Small Business Founder | HubSpotter | Banterer | Life-Long Challenger.

There have been major changes in both marketing and technology over the past 10 years.

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Chatbots are nothing new and have been around since the days of AOL Instant Messenger (RIP).

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the marketplace and leaving many people wondering what the future of their jobs will be.

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The internet and social media have brought a lot of changes to our lives, both positive and negative, depending on how you view it. But one of the biggest things it has given us is a constant, never-ending stream of opinions about everything. Some of these opinions are valid, some of them aren’t. And many of them show up in the form of online reviews.

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When I first started attending networking events I rarely looked forward to them. My mind would race as I wondered why I brought 30 business cards with me or whether I would run into someone I knew. Over time, I started to realize that no one you would actually want to meet will be pitching you the first time you meet them.

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“Storytelling” has become a bit of a buzzword recently but the truth is there is no better way to help and lead others than by telling stories. TED Talks are one of the best illustrations of storytelling, with world-class speakers using simple narratives and engaging stories to illustrate their messages.

Research has shown that we respond to descriptive stories in powerful ways. Sharing a real and engaging story is one of the best ways to build trust and connect with your audience.

Storytelling works because it allows your listeners to see, understand, and feel your message. Listed below are seven ways you can begin using storytelling to build trust:

1. Keep it simple

The most impactful stories are simple and to the point. When you are telling a story, a good model to follow is to talk about a problem, the solution you found, and the growth that resulted from it. Because our minds crave simplicity, following this model will keep your audience more engaged and allow them to trust you.

2. Be authentic

Yes, you are telling a story but honesty and authenticity are important components. People can sense when you aren’t being genuine. You can be creative but don’t just say what you think your audience wants to hear.

3. Show, don’t tell

This is one of the most fundamental ideas behind storytelling because your audience won’t connect with facts and figures. Your audience should be able to imagine the setting, sense the conflict, and feel the emotion behind the story.

4. Be consistent

If your audience distrusts you then it is most likely because you are being very inconsistent with how you deliver your message. To be consistent you have to really be clear on the message you are trying to share with people. Your message can change to a certain extent but your overall voice and delivery should be predictable.

5. Your story should solve a problem

The best way to engage with your audience is by telling them about a problem you faced and the solution you found to overcome that problem. This is effective because there are no unique problems; someone else has found themselves in that exact same situation. By sharing a problem and the solution you found you will become more relatable to your audience.

6. Keep the focus on yourself

When you are sharing stories with your audience be very careful to keep the focus on yourself. When your stories start becoming about other people they can begin to veer into the category of advice, which almost everyone hates. Or even worse, it can turn into gossip which is not something you want to be known for.

7. Make your audience feel something

Think about the story you are telling your audience and how it will make them feel. We all have an abundance of information at our disposal but it is important to understand that information alone is not enough to move people to action. Information paired with emotion is what drives people to action and that is why storytelling is so powerful. Read More...

I have a confession to make: I hate listening to our podcast. Every time I listen to it I secretly wonder, who do we think we are? Why would anyone need or care about our podcast? If I didn’t have a role in creating it I am not sure I would continue to listen to it.

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 Co-Hosts John Ippolito and Jacob Carlson talk about Carry The Water and the inspiration behind the podcast.

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I will never forget the conversation I had with my manager when he realized I was using our SaaS recruiting software to write emails for my start-up and then copy/pasting them into my Gmail account. Or when at age 25 I found myself running a New England based sports travel company with my friend Erik. We would market and sell round trip bus tickets to Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots games from Burlington, Vermont. It was a fun time in my life and we were making pretty good side money doing it. After seeing some success, many of my friends would ask me for help and they were planning on do the same thing with a sneaker company or a dog walking service or a spicy mustard from Vermont but never seemed to get it "going" -- why is that?

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