Breaking News – I’ve just opened up my Deep Dive Mastermind group.
Now … Valerie Khoo is a journalist, speaker and small business commentator. She’s also the founder of the Sydney Writers’ Centre which is a world-class training facility for budding writers. Valerie is also the author of the best-selling business book – Power Stories – and that’s what we talk about on today’s episode.
Valerie’s belief is that when you tell the right stories, you can transform a brand into an icon, turn your customers into tireless advocates (we love that!), and give your business – or yourself – an unbeatable advantage. And I gotta say, I totally agree with her – afterall, who doesn’t love, remember and share a good story? Power Stories really is an essential guide to learning how to identify and create stories that will build your small business.
Here’s just some of what we cover in my fireside chat with Valerie:
- Valerie shares what it was like to spend 11 hours with me a few months ago!
- How she got marketing doyen Seth Godin to write the testimonial!
- What is it that makes storytelling such a powerful marketing tool?
- “Every business has a story to tell. In fact, it has eight!” What are the 8?
- Examples of great power story telling.
- How does one go about unearthing 8 stories?
- Examples of how the telling of a great business story can directly impact a business’s bottom line?
- We do a role play.
- What if you don’t like to write?
- Insight into how listeners can get their stories told in the media?
PLUS I announce that I’m opening up a mastermind group called Deep Dive Mastermind … a laser-focussed weekly session with me at the helm in which we dive deep in to your business issues and opportunities that require a marketing solution. Find out if you’re suited to it here.
Links & Resources Mentioned In This Episode ..
Buy Valerie’s Power Stories book here.
Then send a copy of the receipt to timbo(at)powerstoriesbook.com, you’ll receive the following ebooks:
* Power Platform: The 5-Step Plan for Building Your Personal Brand
* Book Deal: The Making of Power Stories (a behind the scenes look at how Valerie got her book deal).
Get a free copy of Valerie’s book (but be quick!):
Simply be one of the first 10 listeners to email Katie Elliott at Wiley – kelliot(at)wiley.com
Netregistry – Check out these three exclusive packages for SBBM Listeners. Each one designed by myself and Netregistry to help get your online marketing sorted.
Register on Facebook for national Work In The Nude Day.
My new consulting business – Get Your Own Show – is laser-focussed on helping business owners become opinion leaders in their industry. Here’s how you can get your own show.
Timbo’s Masterclass can be purchased here.
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25 thoughts on “#109 The 8 Stories You Must Tell To Build An Epic Business.”
Great interview Timbo, I was quick enough to grab a copy of Valerie’s Book! WOOHOO
Great interview Timbo, I was quick enough to grab a copy of Valerie’s Book! WOOHOO
Timbo, the passion story really made me think back to one of my first client projects and reminded me why I started Striking Project Management. I’d like to share that story.
A client came to me after they had just won their first and business critical national contract with a client they had been pursuing. The project was a small portion of a larger package of work to test if they could achieve results. We were engaged as the client’s project manager and told of the projects criticality. We delivered the project in a complete outsourced service and hit the target completion date and even came in significantly under budget!
The project close out meeting when we celebrated success is one I will always remember, seeing the relief on my clients faces knowing their business had made a huge leap forward, and the satisfaction I felt being part of their success was powerfully moving. Since then I have been committed to helping small and medium sized business to Get Projects Done!
Chris O
http://www.strikingprojectmanagement.com
Timbo, the passion story really made me think back to one of my first client projects and reminded me why I started Striking Project Management. I’d like to share that story.
A client came to me after they had just won their first and business critical national contract with a client they had been pursuing. The project was a small portion of a larger package of work to test if they could achieve results. We were engaged as the client’s project manager and told of the projects criticality. We delivered the project in a complete outsourced service and hit the target completion date and even came in significantly under budget!
The project close out meeting when we celebrated success is one I will always remember, seeing the relief on my clients faces knowing their business had made a huge leap forward, and the satisfaction I felt being part of their success was powerfully moving. Since then I have been committed to helping small and medium sized business to Get Projects Done!
Chris O
http://www.strikingprojectmanagement.com
Great story, Chris – thanks for sharing … and I like that Get Projects Done positioning ;0)
Nice work … It’s a great read … with a Seth Godin testimonial to boot!
Thanks Timbo, I can’t take all the credit for that though, I had the help of one of Australia’s leading marketing consultant… 🙂
Timbo, I had a case of “entrepreneur mind race” Tuesday night so in order to relax the doctor ordered a good dose of sbbm. I loved Valerie’s beliefs around telling the ‘right stories’. What I have found through speaking with high net worth individuals is that they almost always start with a story! Also, I have a belief that ‘if you don’t ask, you won’t get’, so true to this quote I asked and scored a free copy of Valerie’s book. Keep winning, Brad.
Timbo, I had a case of “entrepreneur mind race” Tuesday night so in order to relax the doctor ordered a good dose of sbbm. I loved Valerie’s beliefs around telling the ‘right stories’. What I have found through speaking with high net worth individuals is that they almost always start with a story! Also, I have a belief that ‘if you don’t ask, you won’t get’, so true to this quote I asked and scored a free copy of Valerie’s book. Keep winning, Brad.
Hi, my name is Grant Kennedy.
I work in the marketing industry and I specialise in attracting
new and highly profitable projects to construction companies.
Over the last 6 years my company We Shoot Buildings has photographed
over 3000 house and building projects and after talking regularly with the
builders I work with I’ve realised there are 3 key problems construction
companies in the industry currently experience.
1. They have to work hard and often for long hours.
2. They don’t end up with enough money for all of their
efforts.
3. They are stressed out and not even sure if all the hard
work running their business is worth it.
