Founders are obsessed with buzzwords but when we strip it all away, the most important thing, would be storytelling – the ability to tell a good story, one that resonates, make them feel something. The business storyteller has been my passion, helping founders understand how to implement storytelling techniques to build better brands.
The Business Of Storytelling
WHETHER YOU’RE A YOUNG FOUNDER OR A SEASONED ENTREPRENEUR, YOUR BUSINESS ALWAYS HAS ROOM TO IMPROVE—BUT IMAGINE IF EVERY IMPROVEMENT BUILT UPON THE LAST. HOW WOULD YOUR BUSINESS TRANSFORM?
Table of Contents
INTRO
The Setting: A Moment of Clarity
I remember being in a small cinema room at one of a founder’s homes in India, surrounded by about 15 seasoned entrepreneurs.
The room was dimly lit, and you could feel the energy of experienced minds gathering to explore new ideas while I was explaining my thoughts about brands and my work on my next book, The Business Catcher.
Whether you’re a young founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, your business always has room to improve—but imagine if every improvement built upon the last. How would your business transform?
The Missing Link: Why Brands Fail Without a Story
Now, you see, I’ve given talks like these, workshops, and keynotes in over 40 locations around the world these past few years, but what made this talk different was the people sitting there. These were not first-timers—most had hundreds or thousands of employees; they know what they are doing.
What struck me most was the clear absence of emotion in how these businesses were run. About 20 minutes in, I asked them to take a minute and think about one thing they would like to improve in their businesses—could be anything under: marketing, sales, messaging, or customer journey.
While every business in the room had a different issue, it all came down to a lack of brand, the story, and how people felt when interacting with those companies.
Emotions are our currency; the more time you invest in understanding them, the easier it becomes to build a compelling brand.
In my book and during my talks, I explain that storytelling is not a soft skill—it’s a must-have skill. It is the thing we do the most yet practice the least, and while a day-to-day business has countless functions and important things to run, the lack of a brand story creates inconsistencies throughout the organization.
Are you a storyteller? – Click here to read more
The Promise: Your Roadmap to Success
When woven correctly into your brand, storytelling techniques will help you scale and amplify everything you do. It will help you make sense of everything, make better decisions, and become an asset that can streamline processes, clarify vision, and drive scale. When you want to differentiate your brand and avoid the price war, your brand and story will save you.
But to achieve that, we need to be intentional.
Founders often find themselves overwhelmed and struggling to figure out the next steps.
This is often apparent when raising capital, improving sales, or deciding on the marketing direction.
Many might argue that any interaction requires us to behave differently, but that is not the case. We, as the brand, remain the same—it’s what we say, or rather what we want them to feel, that will change.
Investors and clients, future employees and design partners—they all meet the same brand; they want something else from that engagement.
Most founders will try and win the round, instead of building up the levels, and the reason is it’s just too hard. Writing, being intentional—it’s too hard, and often we can’t see it, so why bother? They will focus on the numbers, the product, the design, and things we can see.
So, writing will turn it also into something visual. For most, the struggles are where to start and how to measure the improvement.
Sadly, the lack of understanding is creating a surge of similar companies offering a product or service but lacking a differentiator.
Where founders should stop, do less, and focus on words—many will try and cut corners, save time, and sadly, sound like everyone else, thus fighting the same battle instead of rising above the noise.
It is the founders and managers who focus on writing that move faster, become intentional, and understand how each part works—separately and together, as a team, as one.
Intentionality in Action: Overcoming Overwhelm
With the rise of AI, the low barrier for entry, and the price wars in many industries—while content became everyone’s game—the only thing that can help us stay unique is the way we describe things: the language.
How we position ourselves, how we build brands that behave differently—and those who can be different over a long period of time will be the ones that live to see another day, that can keep innovating and scaling.
Why? Because they understand they need consistency over time.
With tech advancements, two things become very apparent: more companies sound the same, even when they create more content than ever before, and most companies forget that, in the end, we still need to sell to people—and people feel before they act, before they purchase.
As long as people exist and continue to communicate, they will always do so through stories. Like books or movies, when a story lacks consistency, people feel it.
Meet the Business Storyteller: My Journey
I created this guide to help you, the founders and managers of companies, better understand the power of storytelling in your companies and how to integrate storytelling into every stage of the business—from process building and brand identity to customer engagement and investor relations.
Managing your business’s narrative creates a competitive edge simply because you are consistent, can move faster, simplify the decision-making processes, and build from each step instead of starting again every time.
To help you navigate this guide, I’ve laid out a roadmap that will show you how to speak your brand’s language and focus on the key elements that drive success. The following sections will touch on messaging, customer journey, marketing, and sales.
Transforming your brand quickly—without breaking the bank on development, hiring, or taking enormous risks—starts here. In each part of this guide, we will take a step-by-step process helping you understand what you did and what can change. Work hard, test like crazy, understand the changes, and transform inconsistency into a hockey-stick growth trajectory.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to refine your brand and where to focus in order to drive sustainable growth.
