Everyone Loves A Story. What's Yours?

In 5 Reasons To Be Indie, I listed 5 reasons why being Indie is so great: Income, Newsworthy, Destiny, Independence, Equity. Being Newsworthy is all about creating a "buzz" about what you are selling as you simultaneously pursue your passions, help others and support yourself and your family. To create this buzz, you have to have a story to tell.

I enjoyed a Spinach Spring Onion omelet at Mark's Kitchen the other day. Near the register was a display of cookies, candies, nuts and other treats. My eyes settled on a black and white vintage photo above "Elsa's Story," and a few dozen packages of cookies, 3 to a pack. No fancy embellishments. Just a photo of (presumably) Elsa with her family and the story of how her kitchen was always open.

I don't know who Elsa is, but Elsa's Story reminded me of precious childhood times watching my grandmother bake everything from biscuits to pound cake without a written recipe or even a measuring spoon to guide her. That warm, fuzzy feeling lead me to choose a pack of Elsa's cookies and leave the colors and fancy stuff behind.

If you haven't tied your product or service to the story behind it, it's time to get busy. Everyone loves a story.

• The media doesn't feature products. It features stories that include products.
• Customers don't buy products. They buy stories that make them feel good about the products they are buying.
• People buy emotional connections, and the chief way to create them is to connect what you are selling to the story of who you are and why you are selling what you're selling.

Whoever sells Elsa's cookies knows that she's selling so much more than cookies. She is sharing information and history with me. She is taking me back to a childhood place filled with comfort and joy. A place I can only visit if I take a bite of Elsa's cookies. Elsa's cookies made me feel warm and satisfied. And you can't get that feeling with just any old cookie.

So here's the tip: Give your customers one more reason to buy from you by using your website, business card, product display, brochures, etc., to share your story. After all, whatever you are selling can be purchased somewhere else. But you're the only person with your story.

Elsa's Story cookies are available in a variety of flavors: Cappucino Pecan Butter, Brown Sugar Butter Chunk, Ginger Thins and more. You can enjoy a large selection here.

Of course, the first thing I did when I got the chance was to visit Elsa's website, where I found nothing but an address and other contact information. Oh, well, you can't have everything.

Everyone loves a story. What's yours?

Comments

[Mark McCarley]

It's true, everyone loves a story and whether you realize it or not, everyone has a story to tell.

My story starts with disaster. Enter Hurricane Katrina. Yes, I am originally from New Orleans and was forced to start life over in a new home.

There are three of us who evacuated together and we decided to relocate together as well. We all three had different jobs before Katrina, One was a personal banker, One and Counselor and I was a computer technician. After the storm we decided to open a home decor and gift shop in Humble Texas. Keep in mind we are now in a new location where we know no one and no one knows us.

We opened Grace's Unique Gift Boutique on April 17, 2006 approximately 9 months after the disaster. We have fought and struggled to get where we are today and so far we have been successful. Not very long ago we launched our website. It is: www.gracesmoon.com . I would really appreciate it if everyone would take a look and let me know what you think. And of course if you make a purchase that would be okay as well.

This is the very short version of my story, but if you take nothing else from it, please understand that you can succeed against all odds. All you have to do is believe and be willing to work for your success.