Business Story Generator Canvas

Business StoryGeneratorthe

INSPIRE EVERYONE

BY CHRISTA CHAMBERS-PRICE

the business story generator canvas

there you are

ii

THE BUSINESS STORY GENERATOR CANVASINSPIRE EVERYONE

By: Christa Chambers-Price

In Collaboration with: Kayla Noelle Price


there you are

i

The Business Story Generator Canvas

Copyright © 2014 by Christa Chambers-Price

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Every reasonable attempt has been made to identify owners of copyright. Errors or omissions will be corrected in subsequent editions.

First Printing: September 2014

ISBN-13: 978-0692268728ISBN-10: 0692268723

Your Business Story PressAnn Arbor, Michigan 48105

www.businessstorygenerator.com


Home: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

an appreciation

This book is dedicated to The Price Family: Christopher, Maya and Kayla

It’s because of you that I get up and keep at it everyday.

I love you guys more than . . . anything.

(Please remember this page on those WTF?!’ days”)


Appalacian Spring, Aaron Copland | Conductor: Eugene Ormandy

there you are

Your story is not just about the product or service. Your narrative is a combination of you, the product and your perfect client. The power of your story is a celebration of your journey. Storytelling also provides an opportunity to connect with your customers in authentic ways that builds trust and relatedness faster. Combined with an innovative product or service, your narrative is the ‘secret sauce’, that ‘X’ factor that makesyou and what you do memorable. When you combine all three, you’ll see that your landscape is truly . . .magnificent.


there you are

I have mad respect for you. Anybody who is brave enough to step out on faith, take a leap and go for bringing

a big idea into the world should be saluted. It takes GUTS to blaze your own path and go out on your own. It’s

pretty ballsy to say, ‘there’s a better way,’ and then go do it. I think there should be a national holiday for

entrepreneurs. It’s a day in the year when you’re treated like a rock star everywhere you go. Local blogs and

newspapers take out full-page ads saying ‘THANK YOU!’ Contracts and checks are received on that day, bills

are put on hold, the collection phone calls get a 24-hour moratorium, and your favorite radio station calls out

your name and business for a shout out and at 12:30pm, the city bells ring to signal that it’s time to pull out

your favorite blanket and take a nap. It’s YOUR day for the world to finally turn around and really see you. It’s

your day to not feel any shame in the fact that you feel stuck in between breaking through or going under.

But . . .

In the meantime, you’re so tired that you can hardly see straight, the checks aren’t coming in, the phone isn’t

ringing (at least the calls you want to answer) and you’re starting to wonder if you’ve made a mistake. If you’re

honest, yes, you probably did make several mistakes somewhere along the line and created a mess, but who

hasn’t? If there is any place where you can keep it real, it’s right here. Use this workbook to work out your

mess. Stop being the lone ranger and take time with yourself to dissect and explore exactly what you need to

make those critical next steps. In order to go to take those next steps, you need to get crystal clear with

yourself and your business. You’re going to need to be as real as you need to be right now in order to get

down to the heart of the truth so that you can break out of this cycle of struggle and uncertainty. I want you to

break out. You deserve it. There are some clear steps for breaking out. The first step in your ‘keeping it real’

journey is to understand that nothing you do is unique. There it is. Sorry. But there is hope, love.

First things first . . .


The Business Story Generator Canvas - An Overview

This process came out of our wild and wacky nights running Entre-SLAM, a storytelling competition for entrepreneurs. After a couple of years, listening to and watching over 100 entrepreneurs tell stories and many of them struggling with them, two things were clear:

Problem No. 01. Business people, for the most part, know HOW to tell a story. This is a no-brainer. If you have a business, at some point, you have to talk to people about it and if you love what you do, then talking about it comes pretty easily.

Advantage: Even if you're an introvert, you can generally push past the nausea and tell people about what you do.Disadvantage: If you're an extravert, your excitement for how awesome you and your product are can lead to diarreha of the mouth and loads of 'blah, blah, blah' will flow.

Problem No. 02. Business people, also for the most part, don't know how to tell the RIGHT story. Ahhh...this is where things can get a bit tricky. What we've found is that the reason why the story is difficult to tell is one of the following:

1. The owner of the idea is genuinely shy personally and that just overwhelms their ability to convey the power of what they do to anyone. Generally, these folks hide behind the product and leave it up to the visitor to 'figure things out' on their own.

2. The owner of the idea secretly doesn't believe what they do will work. Ugh...yeah. GUILTY. Been there and done that. You’re in the right place to discover, fix and or adjust the chinks in your armor while discovering what makes your potential clients say, ‘yes’.

Regardless of how your journey looks like, it’s your journey and the right narrative will connect with those relatable moments that will resonate with your target audience. This tool, will help you create narratives that are:

1. Clear,2. Effective and, most importantly,3. Connects.


Get Prepared

Print the Canvas Blocks of TimeDesignate Recruit and find

A Practice Buddy

Recommended:Because you’ll need to record your thoughts, we’d recommend printing the canvas at the original size: 11 x 17 (tabloid)

1. Download and print the Business Story Generator Canvas.

To download the complete canvas, go to:

www.businessstorygenerator.com/bookdownload

Recommended: You’ll need 6-8 hours to com-plete your canvas.

There are a total of X sections. The suggested amount of time to complete each is below:

Section 1: 10-15 minutesSection 2: .45 - 1.5 hoursSection 3: 1 - 2 hoursSection 4: 1 hourChallenges: 1 hourSection 5: 1 - 2 hoursSection 6: 1-2 hours

Recommended: Ask someone who knows you well enough to support you, cheer you on AND call you out on BS, if necessary. Their role is to be a sounding board as well as an accountability partner.

