Before Creating Something New – you have to do this…

After my email about swipe files last week, I had several folks respond with some questions about how to capture screenshots.

Check out the “Note” at the bottom of this post to see a quick video I created to show you how to do it. Hope that helps!

This week I wanted to share with you some specific ideas about how I believe we need to do a little disruption in our industries.

Let me explain – I’ve talked about Bernadette Jiwa several times in my past emails. (If you don’t recall them – no worries, check out the P.S. for a link to my reviews of her books.) I LOVE Bernadette and all the books she’s written around marketing and storytelling. I also took her Akimbo Workshop – Story Skills.

The more I do my work in marketing and launching, the deeper I get into how copy and storytelling can really make or break your course, product, service, event, or anything you’re launching and getting out in the world. And also the marketing of it.

The book of hers that I’m now listening to on Audible is called Meaningful: The Story of Ideas That Fly. This isn’t meant to be a book review. It’s more of a review of your marketing and copy and how you communicate and connect with your dream client/customer.

This quote sums it up best and really hit home for me – literally, I had to stop my walk, get out my phone, open my Evernote app, and write this down – We don’t change the world by starting with our brilliant ideas, our dreams; we change the world by helping others to live their dreams. ~ Bernadette Jiwa

The key terms – it’s not all about “OUR brilliant ideas” and “OUR dreams.” Be a disruptor in your business by doing this – “…change the world by helping OTHERS to live THEIR dreams.”This oftentimes gets lost. Well, heck, there’s so much to do in our business. Probably a lot more gets lost, right?!

What I wanted to drive home today is that this could be the single most important concept to grapple with within your business right now. I want you to be an entrepreneur who DISRUPTS your industry with this concept.

Whatever we create, promote, sell, etc., it’s NEVER about US. It’s always about our dream client/customer and making what we’ve created meaningful to THEM, helping them see what’s possible. Bernadette puts it best – Our ideas fly when we show others their wings.

Our job as marketers are competing for meaning, not just eyeballs. Marketing is ultimately the art of telling a story that moves people to act, not just tactics to sell our stuff.

I want to inspire and encourage you to find more ways in your business, marketing, communications, and more, to create meaning and make your dream clients/customers FEEL something, not using crazy tactics to make them do what you want them to do in the short term.

Remember, the name of the game to be incredibly successful in your business is creating a list of superfans of people who care and admire you because they know you care and will do anything to help them achieve their goals, dreams, and desires.

You want customers for life. And building a list of folks like that, lifelong clients/customers, that’s what success really looks like.

Maybe now you’re nodding your head and saying, “yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s all great and wonderful, but how the heck do I do that?! Show me!”

I’m so glad you asked. 🙂

Here are a couple of things you can do right now. I’d encourage you to put it on your beginner’s mind now. You know, the one you had as a kid when you were curious and inquisitive. (Or maybe you still have it – awesome.) What I’m going to share is really digging into your dream client/customer.

I know, I know, you’re probably saying you know who they are. AND, just give me a few more sentences, keep reading, this will help you, promise.

Whenever you create a new course, product, service, or event, spend the majority of your time creating something that your dream client/customer will LOVE. Not the other way around.

I’m going to share with you Bernadette’s Story Strategy Blueprint below. You can also get this on her website. You need to focus on what matters MOST to your dream client/customer and commit to making that.

You don’t want to create something that you want or think that your dream clients/customers want without doing your homework. You can’t make people want something. Trust me. It doesn’t work.

Some of Bernadette’s ideas are in my 7-Step Soulful Marketing & Launch System. Yet, keep in mind her sole focus is on story and connection.

Bernadette’s Story Blueprint Below:

Before you create your course, product, service, or event – Walk Through These Steps:

STEP 1. STORY
Answer these questions fully, not holding back. Who is your dream client/customer? Look beyond their basic demographic information. Describe and walk through his/her life. What is their view of the world?

What matters most to them? What are the challenges, problems, and frustrations that they encounter daily/weekly/monthly? What are their values?

Answering these questions is directly related to your core messaging and how you’re telling your story of your course, product, service, event, etc.

Your goal – is to be a great storyteller (or hire one 🙂 and learn how to build a connection, trust, engagement, and entertain your dream client/customer.

STEP 2. INSIGHT
What does your dream client/customer want to do but can’t? What is it that you can do to help him/her? What opportunities do you have or can you create to make a real difference in his/her life? This insight will propel you to create something they will connect to and fall in love with.

STEP 3. PRODUCT (course, service, event, etc.)
Get really clear and focused on what your core features and benefits are.

Then ask – how will it help solve your dream client/customers’ problem(s) (challenges, frustrations, etc.). How will using your course, product, service, or attending your event make them feel? What do you shift, transformation, or feeling do you want them to have after they invest in your course, product, service, or event?

STEP 4. EXPERIENCE
What has changed for your client/customer once they use your course, product, or service or attend your event? How do you want the customer to experience it? Walk through that whole process.

This is one of my superpowers, and I helped Lisa Sasevich, after 7 years, create a 7 figure launch with one of her products. I was the only person on her team who looked and walked through the whole online dream client/customer experience from their point of view, And I made enough many meaningful changes she topped the scale of 7 figures.

BREAKING POINT – The dotted line in the diagram represents businesses’ failure to use the insights about their dream client/customers. This might be you. Maybe you never dug deep to really know what makes your dream clients/customers tick.

When you don’t do that, you won’t ever create a course, product, service, or event that your dream client/customers feel will be useful for them

When creating something new for your dream clients/customers, be the disrupter by ensuring that THEIR needs and wants remain front and center as you bring those ideas to life.

You want to create what THEY will fall in love with, NOT WHAT YOU want to fall in love with.

I hope that’s helpful. And as always, if you have questions or comments or want to share.

I really do enjoy hearing from and learning from you!

NOTE: Google Chrome Extensions – Link to a quick video about how to screen capture using an extension on Chrome.

NOTE 2. This is my book blog. Here’s a link to one of my other favorite Bernadette Jiwa books – Story Driven. She’s written a lot of books! I’m still trying to get through them all. The good news is they are short and easy to read. I also reviewed her Fortune Cookie Principle as well.

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