As a little girl growing up in North-Eastern Nigeria, I loved to listen to beautiful narratives, and my dad was a powerhouse of tribal lore. Very early, I learned that moral instruction is best imparted as a story and these accounts are remembered long after they cease to be told.
But the events of September 3, 2021, strengthened my belief in the power of stories. It was a phone call and it was a life-changing.
My friend Temi’s once-booming business had plummeted, and sales trickled even though she offered massive discounts and promos. Feeling drained, she called me to vent:
“Sis, I’ve had it up to here and I’m tired of stewing in silence and pretending all is great. It feels like village people are after me because even with my juicy offerings, my sales are appalling”.
In Nigeria, “village after you” means one has been jinxed by someone from his community, and because a spell has been cast on him, he can not be successful at anything.
“My main product is still one of the best in the market, and even with the high rate of inflation, I’ve not compromised on quality. My prices are competitive, but my sales are low. Sis, how do you explain that?”
I took a beat. “Try remarketing to your old customers”.
“Girl, I’ve done that, but few are willing to take me up on my offer”, she said.
I felt genuinely sorry for Temi and, as a last-ditch attempt, decided to tell a little story around her main product with a backlink to her site.
What happened next was orgasmic!
Torrential sales began pouring in, and my girl sold out her entire stock in less than five hours! In less than seven days, she exceeded her monthly sales revenue and 30 customers had filled out a restock request form.
That was our defining moment! The story had tugged on their heartstrings and they were not just paying for the products, but were ‘begging’ to be part of a movement, a culture and a people.
That incident reinforced my belief in the power of a compelling narrative. It was also the beginning of my exciting journey into business storytelling, content marketing and copywriting.
Through storytelling and strategic writing, I grew my LinkedIn profile from 90 followers to 50k+ in six months, bringing joy to my readers, and generating revenue in the process.
The best part? Seeing the solos and entrepreneurs I work with go from ignored to sold-out. Seeing everyday people who hate writing become exceptional storytellers and generating revenue on a consistent basis every month.
I now coach others to tell stories that make them and the brands they work with more money. I show them where the stories are and how to put out these stories.
Consider coming aboard if you want to ace your storytelling. Here, I’ll let you in on my secret for generating a steady stream of income without spending top dollar on ads – all for free.
Whether you tell stories about your business or tell stories for other brands, as a compelling storyteller, you would have struck gold.
Spoiler Alert: I Can Read Your Mind
Yup, yours! And I can tell you’re thinking, “How the heck can I be a great storyteller when I even hate writing?” Believe it or not, you’ve been storytelling without realizing it. Yes, it’s in you! You’ve been telling stories for as long as you have communicated with people. I simply want you to feel confident enough to share it with world.
If you trust the process, you’ll come away empowered and tell phenomenal business stories that will be a win-win for you and your brand(s). So get on board and fly with me on this beautiful journey, far away from “village people”.
P.s. I appreciate the support. Consider following me here for real examples of brand stories and other content strategies.