The Call to Action: Transform Your Business Narrative
One of the most important things about this guide is that it’s meant for everyone. While I aim to help founders and tech startups, every manager and entrepreneur will find parts of this guide valuable.
The reason is, we all communicate the same way, and we all have to help or collaborate internally to build better companies, culture, and revenue-wise. Another key thing: I wanted to simplify it as much as possible, and a lot will resonate or even sound familiar. It is my hope you execute and not just skim through.
The more you review and implement this guide—whether it’s refining your website’s key message or optimizing a single touchpoint in the customer journey—the more you’ll build momentum, leading to greater improvements and scaling over time. It’s completely up to you, and I believe in you—the 1% of founders who show up to become better.
This essential toolkit is your first guide into a whole new way of measuring your business and understanding the potential words, stories, and emotions have on your business. And yes, they are often stronger than price and product.
It is up to you to run your business successfully.
Using words, language, and storytelling to create a well-rounded character and build your story infrastructure will be the best thing you can do.
This is the business storytelling guide to scaling your business. Let’s go.
BRANDING
Branding: The Foundation of Your Business Story
Branding is much more than just a logo, color scheme, or tagline—it’s the embodiment of your company’s personality, values, and promise. In today’s competitive market, a compelling brand isn’t built solely on visuals or products; it’s created through stories that resonate, engage, and inspire. In this section, we’ll explore how storytelling forms the backbone of powerful branding, guide you through an exercise to craft your own brand narrative, and provide examples and resources for further exploration.
High-Level Explanation: What Is Branding?
At its core, branding defines who you are as a business. It’s the promise you make to your customers, a promise built on consistent values, tone, and the experiences you deliver. Think of branding as the character of your company—the way you speak, the feelings you evoke, and the lasting impression you leave.
A strong brand distinguishes you from competitors by creating a unique identity.
Just like everyone is unique, building a strong brand character will help you differentiate yourself, no two brands are alike.
It’s not just about what you sell, but about the values and story behind your business. When done right, your brand can help you make decisions, resolve issues, and help you find your direction.
It is your internal compass, one that can help you build trust, foster loyalty, and even command premium pricing.
The Role of Storytelling in Branding
In a world where people say authenticity matters but they lie, in a time where everyone sounds the same and people confuse brand with marketing, it’s imperative to understand that without a brand, we are exposed to making more mistakes, to pivot when we panic, to let the world decide things for us.
A strong brand, knows who they are, where they want to go, and who they want next to them on that journey.
Storytelling is the human element of branding—it transforms abstract values into a narrative that people can connect with emotionally. Here’s how storytelling enhances branding:
- Creating a Narrative Arc
Your brand has a beginning, a present, and a future.
By sharing your journey—from the spark that ignited your vision to the challenges you’ve overcome and your ambitious goals for the future—you provide context.
This narrative arc not only humanizes your business but also builds a bridge between your past, present, and future, inviting customers to be part of your story.
- Developing a Brand Character
Every brand has a character—a personality that shapes how it communicates and behaves. You can develop this character by defining its voice, tone, and behavior.
Are you a bold innovator, a caring nurturer, or a rebellious disruptor? A clear brand character helps customers understand who you are and why they should choose you over others.
Remember the company is growing, it’s more than just you or your partner, it is your chance to help others see the potential and feel the excitement you are feeling about where you are all going. Sit and write, imagine that character, your brand would be sitting next to you, how would they look and talk? How are they different than you?
- Eliciting Emotions
Emotions are powerful drivers of consumer behavior, in fact they are the most important thing and the biggest miss for most brands. we want to feel part of something, we want to root for something, or we want to be able to say, we were there when it all started. When our brand character uses the emotional currency, with a good product and the right value people will join. But the story is where the brand came from, what struggles will it overcome and where is it going. Build these three elements, the origin story, the mission and vision. When these make for a good story, people will join your journey.
✍️ Exercise: Your Brand Story Workshop
To put these ideas into practice, here’s an exercise designed to help you articulate your brand story:
- Define Your Origin:
- Write a brief narrative about why and how your business started. What was the inspiration behind your company?
- Consider the challenges you faced in the early days. How did these experiences shape your mission?
- Highlight Core Values:
- List the values that drive your business. These might include innovation, integrity, passion, or customer-centricity.
- Think about how these values influence your decisions and how they can be woven into your story.
- Remember core values should be a way of behavior not just a word because integrity might be a subjective thing.
- Envision Your Future:
- Describe your vision for the future. What do you hope to achieve in the next five or ten years?
- How do you see your brand evolving, and what role will it play in your customers’ lives?
- Craft the Narrative:
- Using the points above, write a short narrative (200–300 words) that encapsulates your brand’s journey. Focus on creating an emotional arc that includes a beginning, a challenge or conflict, and a hopeful or inspiring resolution.
- If you were to put this on your about page, would you be proud? Would be people feel something? What would they feel?
- Share and Refine:
- Discuss your draft with your team or trusted advisors. Collect feedback on whether the story truly reflects your brand’s personality and values.
