​We read recently that "one simple story can make you a million dollars"

Let's explain and put this into perspective

​In terms of marketing stories are 22 times more memorable than facts and figures alone

You've likely heard the saying "facts tell and stories sell" and it's absolutely true

​Just think about how much time most people spend watching TV or Netflix?

No matter how much technology evolves, people will always seek out stories

And importantly…

People are happy to PAY to consume compelling stories

And guess what?

The same rules apply to you and your prospects

After all, selling is nothing more than storytelling really if you get it right

Don't worry if this sounds outside your ​skillset - it's actually not 

Absolutely everyone has a story to sell!

​All brands have a story - YOU ARE YOUR BRAND

And you know what?

People love stories

People love hearing them

And your prospects will love hearing yours, too

Why storytelling is (still) one of the greatest online network marketing strategies

Okay, so what does all of this have to do with marketing your business?

Let us ask you something…

Would it pique your interest to know that we used to work as accountants and management consultants tied to our clients in the UK and all we wanted to do was travel the world and experience all those things we had only seen on the TV or read about in books...

There might be a few good stories in there, right?

​Think about yourself and other people in your company...

Despite diverse backgrounds, we all wanted something different from our lives.

And here's the real thread that ties these narratives together…

Humans relate to stories, especially those of struggle

Always have and they always will.

Storytelling not only creates an emotional connection between you and your prospects, but also gives them for a reason to get emotionally invested in you.

In an era of incredibly crowded competition…

Telling your story will immediately set you apart from the pack

Storytelling is one of the subtle but invaluable online network marketing strategies for any and every marketer, (regardless of the industry) because without a compelling story, your brand is ultimately forgettable.

So if you want to survive in the saturated world of modern marketing, you're going to need to figure out how to tell your story sooner rather than later.

Because if you're a strong storyteller, people WILL listen to you.

And ultimately buy from you.

However, very few of us are “natural-born” storytellers.

And that's OK

Thankfully, you don't have to be a Pulitzer Prize winner to find your voice or make your story work

In fact, telling your story is pretty simple, once you know a few key formulas

You don't have to be Hemingway - telling your story is simple

It seems like movie studios, authors, and brands alike have made billions through the art of storytelling...

​Therefore, it must be pretty complicated and specialized, right?

Surely it can't be learned without years of practice?

Here's the thing, though:

You can tell (and sell) a pretty decent story without a creative bone in your body.

Well, okay…maybe that's a bit of a stretch:

A little bit of creativity can go a long way, it's true

That being said, if you can string a couple sentences together, chances are you have the chops to tell a compelling story that can and will effectively sell your prospects.

Think about it for a sec…

Have you ever…

• Lost something?
• Felt frustrated or hopeless?
• Made a change, unsure of how it would go?
• Overcome an obstacle or solved a problem in your adult life?

Yes?

Then you have a story, period

Then the question remains:

How are you going to go about telling it?

Understanding the “shapes” of stories

Perhaps the first step to telling your story is to stop thinking of storytelling as a “creative process” and start thinking of storytelling as a science​

You know, science as in formulas you can follow, and repeat, which produce quantifiable results

In fact, that's exactly what the late, great Kurt Vonnegut suggested to readers and writers like.

Vonnegut proposed that the most popular stories throughout time could be adapted into relatively simple “arcs.”

Simply put, Vonnegut noted that stories were essentially “shapes,” (think: like a curve on an X/Y axis) each with their varying ups and downs as the plot progresses

The highest points on the curve represent wealth and happiness; meanwhile, the lowest points represent poverty, loss and defeat.

Here's the quick version:

There are quite a few such arcs (look them up if you're curious)

But the three most relevant examples for marketers include the following:

• Man in Hole – In this story arc, a seemingly ordinary main character falls into a bad situation and eventually gets themselves out of it, learning a thing or two along the way.
• Boy Meets Girl – Often applied to romance stories, our character stumbles upon something (or someone) that changes their lives, acquires it, loses it and finally gets it back for good.
• The Cinderella Story – This arc sees our character experience a meteoric rise in status followed by a dramatic drop, but ultimately ending in a happily-ever-after scenario.

These storytelling strategies have been tried and tested for centuries, millennia even…and they've been impemented into various online network marketing strategies as time went by

They work flawlessly whether you're looking to tug at the heartstrings of an audience or simply make it appear as if you've been through hell and back

Best of all, each of these arcs can be applied beautifully to any marketing strategy without fail.

Choosing your story

If you're still sitting there thinking that you don't have a story to tell, fear not

You don't have to hit rock bottom to tell a powerful story, nor do you have to pretend that you know some “billion-dollar” secret for the sake of grabbing your prospects' attention

Almost every entrepreneur Iwe've ever met has as “origin story” revolving around starting off at a soul-crushing 9-to-5 and ending up where they are today

These sorts of “rags to riches” stories can be found just about everywhere in many different shapes and forms

• Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty prior to becoming a billionaire. Extreme example, sure, but compelling nonetheless
• Steve Jobs dropped out of college to found Apple; however, he essentially lost control of his own company prior to the eventual “i-Renaissance” that reestablished his legacy

Even if you don't consider yourself much of a sports fan, year after year “Cinderella stories” make headlines as underdog teams beat out their established competitors

​People eat these stories up.

Each of these real-world examples follows Vonnegut's shapes to a “T.”

Maybe your brand is an unlikely hero

Or perhaps you've hit some bumps in the road on your journey as a marketer…

Maybe you've lost money

Maybe you tried a few things and failed

That's great!

You've got some solid material

Now use it

People will relate, believe us

Three things every story needs

If you have your story in mind, don't start writing just yet

Although you don't have to be as prolific as Stephen King to tell you story, there are three elements every effective story implements, without fail…

Just as your audience is blasted with marketing messages day-in and day-out, your prospects can easily become blind to hearing the same stories again and again

Therefore, you need to do everything in your power to make sure that your story packs a punch from the word “go.”

Whether it's imagery of piles of bills and no money in your bank account or the life of luxury you hope to promote to your audience, you should strive to paint a vivid picture first and foremost

Throw them right into your story and don't waste their time

Think about your audience and their struggles

What keeps them up at night?

What holds them back from accomplishing their goals?

• Is it money?
• Temptation?
• Lack of focus?

Your story should touch on such pain points to not only make yourself seem more human, but also let your audience know that you understand them

Remember: while this may be your story, don't forget what's most important is the journey of your readers