The Truth
The Truth The Process
The Truth (About Me)
Joan Didion, California’s patron saint of profound prose, once wrote:
We tell ourselves stories in order to live.
But the truth is…
I don’t think of myself as a storyteller.
I have no burning desire to write a novel.
I cannot, and will not, keep a journal.
Because the truth is…
I’m a storyseller.
I tell stories in order to sell something—a product, an experience, or a feeling…
The dreaminess of California, the Mana of Tahiti, the stability of J.P. Morgan, the power of fandom, the green-light feeling of CLEAR.
More than products—these are sensations sold via stories, steeped in core human emotions and aspirations,
The truth is, I can’t keep a journal because writing is all about the audience for me—making connections that educate, resonate, and motivate on a human-to-human level. I love telling stories that have a reason/purpose/POV/narrative, expressed across a sea of mediums, crafted to connect with people across the world. I love tapping into the truths beneath the surface of each story and sales pitch.
Because, to Didion’s point, telling and hearing stories allows us to infuse meaning to the inane and mundane.
Over the last 12+ years writing stories, copy, and content for small startups, big brands and behemoth corporations, I’ve learned to love the messy process of extracting and shaping stories for public consumption. I love figuring out how to cut down and chop up a piece of content into a smorgasbord of snackable pieces. I find it thrilling to walk the taut tightrope between emotion—logic, between product feature—user benefit, and between “what if…”—and—“why the hell not?” I’m hooked on the hands-on process of collaborating with companies to align their wants with their customers’ needs. One headline. One strategy. One story at a time.
So let’s sell some stories together.
More truths:
I own and operate a small Great Dane
I have an alarming affinity for alliteration
California > everywhere else
Tea > coffee and biscuits > donuts
The Process
What are we selling?
My storyselling process begins with a high-speed on-ramp into your business, industry, objectives, resources, and offerings by:
- Gathering, ingesting, and organizing existing documents and source materials
- Interviewing and collaborating with subject matter experts (SMEs) and stakeholders within your organization
- Auditing your competitors as well as any out-of-category companies that align with your vision or goals
Who are we selling to?
My next step is to dive deep into who our audience(s) are and their unique wants, needs, barriers, concerns, and motivations by:
- Analyzing your current user journeys and any metrics
- Conducting user research and interviews with current and/or potential clients
- Engaging with your sales teams to get their on-the-ground POV of what tactics are most efficient and effective
What Sets Us Apart?
Once we’ve collaborated on a strong, strategic story to tell, now it’s time to put a ring on it. How can we own the language, the look, the feeling?
Each element of a creative solution, from the copy to the imagery and everything in-between, should work in concert to create a cohesive, compelling sales pitch about your company, your credibility, and the practical and emotional value of your products.
What Do I Get?
These four words are my mantra, because it’s easy to get lost in the sauce throughout this process. My job as your writer is to ensure that your audience walks away from each interaction with a clear understanding of “this is what I get” if I take the next step. They don’t see the brainstorm sessions, the briefs, or the bags under our eyes—they see the banners, the headlines, the calls-to-action…
This crucial question helps us step outside of our corporate marketing bubble and stay grounded in the real-life, real-time needs our fellow human beings.
Want to learn more about my storyselling process?
Shoot me a message and ask me about:
-My hop, skip, jump approach
-My concepting sandbox system
-My content mining workshops
