline grabbing article I read recently and unpick the useful lessons it provides about business storytelling. 

1. The power of an intriguing headline that taps into an emotion we can all recognise. Can you take a functional piece of content and turn it into a story by tapping into your own emotions, those off the people in your story or the shared emotions of your audience?

1. Although the headline is eye catching, the story is a surprising tale which leaves you feeling that in a world that’s seemingly gone to pot right now, there is hope and good things do happen. Be surprising in your own writing - hook people in for sure and then tell them something they weren’t expecting. The very best stories don’t just teach your audience about you, but actually teach them something about themselves, what they value, what they see as important to create that all important emotional connection. 

If you want to read the whole story, click here: https://apple.news/ASjc1dHrHQR-arYkP6W1mRg

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

One of the biggest hurdles the women I meet have with sharing their story is fear. Fear of judgement, being laughed out, failing to be heard, getting it wrong. 

If you take the time to break these down, are they real fears or just the result of panic? If you were able to approach storytelling calmly and just go about sharing your experiences building your business, helping your customers, making a difference, would it really be that terrible? 

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5-Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

In this episode I reflect on why I don’t lose any sleep over not winning awards. And I share the 3 reasons why entering anyway can be really great for your business story:

1. Submitting an award entry is a great opportunity to spend time refining your story. The questions that often get asked - who is your audience, what problem are you solving for them, why are you better than anyone else at doing it - are all the things you need to be asking yourself when writing your story or creating marketing content. 

1. In the time it takes to overthink whether or not you should enter, if you’re good enough, imagining all the scenarios in which you’re not and all the judges laugh at you, you could have written your entry. So just do it. You actually have nothing to lose. 

1. Once you’ve done it once, you can re-use the content - for other award shows, presentations, social media content, refreshing your bio etc. IT. IS. WORTH. THE. EFFORT

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: @22storiesandme

On LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman

Online: www.22-stories.com

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi @story_publishing

A few months ago, I preached on this very show about avoiding family opinions on your business ventures. Well, I made a colossal mistake and asked my mum to review the early chapters of my draft storytelling self-help book, "The Roar of Her Story." Disaster ensued.

Lesson learned: seeking business advice from friends and family rarely leads to anything fruitful unless they align with your ideal client criteria.

For women with something to say, The Everyday Storyteller is a podcast about making your voice matter, one day at a time.

5 Star ratings and reviews help other women discover the show and learn how to ensure their voice matters too. So please, don't forget to leave one. 

Want to continue the conversation or get some extra support with telling your story? 

Find me:

On Instagram: ⁠@22storiesandme⁠

On LinkedIn: ⁠linkedin.com/in/hilarysalzman⁠

Online: ⁠www.22-stories.com⁠

This podcast is produced by the brilliant Suzi ⁠@story_publishing⁠