Power Your Platform

In today’s episode, we’re going to be exploring 3 story types that can help boost your branding and get you noticed. So if you’ve been struggling to come up with new content lately for your blog, your newsletter, your social media or even your podcast, then this episode is for you. I hope it will help get your creative juices flowing.

The 3 story types are: the anecdote, the analogy and the activator story.

The first story type is the Anecdote. An anecdote is a simple, short story about an actual person or event. And the purpose of an anecdote is to create deeper audience connection.

The important thing to remember when using anecdotes in your story branding is that they shouldn’t be random. They should tie in with one of your main storytelling pillars which I’ve talked about several times before in this podcast, but in episode #14 in particular.

Follow the KISS (Keep It Simple Sister) approach when sharing anecdotes. Avoid long, meandering tales where people are guaranteed to lose interest, get bored and eventually tune you out completely. Instead, keep your story on track and to the point.

The second story type we can develop as a part of our story branding is the Analogy. The purpose of an analogy is to create clarity around your main message. Analogies are all about comparing two things that are alike so a more abstract concept becomes clear for your audience.

Choose analogies using concepts or objects that are familiar to your audience and use them to link to more complex concepts you may be talking about in your brand storytelling.

The third and final story type I want to talk about today is the Activator. An activator story is designed to motivate your audience to action (see Ep. 111).

An activator story clearly demonstrates what can happen when a) you take action or b) you fail to take action. One approach is meant to inspire while the other is mean to serve as a cautionary tale. And both can be effective.

If you’re looking to support to build out any of the story types we’ve discussed today, then be sure to reach out to me today! Together, we can get your story into motion and help create the type of results you’ve been looking for.

Until next time, keep owning your story, following your purpose and raising your voice – because the world is waiting to hear YOUR story!

EPISODE LINKS:

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

Episode 111 - https://tinyurl.com/mra8vt9n

In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Abena Green who is an award-winning spoken word poet, author and teacher who helps others elevate their lives through words and movement.

A first-generation Canadian raised in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Abena writes on experiences in small-town living, culture, the environment, family, love, courage, and fear.  She has performed her poetry in Ghana, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Canada, and has been featured in both the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and Canadian Individual Poetry Slam.

In today’s interview, Abena and I discuss the importance of giving ourselves permission to pursue a messy, creative process. We also talk about the power of words and how we can create a writing habit that leads to stronger brand storytelling.

By the way, you’re going to hear Abena’s little one, Somi, on this podcast episode as well. Just hearing her juggle the role of motherhood and being a creative entrepreneur took me back a few years to when my own kids were young.

I deliberately left the baby’s cry in this episode for a reason.

First, because it’s a strong reminder that no matter what season of life we’re in, there is room for creativity.

And second, it’s a reminder that we’re always being watched by a younger generation – so to hold off on our own dreams doesn’t serve anyone, including our children.

Here are my Top 10 takeaways from today’s interview with poet and performer Abena Green:

1. Let your feet be where they are, and embrace the season you’re in.

2. Give yourself permission to tell your own story in a way that’s authentic to you.

3. Give your story space to grow and get better over time.

4. Develop a storytelling discipline that works for your schedule and season of life.

5. Excavate the gold at the heart of your story and share it with others.

6. Carve out time for yourself to write and create new messaging for your brand or business.

7. Make creative time a non-negotiable part of your schedule.

8. Prioritize your own self-expression through art, or writing, music, dance or any form that lights you up!

9. What moves us is at the heart of our story.

10.Today’s power move is to challenge yourself to find a NEW way of saying old things. When you do, it will grab your audience’s attention.

Thanks so much for listening in to today’s podcast interview. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to subscribe, rate and review the Power Your Platform Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. When you do, we’ll be able to reach even more women to help them make an impact with their story.

Until next time, keep owning your story, following your purpose and raising your voice. Because the world is waiting to hear YOUR story.

EPISODE LINKS:

Take the 60-Second Storytelling Quiz - https://www.powerherplatform.com/quiz

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Learn about Abena Green - https://www.instagram.com/a_belovedgreen/

Here we are at the start of a brand new year – and what better time to join a 21-Day Story Dare Challenge than right now inside our free Power Your Platform Facebook group?

If you’re already a member of our free community, then you’ll know that we frequently host 21-Day story challenges to help us flex our storytelling muscles and keep our marketing content fresh and relevant.

In our first 21-Day challenge of 2023, I’m daring you to take your storytelling skills to the next level. The goal is to help you grow your audience, increase your revenues and create a greater impact in the new year. 

So if those two goals are in line with your own vision for 2023, then you won’t want to miss out on this free opportunity.