- Send this to a few friends and a few strangers. Ask how they feel about this narrative. Remain true to yourself and to your brand character before jumping into conclusions and making changes.
- Revise your narrative to ensure clarity. Be intentional with the words you inject into your story.
This exercise not only helps you crystallize your brand’s identity but also serves as a valuable resource for all your communications—from your website copy to your marketing campaigns.
Things to Explore Further
To deepen your understanding of branding and storytelling, consider exploring these topics:
- Visual Identity vs. Narrative Identity:
Discover how visual elements like logos, typography, and colors work in tandem with your brand story to create a cohesive identity.
(Link to an article on integrating visual and narrative branding) - Brand Archetypes:
Learn about the different archetypes (e.g., the hero, the rebel, the caregiver) that can serve as frameworks for your brand’s personality.
(Link to a guide on using archetypes in branding) - Case Studies of Successful Brands:
Research companies such as Apple, Nike, and Patagonia to understand how their stories have shaped their identities and built enduring customer loyalty.
(Link to in-depth case studies on iconic brand stories) - Brand Storytelling Work:
During my work with brands, we focus on building that brand character. Whether during a workshop or a long rebrand process, these will guide us and help us resolve issues, find our direction and better understand our goals. For more information, check out
Real-World Examples
To illustrate the power of storytelling in branding, consider these examples:
Example 1: A Reimagined Identity
A tech startup approached me to help them with future scale.
With over 400 B2B clients and huge potential in emerging markets, they needed to make sure the brand was aligned with their goals.
While working with the management team, I learned that their main struggle was service.
While their brand identity and core behavior were customer-led, their tech was handled by a third party, and they didn’t care for service.
Most of the clients’ frustration came from unpleasant interactions with tech support.
While this had been going on for 18 months, the management team was unable to decide whether to fire them or not.
It would mean finding a new partner and starting to implement new procedures—it’s never an easy decision.
When we had a brand character written down, we understood that this couldn’t continue.
For the first time, the decision was made by the brand—not the CEO or CTO, but the brand. And it was clear that the provider had to go.
It would take them 72 hours to fire and start looking for a new company.
Today, they work in eight markets, and their customer service is a source of pride.
Example 2: A Legacy of Authenticity
A fourth-generation manufacturer of leather shoes.
What was once a very consistent brand has gone through several changes due to market shifts, the rise of the internet and online ecommerce, and changes in market leadership.
Suddenly, the brand started making changes based on family members’ hunches and ego-driven ideas. This led to product changes, money-saving decisions, and a lack of consistency.
The only way we could bring it all back was by returning to our origin story, finding the brand voice, and planning our way back to cutting-edge products, creating aspirational marketing ads, and focusing on our niche audience.
The brand took the reins again, making decisions while ensuring that family members are helping the brand blossom, evolve, and find its way back to the audience that once loved it.
MESSAGING
What we offer, to whom, and how.
Sounds simple, but it’s one of the hardest things every company must solve. In my two decades of sales and marketing, it’s always been the hardest thing for most brands to distill into one sentence.
It became clearer to me around 2016, while working with startups in different accelerators.
My goal was to mentor them around their marketing—what people love to refer to as “go-to-market strategy.”
I was surprised to learn that most of them couldn’t define what they do, in some cases even resulting in arguments between them.
But what was more evident was they used the how they achieve something instead of explaining what they do.
This would take me down the “messaging” rabbit hole, helping them first explain what they do in a clear way. Part of my work in business storytelling is helping people like yourself understand that messaging and clients live outside of your brand character. We often confuse them, using these to define the brand.
These are, in fact, two key things—and I believe our target audience should be positioned under the messaging.
You see, when we know the brand—inside and out—it’s easier for us to understand how the brand could speak, but more importantly, what is the message it wants to scream to the world.
The message might change with tech shifts, changing times, pricing, or other external things. But the brand doesn’t change.
Messaging is how we react and put our offer out to the world.
When we are delivering a message, we also need to define who is the best audience for that message.
In the old days, we used ad briefs to explain it all (today, many brands just test the creative and hope the algorithm loves it or finds the right audience for it).
Part of my work led me to understand many of these mistakes start from the false assumption that messaging and our ideal clients are part of our brand. That’s a bit like trying to dress in high school to be like the cool kids. While you might try—it won’t work. In this part of our guide, we will focus on how to create the right messaging for the right audience.
A simple way to think about how to find your message is through trial and error.
Think window shopping. Yeah, I know—but hear me out.
Your audience will go to your website, and they have a split second to decide if they will scroll or leave. This is your chance to grab their attention using the hero section. Make sure it’s the right “what you do” to make them stay.
Make sure you keep your window updated, clean, and attractive. Change your messaging until you find your sweet spot.
I’ll change things on my website every two months or so. Under your main header, have the how you can achieve what you claim. An easy way to think about it is to have the buzzwords and features written there.
But some might ask, ok, I know my product or service… so how do I find my ideal client?
Let’s define our audience, shall we?
Where most brands often make this mistake is by trying to position the users under the brand.
Your client—your target audience or ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), as it’s been referred to the last couple of years—should not define you.
