Communication Methods for Story Tellers

Welcome, Story Tellers! Connecting to the motivation behind your medium is going to help you feel more aligned in your business and as such, I wanted to start with helping you out with a few communication methods to take your relationship with your clients/customers to the next level. Communication with clients is necessary to setting appropriate expectations, making sure everyone is there for the right reason, and helping you mitigate an unhappy client.

Here are five ways creative storytellers can communicate more effectively with their clients using storytelling as a core motivation:

1. Use Client-Centric Narratives: Tell stories where the client is the hero. Highlight their journey, challenges, and the transformation they can achieve with your guidance. This approach helps clients see themselves in the narrative and feel more connected to your message. Making little video testimonials will help your clients put a voice & body language to their story making it that much more impactful!
   

2. Incorporate Personal Anecdotes: Share personal stories that illustrate your values, process, and expertise. Clients often relate more deeply to genuine, human experiences. These anecdotes create trust and showcase your authenticity as a storyteller. I know, I know - sharing about yourself can feel squidgy af, but listen - your clients want to know why you care so much about what you create! Let them in.
   

3. Create a Shared Vision: Weave a story that outlines a future where your client’s goals are realized. By painting a vivid picture of their potential success, you inspire motivation and help clients feel more emotionally invested in the outcome. Moodboards, Pinterest boards, and questionnaires can help you collab with your clients!
   

4. Use Visual Storytelling: Support your narratives with visual elements—images, videos, or graphics that complement the story. This not only makes the message more engaging but helps clients visualize the impact of your work and how it fits into their own stories. Regardless of your creative medium, we live in the era of imagery - you don’t have to be the perfect photographer, people just want to see the story of your life.
   

5. Craft Multi-Part Stories: Break down your communication into a series of interconnected stories. Each interaction with the client can represent a "chapter" that builds on the previous one, creating anticipation and continuity while deepening engagement with your message over time. If you have a youtube channel, this is a great way to invite future clients into the process in bite sized chunks. Even if it’s not for the public, introducing your clients to your processes in a small series of blog posts, videos, or otherwise helps them see where they will fit in the narrative!

Communicating as a Story Teller means, well, telling stories (shocking, right?) Help your clients understand your processes and experience by turning it into it’s own story. Remember that it’s difficult to join a story part way through, so make sure you are constantly communicating the beginning, middle & end - your clients won’t get sick of it & your new clients will be thankful!