3_Stories_AEC_Marketers_Must_Master_Amplify.pdf

The three stories all A/E/C marketers must master are: About Me, About My Firm, and Whom We've Helped. Presented by David Lecours at the SMPS Amplify Conference 2024 in Salt Lake City, UT

1. 3 Stories
@DAVIDLECOURS
A/E/C Marketers Must Master

3. Can I tell you a story?
INTRO

14. The Point
✴About Me
✴My purpose: help A/E/C firms to differentiate
✴Continually deepen your expertise
✴Share that expertise through story

15. 1 of 3 Stories
✴About me
✴About our firm
✴Whom we’ve helped

16. About Me About My Firm Whom We’ve Helped
Written Bio
Video Bio
Self-Intro
Interviews
Networking
Social Media
Speaking
Website
Video
Direct Mail
Proposal
Networking
Social Media
Speaking
Case Studies
Project Sheets
Website
Monograph
Interviews
Publicity
Social Media
Testimonials

18. Agenda
✴Why lead with story?
✴Story structure
✴3 stories to master
✴How to tell stories

19. Goodies
INTRO

20. Why lead with story?

21. 21
Story moves audiences
✴Get to know, like, and trust you and your firm
✴Persuasion
✴Everyone markets, everyone can tell stories

22. Story Allows You In
22
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

23. 23

24. 24

25. 25
Neocortex
Limbic
Reptilian

26. 26
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

27. LT
S

28. S
L
T

29. Leaders Tell Stories
29
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

31. “People that
tell stories rule
the world”
31
LEADERS TELL STORIES
–PLATO

33. –PETER DRUCKER
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
33

34. Culture Foundation
• Values
• Benefits
• Language
• Stories
• Rituals
• Artifacts

35. Story helps us
to remember.
35
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

36. We aren’t present
when decisions are
being made.
36
STORY HELPS US REMEMBER

37. “Tell me a fact and I’ll learn.
Tell me a truth and I’ll believe.
But tell me a story and it will live
in my heart forever.”
37
STORY HELPS US REMEMBER
–INDIAN PROVERB

38. Viral Stories
38
STORY HELPS US REMEMBER

40. ?
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

41. Agenda
✴Why lead with story?
✴Story structure
✴3 stories to master
✴How to tell stories

42. Story Structure

43. STORY STRUCTURE
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

44. SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

45. SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

46. SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

47. SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

48. SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

49. Group Exercise

50. 630 MPH

51. STORY STRUCTURE
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5
The Blue Flame breaks
the land speed record at
Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

52. ?
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

53. Agenda
✴Why lead with story?
✴Story structure
✴3 stories to master
✴How to tell stories

54. 3 Stories to Master

55. 3 Stories to Master
✴About me
✴About our firm
✴Whom we’ve helped

56. 1 About Me

57. Why did I lead with
my KAA story?
57
ABOUT ME

58. Connection.
58
ABOUT ME

59. People do business with
people they know,
like, and trust.
59
ABOUT ME

60. Bio=facts
Story=character
60
ABOUT ME

61. Write an About Me
Outline
61
ABOUT ME

62. 62
About Me Plots
✴Challenge
✴Rags to riches
✴What I’ve learned
✴Biggest mistake
✴Purpose

63. 63
About Me Plots
✴Challenge
✴Rags to riches
✴What I’ve learned
✴Biggest mistake
✴Purpose: why I’m an A/E/C marketer

64. Not what you do,
but why you do it.
64
ABOUT ME

65. 65
About Me (Purpose) Inspiration
✴Event from your youth as a marketing prodigy
✴A moment that validated this is your calling
✴A turning point in your career
✴?

