Welcome to the Story Bistro blog!
Our most recent posts have been cued up for your enjoyment. This month, our focus is on blooming and deepening our online relationships.
(See the footer at the bottom of this page to browse by category.)
Storytelling: How to Captivate Your Prospects and Grow Your Business
Humans. We all love a good story. Especially if they're true. Ever watched a movie based on a true story? This weekend, I found myself engrossed in "Big Miracle." It's based on the true story of the international effort to rescue a family of grey whales in 1988 off...
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SSC 1.1 :: The Invitation
Julia stood in the same spot she always came to when she wanted to disappear. The young adult stacks were in the far corner of the upstairs level. It was the quietest section of the store and easy to hide there. Usually. She stared at the...
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10 Quantum Leap Actions to Create a Stand-Out Brand
Ten Lords a-Leaping... It’s Day 10 of the 12 Days of Branding. If you missed any of the series thus far, you can find them here. In today’s installment I give you ten quantum leap actions from ten "Lords" of branding on how to create a stand-out brand. Laura Ries...
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The Francophile Who Refused to Quit
A CPA Dreams Big, Does the Math and Makes It Happen by Alecia Caine of Find Yourself in France My dream has roots in my childhood. I fell in love with the French language the first time I heard it in class when one of the mothers came in to teach us. I thought it was...
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Uncorked: Bonita Richter Says Size Doesn’t Matter
Welcome to Corkers Uncorked. These are some of my most treasured interviews -- mostly because I get to know my readers (you!) on a whole different level. We focus on your astounding biz-related superpowers and origin stories. Bonus: you get to learn more about your...
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Get People to Hate You
This post is part of the 30-Day Bloom Your Online Relationships Challenge. If you'd like to play along, you can sign up here (don't worry -- it's FREE). We're all working through these small, powerful actions together and sharing our questions, learnings and...
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Can You Fail-proof Your Business?
(Hint: Not Bloody Likely) You've all heard Ben Franklin's infamous quote: "...in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes." Yes, we've got a slew of new technology now, but unless there's a magic spell I missed, I'm pretty sure you still...
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How to Get 5-Star Referrals From Your Peers and Colleagues
Most of the advice out there about referrals is related to your customers (i.e., getting them to send you new ones.) In short, make them happy and they'll want to tell their friends about you. But you can also get some fabulous referrals from your peers and colleagues...
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Is Your Ideal Client Trying to Tell You Something?
Last month in the Digital Dining Room we focused on Market Research. Specifically, how the heck do you find out what your Ideal Client is ready and willing to pay for? Because there's a difference between them needing and wanting something. Traditional business folks...
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Author Marketing Club: An Interview with the Founder
Jim Kukral, the founder of the Author Marketing Club (a great resource I found while marketing my new book) was my guest recently at the Word Café. I've pulled the highlights together for you here. Q: What's the Author Marketing Club about? And why did you start it?...
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Bigger Bang for your Marketing Bucks (and grocery dollars)
A guest post by Nicole Fende, the Numbers Whisperer™ We’re going to start by talking groceries. Don’t worry, I’ll sneak in the finance. Since Tea is the Chef, groceries seem appropriate. When you go to the grocery store you may be like me, and have a list. Big shout...
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The Goldlilocks Zone: How Many Times Should You Share Your Offer?
Julia leaned back in her chair and watched her laptop power-up. Coffee. It was 5:42 in the morning. And coffee was about the only coherent thought she could muster. She opened her Google calendar. What time is that appointment again? She had a 10:30 call with a...
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One of the Biggest Storytelling Mistakes You Can Make While Marketing Your Business
It's an easy mistake to make. Especially when you've got some of the biggest brands in the world doing it, too. (Take AT&T, for example.) And there are SO many business coaches out there telling you you're a rockstar. A phenomenaut. In short, a hero. That you're...
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The Hero of the Story: How to Keep Your Dinner Guest in Mind
![[Infographic] Solopreneurs: How We Market Online – 2012 Survey Results](http://storybistro.com/wp-content/uploads/food-growth-400x250.jpg)
[Infographic] Solopreneurs: How We Market Online – 2012 Survey Results
What We're Doing, What's Working and What's Not Created from survey data collected from nearly 1,200 respondents during June 2012. A full length research report is also available. For more, click here. Embed this Infographic <a...
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Am I Doing My Marketing Right?
I'm currently conducting a 13-week teaching/gamification experiment called "Prosperity's Kitchen." It's an online class for solopreneurs to learn the ins and outs of marketing themselves in the digital world. The twist? It's structured like a reality TV competition....
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The Un-Sexy Side of Internet Marketing
These days, most of us would agree that in order to do business and market ourselves properly, you need a website. A digital space that belongs just to you. (Not to Facebook, or Tumblr or even WordPress.com -- for reasons that my friend Annie so beautifully explains.)...
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Uncorked: How Gabrielle Taylor Helps Highly Sensitive Entrepreneurs Thrive
Welcome to Corkers Uncorked. These are some of my most treasured interviews -- mostly because I get to know my readers (you!) on a whole different level. We focus on your astounding biz-related superpowers and origin stories. Bonus: you get to learn more about your...
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On Rattlesnakes, Marketing and Building a Business
Rattlesnakes have a bit of a reputation. You might even call it a "brand." Their collective brand includes stories that usually end in life and death scenarios. Very much a "handle with care" kind of item, right? So if I offered you the chance to EAT one, how would...
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Simplify a Complicated Branding Story
In preparation for the launch of Story Bistro, I reached out to my readers and asked for your best storytelling questions. At least half of the ones you sent were a variation on this one: I work in two distinct areas. How can I incorporate them both into my story? Or...
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April Blog Challenge: Teachable Moments
Tell us a story! Sometimes finding inspiration -- at least where your business blog's concerned -- can feel a bit like trying to touch your elbow to your nose (frustrating at worst, just plain laughable at best). I hear from a lot of you that you're not sure what you...
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Warning! May Be Hazardous to Your Business: Heroes, Gurus and Other A-Listers
They inspire us, motivate us and yes -- sometimes even sell us something. They're the "successful" biz folks we look up to, admire and want to emulate. "Everybody" loves 'em. Just look at the social proof they proudly display (60,000 subscribers! 12,000 fans!). But...
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Perform a Random Act of Kindness
This post is part of the 30-Day Bloom Your Online Relationships Challenge. If you'd like to play along, you can sign up here (don't worry -- it's FREE). We're all working through these small, powerful actions together and sharing our questions, learnings and...
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Your Bank Account is Half-Full Because Your Marketing is Half-Hearted
You have a pretty good understanding of what needs to be done (marketing-wise) in your business. You read all the advice (it's pretty much the same from blog to blog). You know you need a marketing plan. You know you need to do x-y-z on a regular basis. But you're not...
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The Golden Triangle of Coffee Joints: A Marketing Parable
(Infographic) If Your Blog Were a Beer, What Kind Would it Be?
I always love when food (or in this case, drink) and marketing come together. Once you've read thru this infographic, share what flavor you think your blog is in a comment below... If Your Blog Were A Beer... infographic by...
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How to Stand Out from the Crowd and Build Something that Matters
I have news for you. I'm not Brian Clark. I don't have his name recognition or his mad copy writing skillz. I'm also not Danielle LaPorte or Marie Forleo or even Danny Iny. Nor am I looking for World Domination. And it's not that I don't want to be successful. I do....
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