To solve these frustrations we offer a unique integrationmethodology
of photography, portfolio design and marketing strategies, online and offline,
to attract new higher paying customers and their projects to their business.
1. We use stunning photography to showcase builders unique
skills to give them an advantage over other construction companies.
2. We combine the photography with smart portfolio and web
design strategies to clearly communicate to new customers with no confusion.
3. We put their companies stunning portfolio of projects in
front of a much larger audience of potential customers through the use of search engines marketing strategies to ensure
their company is found online when customers are looking for them.
I do all of this because I want the builders I work with in
the industry to achieve the personal success they
deserve by reaching their full business potential.
Hi, my name is Grant Kennedy.
I work in the marketing industry and I specialise in attracting
new and highly profitable projects to construction companies.
Over the last 6 years my company We Shoot Buildings has photographed
over 3000 house and building projects and after talking regularly with the
builders I work with I’ve realised there are 3 key problems construction
companies in the industry currently experience.
1. They have to work hard and often for long hours.
2. They don’t end up with enough money for all of their
efforts.
3. They are stressed out and not even sure if all the hard
work running their business is worth it.
To solve these frustrations we offer a unique integrationmethodology
of photography, portfolio design and marketing strategies, online and offline,
to attract new higher paying customers and their projects to their business.
1. We use stunning photography to showcase builders unique
skills to give them an advantage over other construction companies.
2. We combine the photography with smart portfolio and web
design strategies to clearly communicate to new customers with no confusion.
3. We put their companies stunning portfolio of projects in
front of a much larger audience of potential customers through the use of search engines marketing strategies to ensure
their company is found online when customers are looking for them.
I do all of this because I want the builders I work with in
the industry to achieve the personal success they
deserve by reaching their full business potential.
Fantastic episode Tim & Valerie!
Ever since starting Service Central back in 2005 it has felt like I’ve been telling a set of stories over and over again to anyone that would listen. Now it finally makes sense exactly what those stories actually were!
Now its time to teach the whole team how to tell stories!
Cheers
Danial @ https://www.servicecentral.com.au/
Fantastic episode Tim & Valerie!
Ever since starting Service Central back in 2005 it has felt like I’ve been telling a set of stories over and over again to anyone that would listen. Now it finally makes sense exactly what those stories actually were!
Now its time to teach the whole team how to tell stories!
Cheers
Danial @ https://www.servicecentral.com.au/
Congratulations on winning the book – hope you enjoy it!
I hope Power Stories helps you win your “entrepreneur mind race” – Enjoy!
Glad you enjoyed the episode. Many people have fabulous stories right under their noses. It’s a matter of using the most relevant and powerful one at the right time 🙂 Sounds like you’ve done that instinctively.
Hi Timbo and Valerie, I loved listening to you both while I was painting my business signs this morning. I just bought the book too. I started by business ‘Bike n’ Blend – Pedal powered smoothies’ from my passion of cycling, healthy food and fun. I have a fleet of eight specially designed blender bikes that I hire out for small kids parties to large community fairs to promote sustainability, healthy living and entertainment. While I was working as a full time scientist two years ago I thought – why cant I have a job that involved cycling and food- my two favourite things! So I quite my job and made it happen. I love seeing the faces on people who jump on the bikes to make their own smoothies! Thanks for another fantastic episode – love the podcasts!
Hi Timbo and Valerie, I loved listening to you both while I was painting my business signs this morning. I just bought the book too. I started by business ‘Bike n’ Blend – Pedal powered smoothies’ from my passion of cycling, healthy food and fun. I have a fleet of eight specially designed blender bikes that I hire out for small kids parties to large community fairs to promote sustainability, healthy living and entertainment. While I was working as a full time scientist two years ago I thought – why cant I have a job that involved cycling and food- my two favourite things! So I quite my job and made it happen. I love seeing the faces on people who jump on the bikes to make their own smoothies! Thanks for another fantastic episode – love the podcasts!
What a great story, Leena. Well done on quitting your job, coming up and taking to market a great idea and generally loving what you do. So many power stories in there. Love it!
I was just working on my website about us page and I was thinking; ‘where did I hear good ideas on how to tell stories about my business that are more engaging’… then I remembered “Of course one of Tim’s podcasts!”
Bought the book and it’s on my Kindle, thanks again Tim (and Valerie!)
I was just working on my website about us page and I was thinking; ‘where did I hear good ideas on how to tell stories about my business that are more engaging’… then I remembered “Of course one of Tim’s podcasts!”
Bought the book and it’s on my Kindle, thanks again Tim (and Valerie!)
Just caught up on this interview and absolutely loved it, Timbo. You know how you feel about Seth Godin and how he is your hero and you want to have him on your show? Well, that’s how I feel about you and your show. Love to come on and share my story of getting a book deal and helping my publisher sell 10,000 copies and go back to the printing press in the first 2 weeks of it being launched. You are doing a fab job with this show. I gladly rated it a 5-star on iTunes. And I’ll keep listening, Timobo!
Just caught up on this interview and absolutely loved it, Timbo. You know how you feel about Seth Godin and how he is your hero and you want to have him on your show? Well, that’s how I feel about you and your show. Love to come on and share my story of getting a book deal and helping my publisher sell 10,000 copies and go back to the printing press in the first 2 weeks of it being launched. You are doing a fab job with this show. I gladly rated it a 5-star on iTunes. And I’ll keep listening, Timobo!
I have just began listening to SBBM pod casts and have downloaded Valerie’s book on my Kindle.
Welcome aboard, Sharon. What took you so long ;0) Hey, I think you’ll love Valerie’s book, it’s excellent.