66. How to write all stories
66
WRITING YOUR ABOUT ME STORY

67. Start with the point:
Why I’m an AEC marketer
67
WRITING YOUR ABOUT ME STORY

68. 68
About Me Outline
1. Point: my purpose
2. Outcome: my new way to differentiate our firm
3. Setup: me, KAA, working together
4. Conflict: getting fired
5. Turning Point: pain and reflection

69. WRITING YOUR ABOUT ME STORY
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5
My Purpose:
Help A/E/C firms differentiate
through the power of story
Me
KAA
Owner
Getting fired
Pain and reflection:
my firm was a commodity
Focus on A/E/C,
winning new
KAA project

70. TELLING YOUR ABOUT ME STORY
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

71. WRITING YOUR ABOUT ME STORY
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5
Why I’m an A/E/C marketer
who
where
when
tension
struggle
resistance
a-ha moment
light bulb
catalyst to change
ending
new way

72. ?
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

73. 2 About My Firm

74. 74
About My Firm Plots
✴Origin – how you were born
✴Purpose – why you exist
✴Vision – where you are headed
✴Reinvention – why you’ve changed
✴Revenge – what your fighting against
✴Challenge – what your fighting for

75. WRITING YOUR ABOUT MY FIRM STORY
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5
Select one: origin, purpose, vision,
challenge, revenge, reinvention
who
where
when
tension
struggle
resistance
a-ha moment
light bulb
catalyst to change
ending
new way

76. ?
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

77. 3 Whom We’ve Helped

78. Prospective clients can’t
test drive your services.
78
WHY ABOUT MY FIRM STORIES WORK

79. You’ve solved similar
problems for similar clients.
79
WHY ABOUT MY FIRM STORIES WORK

80. Story is a shortcut to trust.
80
WHY ABOUT MY FIRM STORIES WORK

82. 82
Whom We’ve Helped Plots
✴ Value of design, ROI
✴ Overcoming challenges
✴ Innovation, a new way
✴ Process
✴ Saving time or dollars

83. Your client is the
protagonist.
83
WHOM WE’VE HELPED

84. WRITING YOUR WHOM WE’VE HELPED STORIES
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5
Select one: value, challenge, innovation,
process, saving time or $
who
where
when
tension
struggle
resistance
a-ha moment
light bulb
catalyst to change
ending
how your client
benefits

85. 3–5 hero stories
would be great.
85
WHOM WE’VE HELPED

86. 86

87. 87

88. ?
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

89. Agenda
✴Why lead with story?
✴Story structure
✴3 stories to master
✴How to tell stories

90. How to tell stories

91. 91
Speak Human.
✴ Simple language, not biz speak
✴ Use order, restraint, and brevity
✴ Use empathy to create connection

92. “There is nothing like telling your story
in person. The more time we spend in
front of screens, the more we crave
human contact.”
92
HOW TO TELL STORIES
–ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

93. 93
Make it sticky
✴ Enthusiasm, mirror neurons
✴ Use props or visual aids
✴ Descriptive language, dialogue
✴ Metaphor and other poetic devices

94. 94
Be vulnerable
✴ Perfection isn’t interesting
✴ Change is scary, and asking for help is desired
✴ Power in sharing first

95. 95

96. Where to tell stories

97. About Me About My Firm Whom We’ve Helped
Written Bio
Video Bio
Self-Intro
Interviews
Networking
Social Media
Speaking
Website
Video
Direct Mail
Proposal
Networking
Social Media
Speaking
Case Studies
Project Sheets
Website
Monograph
Interviews
Publicity
Social Media
Testimonials

98. ?
WHY LEAD WITH STORY?

99. Agenda
✴Why lead with story?
✴Story structure
✴3 stories to master
✴How to tell stories

100. Let’s wrap this up

101. It will seem weird at first.
101
CONCLUSION

102. You now have tools.
102
CONCLUSION

103. Why lead with story?

104. STORY STRUCTURE
SETUP
CONFLICT
TURNING POINT
OUTCOME
4
3
2
1
YOUR POINT
5

105. 3 Stories to Master
✴About me
✴About our firm
✴Whom we’ve helped

106. How to tell stories

107. You now have tools.
Will you use them?
107
CONCLUSION

108. Share what you’ve learned
108
CONCLUSION

110. ✴ AS A THANK YOU, WE’LL EMAIL YOU A PRIVATE LINK WITH GOODIES
Bonus Goodies

111. People are hungry for
good stories.
111
CONCLUSION

112. “Tell me a fact and I’ll learn.
Tell me a truth and I’ll believe.
But tell me a story and it will live
in my heart forever.”
112
STORY HELPS US REMEMBER
–INDIAN PROVERB

113. Let’s be friends.
[email protected]