It should be defined by who you are and what you achieve. Once this is understood, it’s easier to create a better match.
We don’t tell kids to act in a way that will make people love them—we tell them to be themselves and find people who will like them.
Same applies to your brand.
If you did your homework, if you found your niche, you will find your audience.
It’s completely fine to keep searching for the right market fit—but don’t change your brand to the point where you’re willing to do anything to sell. It will hurt you in the long term and violate any core values you might have.
Let’s try and identify our target audience.
“Everyone” — that’s not a client.
While I understand the saying, “I want to sell to everyone,” a lack of focus will hurt you when you start, and will hurt you even more when you start growing. Often, I see clients spending too much time and money trying to talk to everyone.
During my workshops, I always say:
I’d like everyone on the planet to know who I am.
That is the hope and dream, but I don’t need them to buy from me.
So who do I want to buy from me?
The second circle will be people who know me, my service, and might want it. But the smaller, inner, and most important circle is the people—the brands—who know me, what I do, need my service now, and are ready to pay what I charge.
You don’t need to sell to everyone, just to a select few.
The wallet example or a small business selling to governments—about 150 clients, but if they sell to 30, they’re good to go.
Focus on creating high value and communicating the message that working with you is a good thing. Part of your message should be having others talk about you.
Today, word of mouth still drives over 90% of my business. While our social media helps people learn about us or make a decision, it’s our happy clients that drive sales.
Often overlooked- your message, when clear and engaging, in front of the right people at the right time- is how you scale. And having the right message is all about writing, using storytelling to craft it.
✍️ Some exercises to help improve your message
- Define your offer in one sentence.
- Define your general audience.
- What problem do you solve for them?
Now, try to craft it into one sentence.
Example: We help X achieve Y using Z.
My website reads:
I teach brands how to scale using storytelling techniques.
What about you?
Are you helping small businesses build their social media presence?
Are you helping founders grow their personal brand on LinkedIn?
Try this simple messaging exercise:
- What do you offer?
→ Be specific. “We build apps” isn’t helpful.
→ “We build apps that help teams communicate better” is better. - Who do you serve?
→ “Small businesses in logistics” is stronger than “everyone.” - What problem do you solve for them?
→ Be clear. What pain point do you remove? What result do you deliver?
Now, combine them into one sentence. Use this framework:
We help [target audience] achieve [specific result] using [your solution].
Example:
We help early-stage startups close more funding rounds using our storytelling-based pitch method.
You can remix this structure, but the point is this:
If someone asks what you do, they should get it in 10 seconds or less.
SALES
This will be the most important part of our guide. If you can’t sell, your business is in danger.
Make sure your salesperson- or yourself- is well-trained, has no ego, and is always willing to improve.
Most importantly, ensure your pitch is written.
Read more: The Best Pitch Deck Design You’ll Ever See
During a live webinar with 100 tech sales professionals, I was amazed that no one had their pitch written down.
This meant I could probably pitch better than them in just a few hours—not because I’m better or smarter, but because writing the pitch allows me to plan better.
When the pitch is structured in writing, I can more effectively control my audience’s emotions and reactions compared to someone who improvises.
Now, I know you’ve delivered your pitch hundreds of times, and you know your audience better than anyone, right?
Wrong.
If your pitch isn’t written, you can’t measure it or control how it’s received- you can only hope you don’t mess it up. I know this because I’ve helped hundreds of founders dramatically improve their pitches, and my book F*ck the Slides became an Amazon bestseller on the very first day of its release.
Pitching is storytelling under pressure.
Whether you’re raising funds, selling a product, or convincing a client to believe in your idea, your goal is to captivate your audience.
Most people mistakenly focus too heavily on features rather than the journey.
A pitch isn’t about dumping information; it’s about guiding your audience through a story they can see themselves in.
Your Sale Starts Before You Start Selling
Most salespeople think a sale begins when they first talk to a potential client, but in reality, it starts long before that. In my ‘Ultimate Discovery Call’ guide, I teach a structured method to plan the entire journey. Here’s a quick overview:
- Before the discovery call: Every interaction counts and sets expectations.
- During the discovery call: Follow a structured approach.
- After the discovery call: Plan carefully to maintain momentum and follow-through.
The Trailer Pitch Method
Think about a movie trailer. It doesn’t reveal the entire plot; instead, it sets the stage, introduces the main conflict, and sparks curiosity about what happens next.
Your pitch should do the same.
When I created the Trailer Pitch Method, the goal was to help founders evolve from feeling lost to becoming confident storytellers.
The basic concept is simple: write a concise, powerful, 500-word pitch—ready to deliver confidently at any moment.
- The Hook (approximately 70 words)
Unlike a typical pitch, start with a powerful one-liner and build it into a compelling hook.
Shift your audience’s mindset from “They’re trying to sell me something” to leaning in and wondering, “Wait, what? How do they do that?”
This isn’t the time for detailed numbers or technical jargon—save those for later. - Prove Your Claim (350-380 words)
Now that you’ve captured their attention, clearly illustrate the gap between where your audience currently is and where they could be.
