Are You the "Guide?" Or the Hero...

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Does your business have a newsletter?

Today, I’m going to dive into one primary reason why newsletters are crucial for any business.

And it can be summed up in a single word… story.

One of my favorite quotes on storytelling:

“Whether you know it or not, your desire to write comes from the urge to not just be “creative,” it’s a need (one every human being on earth has) to help others. A well-told Story is a gift to the reader/listener/viewer because it teaches them how to confront their own discomforts.”Shawn Coyne, The Story Grid

People are wired for stories. All of us have a story that we think we’re living.

And all of us are on a transformational journey to become the person we ultimately want to be.

Do you remember when you were a kid and would pretend to be someone else? A character from a movie or a firefighter or whatever?

You were inserting yourself into a story you’d heard somewhere else. Sure, you came up with the details but the basic story (for example, firefighter saves child from burning building) wasn’t original to you.

Even as adults, we tell ourselves a story about who we are, who we want to be, and where we’re going.

And, more importantly, we make a lot of our decisions based on that story.

Even my own journey from 9-5 to online entrepreneur is an example of me working to live out the story I wanted to instead of the one someone else wrote for me.

But both as kids and now as adults, we see ourselves as the hero of the story.

Here’s the thing you have to remember when it comes to the story of your business: your business isn’t the hero..

Your business is the guide to the hero of the story.

Struggling to get enough eyeballs on your content?

Posting on LinkedIn or social media won't do the trick; visibility only lasts 24 hours.

But a well-written article stays relevant and accessible for YEARS.

This is how top companies consistently reinforce their expertise.

You can do the same.

Here are 3 ways to start today:

• Build your own Newsroom: Create a central news hub on your website to build trust.

• Place your brand in top tier magazines: Target industry-specific magazines to reach a larger, more relevant audience.

• Get featured in magazines for free: Increase your chances of getting noticed by journalists by publishing regularly.

Sounds like a lot of work, but not when you use Pressmaster.ai.

Create and publish valuable articles in minutes, and access top magazines for 40% less than the market average.

Try Pressmaster.ai free today

One of the very best books on this framework, one I re-read from time to time is called Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. And it’s a book I’d highly suggest any business owner read.

Every customer or client sees themselves as the hero; if you stage yourself as the hero, you’re telling a story that conflicts with theirs.

Think of your product, service, or business as the Yoda, Q, or Alfred.

You’re not the star of the show, at least in your customer’s eyes.

But you should stage yourself as the essential thing they need to become the star, to achieve the heights of their potential.

You want to make sure they know that, without you, they might not succeed on their heroic journey.

That’s why an email newsletter is essential for your business.

It’s extremely difficult to establish this level of depth and “story” on the social media timeline or running ads. If you want to build a genuine connection and relationship with your audience, a newsletter is your best bet.

Email allows you to tell potential customers and clients a story.

More importantly, it allows you to tell a story with them as the hero.

So when you’re planning your social media content, your long-form newsletter, or your email campaign, remember that you’re telling a story.

And remember that the hero needs your help to succeed.

Thanks for reading!

Eric Higgs
Founder of Summit Group
Newsletter & Email Marketing Agency

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help:

• If you’re reading this online, join over 3,000+ subscribers receiving regular emails helping them build, automate, and grow their business with email.

• If you’re struggling to grow your newsletter, click HERE to learn more about Summit Group, our full-service newsletter agency.