7 Great Stories That Sell

I recently attended a webinar given by Lisa Bloom, a corporate storyteller who calls herself “Story Coach.” Her webinar was partly about seven stories that sell. She applied these to business writing—the kind I used to do when I was a copywriter: email campaigns, website copy, marketing and promotional materials, and the like.

Before she detailed the seven, Bloom said something: The stories must be authentic. As a nonfiction ghostwriter, I value that and look for clients that have not only compelling stories, but ones that seem too good to be true but are verifiably real. A woman who married a psychopath and overcame his dishonesty and the state of Arizona is amazing. So is the therapist who came from wealth and yearned for significance all his life, only to discover his own way to be “big.” 

All nonfiction ghostwriters should insist their clients prove the accuracy and honesty of their stories.

As I listened to Bloom discuss the seven stories, I realized these apply to memoirs and business books, too. So, with special thanks to Bloom, here are her seven stories that sell and how they apply.

1. The Story of You. Bloom said this tells who you are and why you’re here, which builds trust and presence with the audience. This is very often an early part of a memoir. A person wants to tell their story, so they have to introduce themselves and explain why they’re telling this story. Many of my clients want to inspire their audience to not give up hope, to avoid the mistakes they made, and to show there is a better path to happiness.

“If I can make a difference to just one reader, it would be worth it” might sound like a cliché, but I’ve been told that before, and it’s an excellent reason to tell The Story of You.

2. The Story of What. Bloom said this is the gift you bring to the world, what people will get when they work with you. To a ghostwriter, it’s what people will get when they read the memoir or business book.

It’s related to The Story of You in that a client wants to impart wisdom, knowledge, inspiration, or whatever else he or she wants the reader to take from the book. In my practice, The Story of What answers the questions “What is the story?” and “What does success look like?”

3. The Story of Who. This relates to the target audience, who the book is really for, and Bloom said it makes them feel seen.

One author wanted to reach other women who have married psychopaths. Another wanted to make sure at-risk youth and their families avoid gang life. A third aimed his book toward marketers who needed help coming out of a pandemic. Several clients wanted nothing more than to have their story told for family members. Nobody else would ever see it. That’s perfectly fine, too.

If the audience feels seen, then the book has connected with them. That’s a goal every ghostwriter should have. 

4. The Experience Story. In sales writing, this is where the people mention their backgrounds, track records, and successes. In a memoir or business book, these experiences are most of the details that make up the book. Bloom said The Experience Story builds phenomenal credibility, and that’s true in books, too. 

My client had to detail how she successfully fought the state to get the $1.4 million judgment tossed, then how she got the law changed. Another client had to tell how he learned late in life that gang life really isn’t the best way to go.

The more authentic The Experience Story is, the better. Ghostwriters: Take note. 

5. The Failure Story. Related to The Experience Story is the struggles, the trials and tribulations, and the lessons learned. Bloom said this builds relatability and makes any audience skepticism disappear, leaving only credibility and respect.

She also said that in business writing, it might seem counterintuitive to tell this story because it’s too hard. Yet with memoirs and business books, avoiding failures isn’t an option. To avoid telling The Failure Story is to write an incomplete book, and ghostwriters should insist that their clients include where they fell short, how they felt about it, and how they emerged from it better.

A current client tried to be famous through athletics, music, movies, and theater, among others. He failed spectacularly each time. Only when he became a therapist did he truly understand that his way to significance was to help people anonymously. He rubbed elbows with a lot of famous people, including Jack Nicholson. He married a singer who had a song go to No. 2 on the Billboard chart. Yet he remains happily anonymous today. 

6. The Vision Story. Bloom said this is the world you’re inviting clients (or the audience) into. This story inspires them and their desires and possibilities created through this work. In Bloom’s practice, the work is the writing, and the story asks the client to imagine a better future. In my practice, it’s the book being ghostwritten.

In books, the world is often the author’s ending, the state, place, or condition he or she found himself or herself at the book’s conclusion. There may be an unspoken part of The Vision Story: If you do/ignore what I tell you, you will end up in a similar spot, for better or worse, so listen to me.

One client basically asks, You want to avoid the gang life? Don’t follow me. Follow my brother’s path instead. A prospect wants to tell her story of reaching happiness through discipline. I imagine her vision story will talk about how she went from a sad Point A to a happier Point B because of her experiences and failures (see how the stories relate?), and her vision is for her readers to follow her steps.

7. The Proof.  These are the results. The message here is I’m proof that this way works. The prospect that has a way to reach happiness through discipline has done it. The gang member who realized his way was the wrong way has lived it. The therapist who tried and failed to be big learned that he was big, just not in the ways he tried.

Bloom said the proof can be testimonials, which for a book would be the praises people write on the jackets (or the ghostwriter’s website). She added that proof reduces risk and increases confidence that clients can work with you. In a book, that means the message will resonate. If the book provides steps or tips, The Proof shows the author’s methods worked.

Bloom concluded by saying the seven stories build trust, which she said is one of the most valuable and least available commodities. If the prospect trusts the writer, they will hire the writer. If the audience trusts the author, the book will sell, and the ghostwriter must remember that each of these seven stories establishes authority, creates relevance, differentiates the author, deepens connections, and builds confidence. I offer professional book proofreading services that help authors polish their manuscripts for clarity, consistency, and error-free publication.

Feel free to read and check out my other posts related to ghostwriting. Go to leebarnathan.com/blog.