Explain precisely how your product, service, or idea bridges this gap. Write concise paragraphs (around 40-50 words each) that flow logically and narratively.
Forget the standard slide-based formula (“Problem, Solution”)- you’re crafting a compelling story. - Conclusion (about 30-70 words)
Before customers buy from you, they must first believe in you.
Summarize your argument and reinforce why choosing you will improve their lives or businesses. - Call to Action (CTA)
Although a CTA is essential in sales, this particular method encourages curiosity rather than aggressively pushing for a sale.
Your goal is to spark their desire to learn more, shifting your CTA from a sales-driven tactic to a natural continuation of problem-solving.
How to Implement the Trailer Pitch
- Practice:
Rehearse until your pitch feels natural and conversational.
Learn it by heart—the more you practice, the easier it becomes. - Repetition:
Identify one key message and repeat it strategically three times (at the start, middle, and end).
This repetition will embed it deeply in your audience’s memory. - Time It:
Your pitch should last no longer than 3 minutes.
If you go longer, ensure you have a compelling reason—though you probably don’t. - Visuals Matter:
Remember, you are the presentation.
Slides should reinforce your message, not overshadow it.
Be prepared to deliver your pitch confidently even without visuals. - KPIs for Storytelling:
Measure your pitch carefully—track paragraph length, key messages, and intended emotions.
This ensures you remain on-point.
Remember, what matters is not just what you say, but how your audience perceives it. - Feedback Loop:
Practice in front of peers or mentors.
Aim for a natural, flowing delivery.
Even if you occasionally miss a word, your practiced delivery and body language will maintain the emotional resonance. - Prepare an FAQ Deck:
Create a “Babylon Deck” containing answers to anticipated questions. Being ready with additional, well-organized information demonstrates professionalism and preparation.
Using Storytelling to Close More Deals
Storytelling doesn’t end after the pitch.
Every interaction should reinforce your brand and personality.
Here’s how to integrate storytelling into your sales journey:
- Closing the First Meeting:
When concluding the meeting, clearly state next steps and precise timelines. Instead of vaguely promising, “I’ll send the proposal in a couple of days,” say exactly when (date and time).
Removing uncertainty reinforces your professionalism. - Handle Objections with Stories:
When facing pushback, avoid arguments.
Share relevant stories, case studies, and real client experiences.
If you don’t have a direct example, ask guiding questions that help prospects visualize your solution alongside you. - Stay Consistent and Authentic:
Never fabricate information.
Admit when you don’t know something, clearly outline next steps, and transparently discuss solutions.
Negative selling tactics might deliver short-term results, but relationships built on honesty and emotional trust last long-term.
Remember, our currency is emotional trust, not short-term sales tactics.
Why Storytelling in Sales Works
Data tells, but stories sell. Humans naturally remember narratives far better than raw numbers or features. By embedding storytelling into your pitch, you establish an emotional connection logic alone can’t match. It’s this emotional connection that builds trust and drives decisions.
Stop improvising. Clearly define and practice exactly what you want to say. Instead of leaving meetings unsure (“I think it went well”), you should confidently conclude: “It went exactly as planned.”
CUSTOMER JOURNEY
Customer journey is one of the most overlooked pillars in business storytelling.
Quite simply, customer journey is every interaction the client has with our brand before, during, and after a purchase.
While most brands understand what it means, few understand how it’s built. Some invest time in mapping it out, but it’s still the most underrated part of this whole guide.
A good customer journey will have all the steps, the flow, the journey mapped out.
A great customer journey will have all the ins and outs, what happens, and which tools one should use in each step of the journey.
An excellent customer journey will have all those while ensuring the brand language and tone are apparent, making people fall in love with the product.
An outstanding customer journey will also have the associated emotions. What do you want them to feel in each step of the journey?
Every time a contact occurs, it is a chance, an opportunity to make them love your brand more, to feel they are in the right place. Despite all of this, you rarely see a list of the funnel, the customer journey, with associated emotions, words, or any brand presence.
Working with a B2B client, we explored their customer journey. The brand offers services to large advertising agencies. With a great growth trajectory, they wanted to find every edge they could. The plan was to identify where they were able to close more leads and if the pricing model was an issue or if they could keep raising their prices.
Focused on the brand language, we went from a nice, positive, question-based customer journey to an assertive and confident one. Proud of what the brand offers, willing to help, explain, and support, each step of the customer journey took on a new language based on the brand identity.
In just eight weeks, we were able to raise prices twice, double the client’s revenue, and all we did was one simple thing: we rewrote their customer journey and injected the right type of language, the brand’s language into every interaction with their clients.
So what is a customer journey?
For over 100 years now, people have searched for the science behind advertising and how people interact with ads.
The AIDA model is the most famous acronym, and I love teaching it during my classes in academia. Interestingly enough, many successful entrepreneurs I’ve met during my global workshops also don’t know or use the AIDA model.
The AIDA model consists of: awareness, interest, desire, action.