And hey -- I’ll let you in on a secret: my own personal word of the year for 2023 is DARE, so I expect you’ll see this theme weaving its way through this podcast, inside our Story Fuel newsletter, as a part of our Masterclasses and coaching sessions, as well as throughout our social media.

So what do you say? Do you dare take part in our first 21 Day Challenge of 2023? If so, it could be the boost you need to start your business off in the right direction this year.

To join our 21 Day Story Dare Challenge today, click here > https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

EPISODE LINKS:

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

Welcome to the final episode of the Power Your Platform Podcast for 2022! 

Well, it’s been a year, hasn’t it? Let’s be honest: there have bene a lot of ups and downs and uncertainties, but here we are. Still standing and still looking forward to what comes next.

But before we dive into 2023, I want to take a quick look back at some cool facts that Spotify shared with us recently about the Power Your Platform Podcast.

Among them is our top-ranked episode for 2022 – can you guess which one it is? Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing it with you in just a moment in its entirety -- so stay tuned!

For now, here are 3 fun facts we learned from Spotify about our podcast activity in 2022.

First, we learned that the Power Your Platform podcast was ranked this year in the top 20% of most followed podcasts in the world. So I’m pretty excited about that, considering we’ve been around for just over a year.

Here’s another cool fact: in the past 12 months, Power Your Platform produced 1,920 minutes of new content. That equates to about 32 hours of podcast listening, and it’s actually more content than 97% of all other business podcasts produced in 2022. So for those of you who are our die-hard fans who listened in to all our 79 new episodes in 2022, THANK YOU for tuning in! I hope you discovered a few helpful aha moments along the way…

Speaking of our podcast fans, Spotify has a number of categories to describe, well, you! When it comes to the listeners of this podcast, Spotify says our fans are known as Devotees. Spotify tells us, “When your fans love a podcast, they really love it. They’re quick to support new releases and play their favourite episodes over and over.” So if this describes you today – THANK YOU! We definitely wouldn’t be here without you!

And finally, I learned that 75% of our listeners found us in 2022 – which means one thing to me: we’re growing! And looking forward to the months ahead, I’m confident that trend will continue – but we need YOUR help!

Please continue to share the Power Your Platform Podcast with your friends, family and colleagues. When you do, we’ll be able to reach even more women with the message that their story matters.

So now it’s time to dive into our most listened to podcast episode of 2022. Are you ready for it? For the record, it’s episode #52 which is titled, “How to Get Started Before You Feel Ready”. So here it is one more time – and I’ll see YOU next year!

EPISODE LINKS:

Take the 60-Second Storytelling Quiz - https://www.powerherplatform.com/quiz

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

The 3 Word Rebellion Book - https://tinyurl.com/2rvu27nh

When it comes to holiday storytelling, one of the oldest and best-loved tales of all time is of course The Grinch Who Stole Christmas written by Dr. Seuss. Long before this book was ever a movie, kids were reading about the Grinch and cheering on Cindy Lou Who and her friends as they battled it out to save their beloved Whoville Christmas.

So just for fun, in today’s episode, we’re going to explore 3 storytelling lessons we can all learn from the Grinch – and yes, they’re directly applicable to your brand or business.

I would argue that there are 3 timeless lessons we can all learn about brand storytelling from the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Lesson 1 - Have a vision of what’s possible.

As the original book tells us, the Grinch lived just North of Whoville in a cave that overlooked the town.

Now, if you’ve ever climbed to the top of any hill or mountain, you know that looking out over a landscape from a higher altitude is going to give you a different perspective on things.

So let’s apply this concept to our own brand storytelling. When was the last time you took a bird’s eye view of your brand or business? When we’re looking at our story up close, we tend to miss out on some pretty important elements that we might see if we took a few steps back.

My advice is to step back and remember why you started your business in the first place. Your why or “purpose story” is one of those stories you can be sharing with your audience. Even if you’ve shared it before, you can remind your audience why your brand exists, and in the process, you can remember why you started in the first place.

Lesson 2 - Try new things.

When the Grinch gets his “awful idea” to steal Christmas from the people of Whoville, he makes himself a Santy-claus hat and coat to disguise himself as Old Saint Nick. He also dresses up his dog Max as a reindeer, and throws some empty sacks on a ramshackle sleigh.

All three of these tricks were new for the Grinch, but he was bound and determined to realize his goal of stealing Christmas from the Whos.

So let me ask you this: when was the last time YOU tried something new in your business? I’m not talking about pivoting – we’ve all had our share of that over the last few years. I’m talking about getting excited about trying a new tool or technique or tactic to really connect with your audience. If you look around, there are probably a lot of things you can build on inside your existing business to reach new customers and clients, connections or even launch a new initiative.

