There’s nothing I dislike more than watching people cry for likes.

You’ve seen the videos.

The ones that typically feature a woman crying in her car…

Except it’s clearly staged.

→ The lighting is perfect.
→ The makeup is slayed.
→ The tears are gentle.

Even when it’s written content, the sob story is tugging at the heartstrings, and the poster is in the spotlight.

Now, this type of content does tend to get lots of engagement, but here’s why that doesn’t matter…

Likes don’t pay the bills.

And when you throw pity parties in your content, that’s all you get → Likes.

This is what you hear people talk about when they say “vanity metrics”.

They’re stats and numbers that are empty.

Because they’re not bringing in leads.

And no leads means no money.

You’d be so surprised to know how many creators have 10k+ followers on LinkedIn but make ZERO DOLLARS.

Because they tell stories for virality and vanity metrics versus using storytelling to connect with their audience.

How to Turn Your Pity Party Into Regency Ball

Okay, bear with this analogy for a bit, because I binged Bridgerton last week. 😅

But think about it. When someone wanted to throw a high society ball, there were VERY strict rules about who was invited.

You might even argue that who you invited was more important than the ball itself.

Same goes for your content.

Who you write for matters even more than the content itself.

So the fatal mistake many people make when it comes to storytelling is that they never think about the guest list.

They only think about their story.

They're the victim, and they want validation.

But if you’re branding yourself as an expert in your niche, pity parties and vanity metrics aren’t what you’re after.

Here’s the math:

Sob stories + victim mindset = validating pity party.

Authentic stories + guest list mentality = genuine connections with leads.

So, in order to flip the script and turn your pity parties into lead-generating balls, you need to:

1. Focus on the guest list.

   ↳ Know your audience like the back of your hand. The better you know your audience, the easier the next two points will be.
   

2. Be authentic, not the victim.

   ↳ Tell your story, but know that it’s not about you. It’s about how your story can help your audience in some way.
   

3. ALWAYS make your story relevant

   ↳ This is the most important step. Your story should ALWAYS be relevant and offer value. Tie it back to your offer/reason why you do what you do.

Following these 3 steps will have you leading the most talked about content balls in all of LinkedIn (while also bringing in leads).

It’s Challenge Time!

Do you use storytelling in your content? Do you feel good about it, or do you think you’re a long ways away from mastering the art of telling good stories?

Either way, I’d love to see your content!

Reply to this email with a link to one of your LinkedIn posts where you tell a story, and I’ll tell you what I think!

(Don’t worry, I’ll be nice-ish).

See you around LinkedIn!

Your favorite story coach,
Cyndyl

P.S. Don’t forget, if you need help telling your story and building your brand, but aren’t ready to go all in on coaching, you can always book a Wake Up Call with me at a special rate just for my email subscribers. Let’s chat!