Since starting my business in 2016, I’ve written books, built a six-figure speaking business (with speeches in 25 states and 3 countries), partnered with brands like Mailchimp, Salesforce, GoDaddy, Wistia, Podia, and Help Scout, and consulted some of the most incredible voices leading the way in their respective niches, helping them turn their thinking into IP and their IP into speeches, shows, messaging, and thriving businesses.
Storytellers know how to do one thing better than the rest: ensure others care
It starts with going beyond “creating content” to learn to craft your thinking into IP: your big idea and all the thinking behind it. This empowers you to develop, distribute, own, and monetize your ideas.
This is about so much more than building a following. This is about making an impact.
Despite what internet gurus would have you believe, you don’t need clickbait or grimy tactics. You need to dig down to the root of your perspective, develop that into readily apparent language and ideas, and distribute that through thought leadership and storytelling. In short, substance can still stand out—if it arrives with story.
Imagine a room full of your ideal audience, and the person they mention most when discussing their work is you.
Your peers, your industry’s influencers and analysts, and your ideal customers or clients are all together. They swap notes, discuss trends, and share their opinions — but a handful of them can’t stop repeating the same phrase before they speak:
“It’s like [YOUR NAME] says…”
They quote you, cite your ideas, and share your frameworks and stories. Those who don’t know you whip out their phones and join your email list. This represents something more important than followers: actual influence. You didn’t resort to hollow stunts to juice reach. You shared thinking capable of resonating. (That makes the reach bit easier and stickier.)
You can’t “own your audience.” But you can own an idea in their minds.
That’s the power of a well-developed premise and the surrounding IP that helps you grow.
That’s the power of a storyteller.