_________________________

Has agreed to be my practice buddy.


Let’s Dive in.section 01


“All life is an experiment . . . What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirtonce or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

9

Reality Check #1We have some

good news and bad news

(which would you like first?)


WHY YOU ARE HERE: The GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

The Bad News is:

What you do is not unique, a game changer or the next best thing since the six pack of Ramen

Noodles for $1 was created (chicken flavored please). Jokes aside. I know it feels kind of awful to

come to this realization but the sooner you do, the better. Like we agreed at the beginning of this

workbook, however, we are going to keep it real here. Sorry, love.

Now for the GREAT, GOOD and AWESOME news:

The ONLY thing unique about your business, is YOU. Just like each of us has a unique fingerprint, you

are the magnificent, secret ingredient X. It just happens to be buried right now underneath those indi-

rect and indirect competitors. With this process of bringing that ingredient, your story out to the world,

you will slowly but surely discover your power. You are an amazing individual who I admire tremen-

dously. I’m already a fan! So, let’s go to work on uncovering your secret sauce, your story.

“. . . I work my 9 to 5, better cut my checkThis goes out to all the women getting it in,

You're on your grindTo other men that respect what I do

Please accept my shine . . .”

Run the World (GIRLS): Beyonce


Canvas Time: Section 1What DO you do?

Let’s get the easy stuff out the way, shall we? First, let’s create your profile.

This section is exactly what you’d expect. Just answer the questions with exactly what you do and how long you’ve been doing it. For example, if you design space shoes, the answer is: ‘Hi, name is Sam and I design space shoes.’

How would you describe how you’re feeling right now, just stating the basics?

Your Name

The Name of Your Business

What is the business?

How long have you been in business?

How long have you had an interest in this area?

GUT CHECK

ExcitementJoyFrustrationFear

ConfusionWorryPanicHumiliation


Canvas Time: Section 1What DO you do?

What is it that you currently say, when someone asks, ‘What do you do?’

If you were to say in TWO or THREE words what it is you do, what you say?

What is the reaction of folks when you share this presentation/explanation?

GUT CHECK

ExcitementJoyFrustrationSkepticism

ConfusionEyes Glaze OverBoredIndifference

Add this to your canvas

Add this to your canvas


Canvas Time: Section 1 - Complete Your CanvasWhat DO you do?

At this point on your canvas, you should:

Sample Script:

Know what your core business products or services are and can say what you do concisely in one to two words.To help guide you, this is your opening phrase before you start any conversations about what you do for a living.

Hi, I’m ______________________, the [TITLE] of [COMPANY] and I/We ______________________.


Story Block #1Hi, my name is ____________, the founder of _____________ and I ____________:

(Insert 2-3 word synopsis of what you do)


Keep Going.section 02


What Are you REALLY Selling?

Something for you to consider

“Why Does Coffee Cost $10?” NY Post“What Starbucks did was change coffee from a commodity into a luxury product,” says Norton, who explains that drinking coffee became an “experience” that showed someone wassmart and cultured.”


TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE BENEFITS

EXAMPLES:

Tangible:

• Reduce employee turnover• Reduce sickness and/or sick days• Reduce injury• Cost savings

Intangible:

• Improve morale• Improve decision making• Improve efficiency• Reduce mental errors• Improve concentration• Improve time management

In order to figure out what it is that makes your brand/product/service stand above the competition, figure out the tangible and intangible benefits .

Write down the Tangible Benefits

Write down the Intangible Benefits


What is the Experience you want associated with your brand?

Write down in vivid detail, the experience that you want every person to experience. Start from the first click or walk in the door to the final purchase.


Snow White and Seven Dwarfs | Disney

Queen Ravenna: “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?”Mirror Man: “My Queen, on this day, one has come of age fairer even than you. She is the reason your powers wane.”

Reality Check #1Do you know your direct

and indirect competitors?

Your direct competitors are easier to see. Know them or they will take your business out.

Knowing how to manage indirect competition is critical because they will take YOU out.


YOUR DIRECT COMPETITORS

Have you ever noticed that you never see a particular style of a car until you’re driving one? Then you see

that style, color, etc., EVERYWHERE. Similar to your business concept, as soon as you come up with your

idea and ‘get it on the road’, somehow you then notice that what you’re doing isn’t as unique or in some

cases, not even interesting. It’s just an idea. So then you start trying to out ‘dress up’ your competitors. You

redesign your website, get premium business cards, post some stuff on Facebook, Twitter, etc., build a fun

infographic or video. Then you wait. Sure the changes gets some folks off the fence but you’re pretty much

still a fan club of one. In the meantime, you’re seeing folks moving at a steady clip with the equivalent of a

piece of notebook paper with some stuff scribbled on it and a one page website that looks half crazy, and they

are absolutely dominating!

For some of these folks, they are just plain out hustling you. They’re out

there in people’s faces and it looks like they are the prime and only

choice. They seem to be EVERYWHERE. Now, outside of this crew,

there is a smaller group who are connected to what makes them unique

and can articulate that to people in cool, entertaining ways.

Now, there is an even tinier slice of this fun pie. This group? These are

the folks who you look at and secretly admire because they are on top of

the mountain. You are so inspired by what they do, that you secretly

want to work for them. (You want to be here.)


Evolution | Columbia Pictures

“Harry Block: I'm no biologist, but how many cells do single-celled organisms have?Ira Kane: Harry, if we're going to be big important scientists you have to start to act the part.”

StorytellingBasics

No, you will not learn how to do a ‘pitch’

(we’re going to show you how to fine tune it with your story)

Business Story Generator Canvas

Business

Transcript of Business Story Generator Canvas