marketing training conference — it became part of a bigger narrative centered around what I considered the main takeaway : “ The Allure of a Story .”
Regardless of the business you ’ re in , you ’ ve likely heard the phrase “ Content Is King ,” coined by Bill Gates in 1996 . His point was that the internet should function as a marketplace for content . But now , with the exponentially growing focus on content market strategies , the phrase is used often . Too often .
Occasionally , I hear my kids use a new slang term and , much to their chagrin , adopt it myself . But after a couple weeks , my kids tell me my new token expression has been already been dubbed outdated and “ so last week .” The same has happened with “ Content Is King .” Don ’ t get me wrong . I ’ ve used it myself , and while content is still king , the sheer amount of content available means that a new approach has to be taken in order for it to be read and heard .
To avoid getting lost in the sea of content that now exists , entrepreneurs have to ensure that their stuff isn ’ t just interesting ; it must demand to be consumed . That ’ s where “ The Allure of the Story ” comes in . Customers , clients , consumers , and patients no longer welcome just any kind of content . They need to be sold on a narrative . They want to hear a story . Robin invited a stellar lineup of speakers to provide the content the audience needed to remain engaged . The three-day event featured coveted professionals like Doug Lipp , author of “ Disney U : How Disney University Develops the World ’ s Most Engaged , Loyal , and Customer-Centric Employees ”; Dave Dee , author and former mind reader known for teaching you
“ How to Sell More of Your Products or Services in 75 Minutes Than You Now Do All Year ”; and Nido Qubein , a successful business leader whose incredible life story of arriving to the U . S . with only $ 50 has been featured on both the Biography Channel and CNBC .
While hearing these men ’ s stories and chatting with them behind the scenes was awesome , there were two presentations that really crushed it . The first was “ The ‘ 9 Pillar ’ Formula to Quickly Remove All Business Obstacles for Fast , Profitable Growth ” by CEO Warrior Mike Agugliaro . Having Mike at this bootcamp certainly provided a “ wow ” factor for the attendees . His famed formula grew out of his experience owning a small electrical company with Rob , his business partner . After spending years buried under the mountains of frustration associated with starting a small business ( we all know what that feels like , right ?), they were inching nearer to closing their doors completely .
Fast-forward several years into the future , and that small electrical company skyrocketed with multimillion-dollar year-over-year growth ! I knew Mike in these early days , and my team and I even fulfilled some of his print marketing campaigns . This made me even happier for him when I heard that he and Rob had sold their company to start CEO Warrior , which has now been featured by MSNBC , MoneyShow , Financial Times , and Inc . Magazine .
Mike ’ s presentation struck a chord with me because he spent a lot of
Customers , clients , consumers , and patients no longer welcome just any kind of content . They need to be sold on a narrative . They want to hear a story .
time touching on the differences between leadership and management and how they need to mutually inform one another to keep employees driving forward . Mike demands that we ask our employees to pinpoint the “ why ” behind their “ what .”
For example , why does your lead salesperson work so hard to reach her goals ? I can assure you that it ’ s not solely about the cash . She might have a dream of taking her kids to the Bahamas . You can then ask her , “ Are you on track for your vacation ?” Knowing what drives her will help you determine the best way to encourage her to reach her goals . This is what happens when you have a strong mix of leadership and management — businesses , especially smaller businesses , often lose sight of this necessity .
VOLUME 1 • MSP SUCCESS | 25