Using Stories as a Savvy Solopreneur

Every solopreneur needs a story bank and portfolio of positive impact. Authentic capabilities stories, partner stories, and lessons learned stories are just a few types of stories that when you bottle them up - they can catapult your business and brand.  As a solopreneur, identifying and collecting different kinds of stories can help you grow your business, whether you are just getting started or are a well-established brand. 

Let's delve into 8 types of stories you can use to build your brand and market your services. 

‍Capabilities Stories

Capabilities reflect the outcomes you can achieve when given the opportunity. They usually mirror clients' goals like managing change, reducing costs, or building teams. Capabilities stories highlight a combination of your skills, industry knowledge, access to tools, understanding of processes, and ability to navigate company culture to get things done. These stories demonstrate to anyone who has not yet worked with you that you have a high degree of confidence in your capabilities. Use stories to show prospective clients the depth of your wisdom, resourcefulness, and ability to execute. Stories written by you that include details are believable. Stories collected from past clients and coworkers build additional trust in what you are capable of, and give prospects a reason to believe, and buy.  

💡 Tip: Make a list of all the capabilities and solutions your ideal customer or client is seeking. Add stories to your story bank in GoodSeeker that demonstrate your ability to deliver.  
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Hard Skills Stories

Skills are your starting point. They represent your know-how. They are a learned ability, talent, or expert knowledge that is required to perform a task. Sometimes skills relate to specific industry standards and expectations. And when you are a one person business sometimes prospects or clients don’t recognize all of the skills you can bring to the table. Heck, it’s even hard to remember and reflect on all of the skills you have on your own. Stories written by you or collected from others can go a long way to prove that you have the skills required by clients to achieve goals. 

💡 Tip: Make a list of all the skills clients expect you to have, as well as those they would be surprised you have. Add stories to your story bank in GoodSeeker that demonstrate those skills.  
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Soft Skills Stories

At a time when the accessibility of remote hard skills is easier than ever, soft skills matter. Clients know that technical skills only get you so far. Will you be able to communicate with leaders, work with their employees, and align with their values? These skills are critically important, but hard to differentiate. Everyone says they have them - I’m a strategic thinker; a creative problem solver; a team player, adaptable to change, a collaborative partner, a change agent, your trusted advisor. Soft skills' stories you collect from clients, partners and friends resonate at a personal level with prospective clients and help you build your personal brand.

💡 Tip: Make a list of all the soft skills that clients expect from you and that you know are critical to success. Invite people you have worked with in the past to submit to your story bank to provide examples of the soft skills you bring to the table. 
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Partner Stories

Advisors, partners, freelancers, etc. are oftentimes required to deliver the solutions clients expect. Your ability to work well with partners and outside resources may be a differentiator. If so, it is important to show prospective clients how effective you are at finding, engaging, and delivering results with partners. Partner success stories are a great marketing tool for solopreneurs. Who wouldn't want to work with a solopreneur who takes the time to spotlight partners and the accomplishments of working together? And you can use these stories to attract future partners. 

💡 Tip: Make a list of all the partners you have worked with in the past. Add stories to your bank that highlight how well you work together and the benefits for clients. Mention them in your stories to show your appreciation. 
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Values Reinforcing Stories

When you are a business of one, it is all the more important to be clear on your values. Your values are the roots of your solopreneur company culture! Share genuine stories about the role your values play in the work you deliver. Explaining the guiding principles behind your expertise can distinguish your personal brand and connect with clients and prospects at a much deeper level. Clients want to hire people who they know can work well with their team. When your values align with a prospective client’s, and you have the stories to prove it, your chances of winning business and engaging their team is much greater. At the end of the day, buyers like to work with people who they can connect with, and who share similar work values. 

💡 Tip: Reflect on your top 5 values and how your commitment to them impacts your work. Add to your bank of stories examples of the link between these values and your work. You can add reflective stories written by you, and also invite past clients and partners to submit stories that give them an opportunity to reflect on their own work values.  

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Lessons-Learned Stories

Clients appreciate a partner who prioritizes continuous learning and shares learned lessons. This approach instills confidence in clients, demonstrating your openness to innovative ideas and commitment to exploring novel ways of delivering value. It positions you as a mentor, someone eager to help others circumvent errors. Your ability to impart wisdom through learned lessons distinguishes your services from others. The task lies in proving it. Consider sharing instances where you stumbled, undertook learning, and then wielded new skills to make a significant impact. Alternatively, if highlighting mistakes feels uncomfortable, you could ponder upon a time when you recognized a personal skill deficiency, took steps to surmount it, and subsequently applied these newly acquired skills in your business. 

💡 Tip:  Reflect on some of the biggest lessons you have learned and how they relate to your business as a solopreneur. Add stories to your library that spotlight what happened, what you learned, and why it matters to your business. 

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Client Appreciation Stories

Too often we wait for people to give reviews or endorsements. This is another way to spark testimonial stories. As a consultant and solopreneur you are almost always working with clients and their teams. You see “their” efforts and the impact they make “with” your help. So, instead of waiting for testimonials, consider sharing stories with them about how you appreciate their efforts and what you have been able to accomplish together. Giving client appreciation stories goes a long way to building deep and meaningful relationships with clients. It is a way to show that you are a true partner who cares just as much about their success, as you do your own. 

💡 Tip:  Make a list of past clients who have impressed you with their skills, capabilities, and commitment to be a good partner with you. Publish stories into your story bank to highlight what impressed you about their efforts.  

Summary
Collecting and promoting stories in all of these areas can help you build a strong and differentiated solopreneur brand. You can use these stories to open new doors, engage prospects faster, attract great partners, and demonstrate the impact you make everyday. For you, storytelling is an indispensable tool.

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Our story software lets solopreneurs collect, manage, and share a portfolio of impact stories related to their work and values. In less than a week you can build a library of trusted stories and testimonials to use in marketing, sales, and business development.