These four steps represent the hierarchy the consumer goes through when making a purchase decision.
- Awareness: they learn you exist by accident or while looking for a solution to a problem.
- Interest: they want to learn more about you and your offer.
- Desire: they want this solution; they are considering you as that solution.
- Action: they want to buy, and they decided they want to buy from you.
Each of these steps is an opportunity to show the audience that you are the right brand to solve their problem, to give them a solution, to make them feel they are in the right place.
✍️ Exercise
Review each of these steps.
Make a list of every time your customer meets your brand, from top of the funnel, where they could have heard about you via social media, your website, word of mouth, or PR.
Map it all out and start working your way through top to bottom. Have you ever done that? Do you know what happens in each step? Don’t worry, I’ll help you fix it.
Retention
Years ago, I added the R for retention.
One of the biggest misconceptions brands make is thinking once a purchase is concluded, the funnel is over.
Actually, this is where we move to retention and grooming. This step is where we make them fall in love with us all over again. And again.
Working with an international brand focused on enterprise-sized clients, we implemented the retention process which helped us achieve higher client satisfaction and less churn.
The concept was simple: celebrate small wins with the clients, their wins.
We helped them always see the value and feel good about their decision to work with us.
While I am not the first to talk about it, I ensure that my clients implement the retention space, and it’s been a game-changer. Most companies just focus on getting the deal in and the client out the door.
Retention is where we can get brand fans, where we have a chance to upsell our clients because they want to ask for more.
Retention is our chance to show them we care.
And this takes me to my next important point: building and measuring.
Building a customer journey
You don’t need to fix everything.
Before you deem your marketing efforts a failure and move on to try something else, try understanding how to fix the smallest thing and work on improving the funnel.
Instead of guessing, if you are able to turn one more lead into a sale, imagine what happens if you keep improving this customer experience, over and over.
Now, let’s dive into the things that make a customer journey a success story.
- The funnel: every step needs to be included
- The tools: how are we interacting with our customers, what are we automating
- The message: what we want them to understand in each step of the funnel
- The emotion: buying is an emotional process, so we must know what we want them to feel
It is crucial for successful growth. It’s easy to understand and simple to implement. Executing it the right way is where it gets tough.
The funnel
While most brands make the same mistake of going from marketing to sales, getting leads is one thing.
Getting the right leads is another. But getting leads is the most important, it’s top of the funnel.
We often blame sales, the last part of the customer journey, when things don’t end with a sale, but the problems might start much earlier.
Once you have mapped out each step of the customer journey, it’s time to identify how many qualified leads are starting the process, where the main drop is, and what can be done.
I like to work backwards from how many sales a company needs. If you need 250 clients to purchase your product each month, and your industry average is, let’s say, 10% from leads, it’s easy to understand how many need to start the process, right?
So that would be your first marketing effort, getting relevant leads and lowering the drop-off rate so more sales close.
We are often able to increase the conversion rate in a matter of weeks, often with double-digit improvement.
In two months, we have seen sales revenue double in some cases.
💡 Tip:
If it’s a qualified lead, where did it drop? Why? Test how to make sure more leads pass this step. The best way is to reach out and ask.
You will be surprised how many are willing to share and often even come back and turn into paying customers.
The tools
In today’s market it’s crucial to automate, measure, A/B test.
There are so many tools to help you reply faster, better, and add more value to your process.
We use tools from meeting schedulers like TidyCal, Zapier to automate, 8n8, and Dripify. We run the CRM on Notion, so find what works for you. Customize for two things: speed and certainty. Make them feel comfortable.
The message
What do you want your customers to understand in each step?
Your service, your experience, quality and speed? Or price and variety?
If we must engage with them, see it as an opportunity to bring value,to show why you are good at what you do.
How you interact in each step means a lot.
💡 Tip:
We prefer getting back to a lead within 10 minutes, email or phone. Starting the process quicker is better.
The next time slot is up to 2 hours, usually that refers to a phone call, SMS, or WhatsApp to book the call (ideally, a call).
If a lead hasn’t been contacted within 24 hours, we assume it gets colder. Over 24 hours is a cold lead.
How quick are you to react?
The emotion
We are emotional creatures.
We make decisions this way, and most purchases are emotional rather than rational (I know, I know, buying a house, a car, or big decisions, but most are emotional).
In my book, I explain why people communicate through stories.
They want to feel something, and they need data to convince themselves they are making the right decision.
And yet, I doubt if you’ve ever seen a customer journey table with an emotion connected next to each part.
Make them feel happy, confident, intrigued, curious. You can use an emotion wheel to start and work your way from there.
💡 Tip:
Try to remember, it’s a long haul, and if they don’t want to buy, that’s completely okay.
Maybe another time, maybe they know someone else.
It’s about pull, not push.
Don’t push them into buying, offer something they want from you.
Creating Certainty
The best way to measure your customer journey is certainty.
People want certainty. They want to know what happens next, what’s expected of them, and what they can expect when they purchase your service.
Be clear. It will help you a lot.
On your end, focus on improving each phase and step.