Just be sure to try new things that keep in line with your vision (see Lesson 1).

Lesson 3 - Be an action taker.

When it comes to transformation, the Grinch was hoping to take his audience from happy to hopeless. And in his vain attempt to steal Christmas, he set out a series of steps to help lead him to his end goal.

Now, obviously his plan failed because “Christmas, after all, doesn’t come from a store” as this famous children’s story teaches us.

But it does provide a key point which is that taking action requires you to know the transformation you’re looking to achieve. So my challenge for you in this final lesson is to think about where your audience is starting and where you want them to end up. And then consider the actions that you need to take in between in order to get them there.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

As we head into a brand new year, I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a look back at 2022 and ask 10 questions to spark your memory and your imagination, so you can head into 2023 with fresh focus and brand storytelling enthusiasm.

Question #1: I started out 2022 by talking about the importance of the Slow Grow in Episode #49. Which of the following steps are required when adopting a Slow Grow mentality in your business?

a) Manage your expectations

b) Stop comparing yourself to others

c) Be wise with your business spending

d) All of the above

Question #2: When it comes to getting started before you feel like you’re ready, which of the following is NOT one of the steps to follow to help you get started before you feel ready?

a) Remember your purpose.

b) Start by taking giant leaps

c) Find your tribe.

Question #3: Over the past year, I’ve shared several times about the top 3 platforms I encourage my clients to consider when creating a main platform for their brand or their business. Can you name all three?

Question #4. Which of the following names does NOT appear on our list of the Top 50 Female Storytellers of all Time?

A) Albert Einstein

B) Walt Disney

C) Steve Jobs

D) All of the above

Question #5: In Episode 72, I addressed an audience question about how to do what we love and get paid for it. My answer was to find your “reason for being” which is a combination of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for. Do you remember the Japanese word that encompasses this philosophy?

Question #6: In Episode 78, I talk about Joyful Storytelling, and in this episode I mention the 3 keys to creating a joyful storytelling practice. Which of the following is NOT one of those three steps?

A) Look for the laughter

B) Do it alone

C) Prioritize play and creativity

Question 7: In Episode 82 I revealed my secret success weapon. Do you remember what it is?

Question 8: In Episode 87, I shared 5 storytelling lessons I learned from a famous female chef. Do you remember who she was?

Question #9 – In Episode 96, we talked about how to get your BIG idea off the ground. In this episode, what did the word BIG stand for?

Question #10: In Episode 111, I talk about the critical story that many business owners are missing from their sales messaging . Do you remember what it is?

What were YOUR big takeaways from this podcast in 2022? I’d love to hear from you!

EPISODE LINKS:

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Ep. 49 – https://tinyurl.com/ycytvr9v

Ep. 52 - https://tinyurl.com/ya8w6hf2

Ep. 72 – https://tinyurl.com/2h7jawsf

Ep. 78 – https://tinyurl.com/4ucnjatv

Ep. 82 – https://tinyurl.com/3fetsnhy

Ep. 87 - https://tinyurl.com/3dj5m3u8

Ep. 96 – https://tinyurl.com/2zvdktzy

Ep. 111 - https://tinyurl.com/mra8vt9n

In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Diana Renelli, a Toronto-based branding photographer who works with women to help them build a strong visual identity.  

Because the truth is that being visible is vital to the success of our brand or business. And today, we’re going to address some of the objections we have as women to getting our photograph taken. 

PLUS Diana shares some great tips for making the most of your next photography session, along with some reminders about how visual storytelling can enhance your overall brand strategy. In this interview, we go behind the lens to learn more about visual storytelling.  

Here are my Top 10 Takeaways from today’s podcast episode: 

1. We are the face of our brand or business, so we need to be brave and put our best face forward. 

2. We’re all photogenic – we just need the right person to help us shine on camera.  

3. Be clear on your overall brand strategy and know where you will be using your photos. 

4. Be confident in knowing what you want to communicate to your audience before you book a photo session. 

5. Images work in tandem with words in our story: so we need both to build a truly powerful brand. 

6. Visualizing your audience while being photographed can help you create a more authentic connection through your visual images. 

7. Create a Pinterest board to show a photographer the feel and look you’re after in your photo session.  

8. Having a variety of professional brand photos on-hand is a smart way to prepare for future opportunities.  

9. Vulnerability is a part of sharing our visual story – but don’t let it stop you from adding branded visuals to your story.  

10. Remember, it’s not about looking pretty in your photos – it’s about intentionally communicating your brand’s key messages. 

