‘Telling your story’ and ‘being yourself’ are suddenly hot marketing topics, but there’s a difference between using a fabricated version of your story as an attention-grabbing tactic, and using the real version to communicate your core values.
The mere fact that ‘being yourself’ is suddenly trendy shows that marketers have not been being themselves for a very long time.
It’s very possible to tell your story while not presenting your true self. You may get more clicks and conversions with a hyped up sob story, but down the line you’ll end up working with clients who don’t resonate with your real values.
‘Being yourself’ isn’t a bolt-on tactic. You have to really commit to doing it.
When you get it right, narrative and story are two of the most powerful marketing tools you have. You can’t use reasoning to change someone’s mind. ‘Knocking out’ objections with rational arguments is a fast way to scare people away.