What do growing your audience and broccoli have in common?
August 13, 2023
Imagine if you will…
Your new favorite restaurant always gives you a floret of broccoli, even when you order a breakfast sandwich.
You didn’t order broccoli, and even if you did it’s not enough to even call it a side item. It’s just one lonely and sad floret.
“Maybe they think this is a practical way to garnish their plates…” you think.
After weeks of this, you finally build up the nerve to ask them about the broccoli.
The answer is surprising.
The founder of the restaurant started this tradition. She struggled with her health and believed that no meal should go without a healthy green vegetable. She wanted her customers to know that health is more precious than anything else.
Since her passing decades ago, the restaurant has kept the tradition alive. But they forgot one important thing…
To share the story!
Had you known why the broccoli was there, you would have been a lot less confused and a lot happier about it. It would have reminded you of the founder’s dream of making the world a healthier place.
In todays Creator Glue newsletter we’re going to talk about Storytelling – how you can make sense of and connect your audience with your unique perspectives and/or approach.
Connecting with your audience
You may think your audience will just get it. That your goals are very obvious.
They aren’t.
Be clear with your audience and tell your story. In fact, put as much of your content into a story as you can. Help them see themselves needing what you have to offer.
In his book, Building a StoryBrand, Donald Miller puts it best:
“Never assume people understand how your brand can change their lives. Tell them.”
How to apply this
Let’s look at a few ideas for how you can apply this right now to start growing an audience that sticks.
Write a compelling about page
This is powerful but many creators gloss over it. They write a few things about themselves and move on.
The about page is your opportunity to tell your story in a way that’s relatable to your audience.
It’s also a great place to ask for action, because people who connect with you will take action. Here are some great examples:
Share your stories every chance you get
Stories connect us as humans and if the stories you share resonate with your audience, they’re far more likely to stick around.
This stories can be from your personal life, from someone else’s life, or fictional (like the one I shared today). The point is that you use story to connect your audience with something tangible.
The next time you’re writing a social post, newsletter, etc, think of a story that could lead you to the main point.
Work in public
Sharing your works in progress tell a story with a magical twist. You’re inviting your audience into the story!
They get to comment, share feedback, and ultimately help shape whatever it is you’re working on.
@Benten has been doing a great job of this recently as he designs and builds a website dedicated to footer design.
The Takeaway
Give you or your brand a voice. Tell your story and connect on a deeper level.
Your audience will stick with you for a lot longer!
Written by Kyle Adams
I work at ConvertKit helping top creators every day and bring what I know about growing your email list to Creator Glue every week.