Thank so much for listening in to today’s podcast episode! If you’re looking for support when it comes to building an overall brand strategy for your business, be sure to reach out to me using the contact links below. Together, we can get your story noticed.  

Until next time, keep owning your story, following your purpose and raising your voice. Because the world is waiting to hear YOUR story.  

EPISODE LINKS:  

Take the 60-Second Storytelling Quiz - https://www.powerherplatform.com/quiz  

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact  

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807  

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/  

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe  

Diana Renelli Web Site - https://dianarenelli.com/ 

In today’s episode we’re going to be dropping in on another live coaching call with me and a woman entrepreneur just like you. This time, my conversation is with Christine Peets of Aging Backwards with Christine. Christine has some questions about how to reach her audience by creating a simple marketing strategy that will build trust with her ideal clients.

So for those of you who are listening who are also finding it difficult to remain top-of-mind with your target group of clients or customers, I hope you find today’s coaching call helpful.

And hey, if you’re interested in receiving a free, 30-minute coaching call that we can air right here on the Power Your Platform Podcast, then reach out to me today by clicking on the contact link below. I’d love to chat with you and find out if your question is a fit for this show. 

Until next time, keep owning your story, following your purpose and raising your voice – because the world is waiting to hear YOUR story.

EPISODE LINKS:

Take the 60-Second Storytelling Quiz - https://www.powerherplatform.com/quiz

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Christine Peets Web Site - https://christinepeets.ca/

Aging Backwards with Christine Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/538912161402244

In today’s episode, I’m sharing with you a clip from a Masterclass I delivered a few weeks ago with a group of incredible women. 

The Masterclass was delivered in 3 parts, but in the clip I’m sharing with you today, I want to focus in on a core element that I truly believe is necessary to achieve story gold. 

So in today’s Masterclass clip, you’ll hear me sharing the 3 keys we require in order to develop a storytelling habit. 

And I hope you’ll find some aha moments as you listen. 

In a nutshell, the 3 keys for creating a storytelling habit are: 

1. Choose the platform that's right for you. 

2. Create content your audience values. 

3. Show up consistently.  

PLUS, here are three questions to ask yourself regularly to ensure you're on the path to consistency: 

1. Where I am I showing up for my audience?  

2. How often am I showing up?  

3. What am I delivering once I get there?   

EPISODE LINKS: 

Take the 60-Second Storytelling Quiz - https://www.powerherplatform.com/quiz 

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact 

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807 

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/ 

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Elizabeth Verwey to talk about how mentorship can help us take our story to the next level. As the author of the book “The Mentor’s Circle”, Elizabeth has mentored thousands of business owners over the past 25 years.

In today’s podcast interview, Elizabeth and I discuss the value of mentorship as well as how we can become mentors to those in our own circle of influence. We’ll also explore why it’s so valuable when women mentor other women, and how we can find a mentor of our own.

If you’re anything like me, then you’re have at LEAST one or two aha moment sin this episode – if not more! And you’ll definitely want to stick around right to the very end of this episode. That’s when I’ll be sharing my Top 10 Takeaways from today’s conversation with Elizabeth. I’ll also be sharing those same takeaways inside our free Power Your Platform Facebook group so be sure to visit us there after the show. Click below to join!

PLUS use the promo code FRIENDS-JFG  for 10% off any package available on Elizabeth's web site below. 

Here are my top 10 takeaways from today’s conversation with Elizabeth:

1. Mentors are everywhere – we just have to keep our eyes open for them!

2. If you want to learn from someone else, the first step is let go of our resistance and ASK for help.

3. There are three types of mentors: formal mentors, informal mentors and accidental mentors. And we can benefit from all three types.

4. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, create it!

5. We have all the tools we need to launch our idea today – we just need to take the first step.

6. Start small and see where things grow.

7. Your reach and influence is often greater than you think.

8. When a woman mentors another woman, she often understands the complexities of the woman’s life.

9. When we help others, we heal ourselves.

10. Today’s Power Move is to create a list of 100 mentors and fill it with people you meet. You never know where mentorship will lead you!

EPISODE LINKS:

Let’s Work Together- https://www.powerherplatform.com/contact

Power Your Platform Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569102257443807

PowerHER Platform Web Site - https://www.powerherplatform.com/

Subscribe to our Story Fuel Newsletter - https://www.powerherplatform.com/subscribe

Spoken Lives Web site -  https://spokenlives.com/

PARO - https://paro.ca/

The Mentors Circle book by Elizabeth Verwey - https://www.amazon.ca/Mentors-Circle-Clearing-business-growth-ebook/dp/B010CLBNZW

Discount code for Elizabeth's programs and services: FRIENDS-JFG