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.)
Find Your Purpose in the Tiny Details and Make a Big Difference
Ever wonder what the heck your purpose is? You've got a little business that you'd like to grow and sometimes you wonder if anyone really cares, right? If what you're doing matters in the larger scheme of things? If what you have to offer would ever prompt someone to...
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Show Up Consistently
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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Back of the House: How I Keep This Bistro Humming
One of the things I do each month with my Digital Dining Room group is host a Secret Supper. If I were an actual chef (and not just a metaphorical one), those Secret Suppers would be intimate gatherings in my kitchen where I'd show my guests exactly how I make my...
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The Manifesto: Why Your Business Needs One and How to Write It
I always encourage my clients to write a manifesto for their business. And no, I don't want you to write something creepy a la The Unibomber. This isn't about blowing people up. (Just their minds.) What I'm talking about here is clarity. Clarity for you. Clarity for...
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The Crowd Sale Experiment
What would you rather do: sell your thing one at a time to many people? Or sell your thing all at once to many people? Hmmm. I thought so. So why do we -- so often -- attempt to find new clients and customers one at a time? Group sales are not a new concept. Folks...
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5 Goldenly Creative Ways to Tell Your Brand Story
Five Go~lden Rings! It’s Day 5 of the 12 Days of Branding. If you missed any of the series thus far, you can find them here. In today’s installment we look at 5 creative examples of how to tell your brand story. One of the easiest places to tell your story is the...
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The Gamified Tribe: A Case Study
Just over 8 weeks ago, in preparation for our upcoming season of "Prosperity's Kitchen," I called for volunteers for a little experiment in gamification. You might think it's just a buzzword, but "gamification" is one way to create dynamic interactions with your...
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17 Unique Ways to Turn Your Blog Readers into Loyal Fans
Sure. You read all the best blogs about blogging. Your content sparkles. Your design is flawless. You've optimized for SEO and ticked off the long list of best practices. You've fine-tuned every aspect of your site. And you've got passion, damn it. It’s all humming...
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Brainstorming 2.0: 15 Juicy Ways to Use the Internet
When we were kids, we had no problem accessing our imaginations. We also had no Internet, barely any TV (I remember a whopping FIVE channels!), and video games? Fuhgettaboutit. When we wanted to have fun, we had to make that sh*# UP. I remember creating whole fantasy...
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Create an Intentional Space for Your Visitors
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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Brandscaping: An Interview with the Author, Andrew M. Davis
Just before Christmas, I picked up a new book called "Brandscaping: Unleashing the Power of Partnerships." And I really enjoyed it. So much so, that I added it to my Must Read Marketing List and then reached out to the author for an interview. Andrew Davis says...
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Brainfluence: An Interview with the Author
Roger Dooley, the author of Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing, stopped by the Word Cafe for a quick chat about his new book. Here are the highlights: TS: How did you get started with neuromarketing, Roger? RD: Practically my...
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Welcome to the Zeus Experiment
If you're following the evolution of Prosperity's Kitchen, then you've already heard of The Johnny Project. But in case you're new to these parts, or if you've missed any of the game-changing explosions of late, The Johnny Project was an experiment in public...
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How to Launch During the Holidays without Crying in Your Wine
This is a guest post by Michelle Nickolaisen. Launch stress is awful at the best of times, but it's definitely not something you want to have mess with your holidays. There are a lot of factors to launching during or after the holidays without ripping your hair out or...
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Why Mistakes aren’t as Evil as You Think
This is a guest post by one of our own Word Chef tribe members, Matthew Turner. Mistakes have a really bad reputation, and that's something I hope to change. I'm not suggesting you make them on purpose, because trust me, you don't have to -- they'll find you...
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Yes, We’re Overrun with Fear, Violence and Fuckery. Here’s How We Turn that Around.
Our world is seriously crazy. (And getting worse every day.) In just the last month, nearly 100 people have been shot dead in the U.S. (see Gun Violence). Every time you turn around, someone else is (rightly) up in arms about sexual harassment and gender violence (see...
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Be an Authentic Goofball
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 working through these small, powerful actions together and sharing our questions, learnings and...
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After the Sale: How to Create Strong Client Relationships
Everything is about relationships. (Marketing, too.) That extends to things we do after the sale. After all, it's much easier to keep a client than to find a new one. If your client relationships aren't as strong as you'd like them to be, it may be time to put your...
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How to Make Your Call to Action a Call to Adventure
Are you ready for an adventure, Storyteller? Or is your life already so full of strange and crazy that you only long for a quiet house and some peaceful chain-napping? Either way, I have a special invitation for you. But first, let's talk about your biz story and The...
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Book Review | Body of Work: Finding the Thread that Ties Your Story Together
The Big Promise: Your entire life has created something unique and beautiful. This book will help you understand how to find and build on that information -- whether that's in a job or a business. This is a topic that's near and dear to my heart. And it's at the...
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Case Study: Create Your Mastermind ‘Posse’
Peer-led Mastermind Groups. Everybody wants to be part of one, but the good ones can be hard to find (or create). Besides the obvious logistical challenges, you've also got to get just the right mix of personalities, expertise and commitment. And even then, things...
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(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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True Confessions: I’m Afraid You’ll Find Out I’m a Marketing Fraud
There, I said it. One of my deepest fears laid out for the whole world to see: I'm not really who you think I am. Mostly -- like 99% of the time -- I'm actually pretty confident. I know that I know my stuff. But every now and then something happens to trigger the ugly...
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Got Resistance? That’s FABulous. Let’s Use it.
“In a troubled time, you must become that which you are longing for.” – Stephen Jenkinson, Orphan Wisdom School Do you know? When I'm caught up in the world's chaos and anarchy, I long for peace. I want things to be OKAY. I want my son and my husband to find their...
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How to Inspire People with Your Blog (Especially When You Feel Uninspired)
It's been too long since you published a blog post, am I right? I've noticed your silence online. (Are you still there?) I've looked for your latest article, but haven't seen one for weeks. I've heard you talk about the struggle to say something "worthwhile." And that...
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Over-Exposed: When Too Much Marketing is Bad for Business
It happens about the same time every year. We all get a barrage of emails and see a tsunami of ads, blog posts, and offers for a certain program that starts with a B. Affiliate marketers -- even people we trusted! -- were hawking their bonuses left and right, 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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