I saw the post in a Facebook group. I hesitated for a minute, “What if this was a way to get money?” I thought. If you’ve been in business for any length of time, you have more than likely talked with someone or received an email about becoming an author. The only problem is that it often came with a big price tag. So, this was my first thought. My second one was: Why should I share my story? Then the marketer in me knew why it is so important to share your story.
Sharing My Disability Story
The post called for those in the community who were disabled. She wanted people who had a story to tell. Well, I had plenty, but one stood out. IF I shared it, I would be sharing something very personal and very vulnerable.
Sharing my business story was easy. It incorporated part of my disability story, but was not nearly as personal. It could, however, be part of my personal brand story. So, I said I commented and said I’d be willing to help her.
In the end, she wanted each participant to write a chapter in the book. So, I wrote my chapter in the book: “Through Our Lens“. I wrote about an incident that happened right after my first major Multiple Sclerosis flare and hospitalization. I was very weak and had to use a wheelchair. My family and I hoped it would not be permanent, but it was where I was at that time.
The Book: Through Our Lens shares from the point of view of the person who is disabled and the experience they wanted to share. There were nine individuals who responded to share their very personal stories.
I wrote a chapter (I Am So Much More Than My Disability, pages 94-109) in the book “Through Our Lens“.
I share with my clients that it is important to share your story for many reasons. Let’s dig into some of those reasons. I also want to share some of the objections I often hear from clients.
Why You Should Share Your Story
Yes, I get pushback from clients when I discuss sharing personal stories with their audience. Surprising, I know (hehe).
So, why should you share your story?
Reasons #1 to Share: Audience Gets to Know You
As you may know, in the customer journey, your audience needs to get to know you, then like you, and finally trust you before they will purchase from you.
The top reason you should share your stories with your audience is so they get to know you. That sounds obvious, but so often people neglect this part of their brand. They put it off and do not want to share it.
Objection
Let me guess your objection to this reason. The biggest objection I hear most is that you want to keep your personal life personal. You do not want to mix personal with business.
Overcoming the Objection
If you are still working in the corporate world, you may struggle with this reason. If you don’t want your work to know about your business, because there may be repercussions. However, you will also need to develop your personal brand. So, go slow if this is you. Be ready when you are no longer in this position.
If, however, you are simply nervous about sharing more about yourself beyond the ‘elevator pitch,’ then it’s time to update your thinking. Sharing stories about you and your family makes you more personable. It helps your audience get to know you (in the know, like, trust of your customer journey).
Reasons #2 to Share: Your Audience Comes to Like You
When you share your vulnerabilities with your audience, it makes you more approachable. This is why when they read about you, if they are the right audience, they will also begin to like you.
Objection
You may feel that you don’t care if your audience likes you as long as they purchase from you. You must realize, however, that nobody purchases from you without liking you. This still taps into sharing personal verses business.
It also could mean that you don’t know how to do it. I struggle with this often as well. I especially struggle with being very vulnerable (like I share in the book).
Overcoming the Objection
We never desire to be thought of as weak, stupid, or foolish. When you share your stories, you may battle this mindset. Reminding yourself where you are in business and even personally, especially if you’ve overcome something major in your life.
I also use scripture to help me with a better mindset. Knowing He has ordained our days and is holding us in our weakness, in our needs, and in our doubts. I’m telling you that I have felt all of these things, and He has always brought me through the difficulties. On the other side of it, there is always praise.
Reasons #3 to Share: Enable Others to Share
Another reason you should share is that when you are willing to be vulnerable, it helps others be vulnerable with you. Your audience will feel a kinship with you for sharing from a vulnerable place. It makes you more approachable and helps your audience feel that it is easier to open up with you.
Objections
You may be like I was, and that sharing personal things is just not part of business and doesn’t feel professional. I was brought up hiding everything personal. Sharing and being vulnerable were not a part of my nature.
Overcoming the Objection
I had to learn it. The only way to learn it and overcome a mindset that doesn’t share is to do it. Share, even though it may not ‘feel’ like it is who you are. Don’t come out and share something shocking at first. Take it a small step at a time. Take your bio and add a small story to it. Share a little at a time with your audience. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel.
Reasons #4 to Share: Gives You More Engagement
Yes, there is another good reason to share personal stories. It will help you build better engagement.
The more you share your stories, the more you give others the ability to relate to you. This gives your audience an opportunity to comment more because you are sharing personal stories.
And because they are more likely to comment on something personal than they are to comment on a quick business tip.
Objection
This objection falls back to the separation of business and personal. You don’t want to share too much personal or you don’t like posting on social media.
Overcoming the Objection
For the first, I say that you must build your personal brand into your business brand. People want to know YOU, not just your brand.
To the second objection, every business has to be on social media today. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone to help you with it, you must have a presence on the social platforms. There really is no getting around it for 99% of businesses today.
Reasons #5 to Share: Building Trust
The last reason to share your story is to help build trust with your audience. Your customer journey starts with them getting to know you. Afterward, they begin to like you, before they finally trust you. Once they trust you is when they purchase from you.
Objections
You do not believe you need to build trust by sharing your story.
Think about your best friend. Did your friend share everything about their life at the beginning of it? Did you tell them all of your secrets the first time you met? Obviously, the answer is “no.”
You may also have fear around sharing your story. This is often because we feel that we will be judged* when we share our story. That is normal. None of us wants to be judged, especially harshly. Often, it doesn’t happen this way. On a rare occasion, it will. When it does, it will be from people you do not want in your audience or to be your clients. It makes it easier to ignore.
Overcoming the Objection
Any marketing professional will confirm that the journey for anyone ends with trust. In your friendship, you most likely learned over time that you could trust that friend. It is when you trust that you are able to share your stories with your friend.
I’m not telling you to tell all your secrets to the world. Although some people will do that, I’m not suggesting that. I am simply suggesting some of your stories to your audience. Especially the ones that you can use as an illustration (lesson) for your audience (related to what you do as you help clients).
When it comes to fear*, I will not say that it will go away, but I want you to know that it does get easier. I also know that, as a Believer, I can give God my fear and He will replace it with His assurances and love. And knowing that He offers forgiveness (no matter what I do). He is not judgmental, so why should I care when others try to judge me?
Final Thoughts
I finally learned (& am still learning) to share my stories, some very personal ones. I still struggle with some of the same objections, but I know the more I share, the more opportunities others have to get to know me better. Whether they like me or not. It took time for me to get to this place, so give yourself grace.
Then take a deep breath and begin typing that story to share. Then, exhale! If, like me, you tend to hold your breath through difficult things, you will need that cleansing breath and exhale.
I am often told that I’m an inspiration. I always appreciate it, but in practical terms, that means that I went through a very difficult time (and it’s never over with this MS, Lupus, & my other diseases).
I didn’t want to be an inspiration.
Growing up, nobody ever said they wanted to be an inspiration.
The truth is, however, that when we go through those difficult times, we either become angry and bitter or we can become an inspiration to others because they heard our stories.
*It takes time to get to this place, I know, but if you need help with this, please reach out. Do not stay in fear and judgment, my friend.
If you want a little help telling your story and even overcoming your prospective client’s objections, download this helpful tool. A Free Storyboard can help you work out what to share.