Measure as much as possible and keep pushing the numbers up. You might realize that your marketing efforts are good, the leads are relevant, but you screw up when sending an email instead of calling.
There is no follow-up, or your messages scare them instead of creating interest.
Keep iterating. Make sure to check up weekly on your funnel and keep pushing your marketing efforts because at the end of the day, we need to feed the beast.
Measuring a customer journey
Now that we understand the concept, let’s deep dive into improving your customer journey.
An easy way to break it down would be to focus on the tools, the stages, what we say, how they should feel about it, and how we expect them to react.
Where everyone falls short, even those who do it well, is the emotional part. In each step of the way, the user, the customer thinks something and feels something.
Do you have a list of these emotions? Probably not.
Mapping out the top of the funnel, where each lead might come from, how they heard about us would be your first step.
Understand how many channels you need to manage and how many you can measure.
We are now seeing a new wave, a surge in companies getting leads through AI, like ChatGPT. This is just one example of a new type of top of the funnel.
Your ads, your website, make a list and start writing down why you think they might want to leave their details.
Here is where things get tricky. While it’s easy to choose which platforms to interact with, make a note of what makes it easier for them, not for you.
If they don’t use email, send a WhatsApp. If they prefer to book a call, give them a link. People want to do less. Help them, feed them.
Be intentional if you want to create some curiosity, but please avoid being vague.
When mapping out the complete customer journey, also make sure to write down when they say no, when they drop off, or stop responding.
Remember, leaving a good impression means the door doesn’t need to close. Oftentimes, brands feel they lost the sale and show a lack of interest or rude behavior. That should not be your brand.
What we say is more important than where we say it, but when built together, the success rate will improve quickly.
So please write down what you send out or how your team talks.
Make sure your brand language is written down: the vibe, the words, the things. Is your brand a talker? Are your emails too long? Do you send a message with a question mark at the end, hoping to get a reaction?
A leading event company wanted to revisit their brand and see how it matured.
We first started working with them in 2019, and it’s been a while since we last did a brand workshop.
While the business tripled since (my agency, Streetwise, ran their marketing for years), we wanted to prepare for the next scaling phase.
Their strength is their leadership team and high quality of service. But it wasn’t explained at all during the customer journey. Clients mentioned that only after the fact.
Reviewing over 250 client reviews, we decided to focus on the team and showcase them. The change was immediate, people felt the personal touch, that someone would take care of them.They got to know the people even before they met in person.
In each step of the way, we explained what would happen and who is in charge.
Important note: this is a six-month customer journey and there are ten team members involved.
One customer journey fits all?
When a good friend who follows my newsletter (shout out to Vic, he is crushing it with his liquor stores) replied to one of my emails asking if there is one customer journey to rule them all, I explained: the customer journey might be the same or different.
It depends on your buyer personas.
First, build the customer journey for your main audience and iterate from there. Tweaking is easier once you have a main one.
Missed opportunities
Every interaction is an opportunity that’s a given.
But one customer journey most brands forget about is creating a customer journey for old leads.
I usually suggest creating a nurture campaign for old leads, a quarterly review of those leads. Make sure you keep talking and updating them on new things.
💡 Tip:
There is a huge difference between updating you audience and offering discounts. Don’t fall into the discount trap. Offer value, one that helps them. Make sure they become new clients for the service, not the price. Remember, it’s a long-term thinking kind of journey.
And don’t worry about old mailing lists, keep cleaning them. There are enough clients out there.
"Map it, write it, build it, test it, improve it."
MARKETING
The English definition for the word marketing has so many different descriptions and with the business world throwing the word everywhere, marketing has become such a fluid concept.
For me marketing is the ability to pick up a megaphone and tell the world what your brand is all about
Modern marketing has many variations of what that megaphone could be.
Standing at the market – screaming to people you have the best produce, yelling at the top of your lungs until they approach your stall where the sales process, the negotiation and hopefully the sale might happen. In many ways, marketing hasn’t really changed but the stall, the booth has. Instead of standing in the market, we do marketing via different channels, screaming to people with signs, social media, TV, or conferences.
You still need to stand out somehow.
Whether you scream louder with a bigger budget, do guerilla marketing or funny content, you need to be good at marketing.
How to win in marketing in 2025
I often hear people say they hate marketing (or sales for that matter but I digress).
Marketing should be fun, it’s you opportunity to show the world what you have build, what you offer, why you are better than other in your field. While there is a lot of data and science to back many decisions, creativity will outperform everything else. It requires team work, the ability to move fast and the best way to find your target audience.
Marketing is about failing, it’s about tweaking, consistency and willing to try new things. It’s is the quickest way to know where the market is going and make sure you are not left behind.
💡 Tip:
The best time to invest in marketing is when everything goes well, not when you need more leads.
Let me explain; a great marketing plan, a well executed one should keep the flywheel going and help the company scale. Brands often tend to stop the budget or focus less on marketing when things are going well, mainly due to scaling issues or lack of products. I’m here to tell you, don’t stop.
My definition of modern marketing: Your ability to scream at that megaphone to the right people with the right message at the right time with the right offer at an attainable price. If sales is one to one, and marketing is one to many, it has changed so much in the last few decades. We used to sell using newspaper ads, billboards, direct mail (real mail, into people inbox, at their home) and much of our work was based on hoping it works. We couldn’t measure anything unless sales came in, but measuring the message was impossible. As tech changed, the radio became the TV, which turned out to be a new mass media but measuring or moving fast was still an idea until, internet came into our lives, offering us a method to measure more, move faster, A/B test what works better. Soon after, the world changed and today we can follow our audience, targeting them almost anywhere and hoping they buy when we tell them or have our offering just as their looking to buy something like we offer.
We live in a very special time. Thanks to tech and social, we can reach anyone, anywhere for free with our content. you just need to make sure it’s good enough.
Once the algorithm gods show you it’s working, you can pay to amplify good content to reach a wider audience faster.
How to start building the marketing flywheel?
Offer free, offer a lot
Rapid fire this is all about quantity.
Creating huge amounts of content will help you understand the platforms and creative. It will help you improve your writing, editing and video skills as well as improve your messaging.
This is great for small teams with one or two people looking to figure out where to put the effort.
Create your timeline and test different types of content. I would suggest choosing 4-5 clusters – topics you can talk about in rotation and create sub topics. This will enable you to start with weekly content, test it in writing, audio and video form and work your way from there
Offer small, offer anyone
Offering less content than daily content, on all channels is great when you are ready to go a little bit deeper. High quality content that people can implement.
It’s the next level than just putting yourself out there, it’s
Offer bigger – less people
You don’t need everyone to buy your service or product, you need the right people. Your marketing is more laser focused, targeting specific audiences and going to where they are hanging out, selling a high volume ticket, building networks and relationships.
I’ve worked with a company that has a potential market of approximately 200 clients worldwide. They need to be very specific about how they market, long term thinking and the way they share their message.
Offer the best – to a select few
I always talk about the 1,000 true followers, those who will buy anything you offer, they will follow you and help you. that is a great way of looking at building your community, your network. You talk to them, you build with and for them.
Another option is creating great content for the masses but catering your service to the high end clientele. Gary V would be a great example. He talks to everyone on social but he charges north of $100K for a talk and his clients are fortune 500 companies.
Everything, everywhere, all the time?
No. focus is key.
For some companies creating a burst of high quality videos, or weekly kick ass newsletter.
For some it’s running a great YouTube channel or maybe even building in public.
One of my clients focuses more on international conferences, while another company creates a weekly digest about their financial digest. Find your place, your cadence and run with it.
As for budget, if it works, why not keep putting money into the funnel? You should understand, as long as it works, keep pounding because the party never lasts. Find something that works and squeeze it until it runs dry.
When the watch brand MGMT started their journey, they would pour seven figures a month into Facebook ads, because it got them insane sales.
In today’s market it would be really hard to achieve the same CAC (cost per acquisition). When Sam Parr started the hustle, is daily newsletter, he got over 300,000 subscribers in the first two year, organic. It was the bomb, a daily newsletter. Today, the market is so saturated.
LAST WORDS
Data tells, but stories sell.
Humans naturally remember narratives far better than raw numbers or features.
By embedding storytelling into your pitch, you establish an emotional connection logic alone can’t match. It’s this emotional connection that builds trust and drives decisions.
Stop improvising.
Clearly define and practice exactly what you want to say. Instead of leaving meetings unsure (“I think it went well”), you should confidently conclude: “It went exactly as planned.”
Why me? Why am I the business storyteller?
I love selling stuff. I began my journey selling snowboards in a country blessed with 10 months of sunshine.While pursuing my degree in marketing and management, I gained hands-on experience on the sales floor, transitioned into marketing, became a global brand manager for a leading brand, and eventually took on the role of CMO.
After watching a company grow from 4 to 40 employees, I channeled these learnings into a 7-figure marketing agency, collaborating with leading brands like Microsoft, Unilever, and tech unicorns.
I’ve always loved writing, and with two novels, I learned how to create characters, plots, and narratives that can take the audience on a 300-page journey, making sure they remain intrigued—captivating the audience with the right mix of emotions, storytelling, and data they needed to understand what was happening. With my latest being an Amazon bestseller on how to pitch, everything I did was about using storytelling techniques.
Over the years, I turned my passion into teaching and have been lecturing in colleges and universities for almost a decade now. Teaching branding, marketing, and my pitching method has been a privilege; while working with startups in Techstars, WeWork Labs, and global competitions around the world, it was all about helping them raise capital, win more sales, or improve their marketing.
I had the pleasure of working with a founder who transformed from feeling lost to winning a global pitching competition in under 10 hours. I taught a VC how to make people want to invest in their company and helped a family office managing over half a billion dollars implement storytelling into their brand.
Working with a founder on their language, we completely changed the customer journey, resulting in a 25% increase in leads closing while screening out over 30% of irrelevant leads. These are just a few examples from the past couple of years traveling the world and teaching brands how to scale using storytelling techniques.