Episode 24: Stop packing too much into your stories!

00:54 You're listening to The Business of Stories with Susan Paton, showing you how to share stories that do the selling in your business so you don't have too. So I've got a quick practical episode for you this week because i wanted to answer a question I get a lot which is how can I make my stories shorter? So many people go into too much detail but they don't know what to leave out And there is no quicker way to lose people than to pack too much in. Make your story too long, too detailed, too much of an effort for people to engage with. Keeping your stories short and punchy and engaging is far more likely to keep peoples' attention – and it's something that takes a bit of practice!

01:49 But to help you with that, I'm going to give you 6 ways to stop packing too much into your stories and make them nice and simple. Number 1 – Give yourself a word count to work to LinkedIn used to have a character limit of 1300 characters That was including spaces, numbers, emojis everything Then in 2021, that increased to 3,000 characters. But I preferred it when it was 1300 characters because it forced people including me to make their posts and stories concise! And yes making something shorter does take a bit of work...I'm sure you've heard the Mark Twain quote, ''I didn't have time to write a short letter so I've written a long one instead.''

02:48 So it does take a bit of practice, but giving yourself a word count forces you to cut out the clutter and stick to what matters. How many words you should limit yourself to will depend on where you're sharing your story – but if we're talking about social media then you really want to keep it as short as possible! I've just had a quick look at some of mine on LinkedIn and they range from around 150 words to about 300 words. When i do a five-day challenge, I give people a word limit of 250 words for their story so you could try in that region or you could stick to 1300 characters the beauty of doing that is that you really have to stick to one story because you don't have room to cram in any more

03:43 And the key to keeping a story simple is to make sure it's just one story. No deviations, no detours, no diversions, no distractions, no rabbit holes! Just think what needs to be in the story for it to work and connect the way I want it too and what doesn't...and remove anything surplus to that So, number one. Try using a word count and enjoy the process of making your stories concise because that will help to make them punchier more engaging and more likely to be read or listened to Number two Use bullet points

04:30 Yes, you can use bullet points in storytelling. In fact they work really well on social media because as long as you keep each bullet point nice and succinct they make your post really easy to read! So try and keep each bullet point to just a sentence or two by pulling out the key points and golden nuggets from your story that you want to share and getting rid of all the other clutter Here's some examples of stories that bullet points work really well for. Introduction posts I regularly do introduction posts on my social media. I think it is a great way to remind people who are already connected to you why they're connected to you and let new people coming into your world know who you are

05:21 I usually do a mix of business things and personal stuff. So, a business thing might be... I published my book in 2022, knocked Diary of a CEO host Stephen Bartlett off the top spot and reached number one in the UK & USA And a personal thing might be something like, I do not like getting up really early. I can see the benefits and totally respect those that do but it's not for me so try doing an introduction post with bullet points or you could do a post on five things you know from living your life i did one on my last birthday that included It's not true that everyone else has it sussed! It really isn't

06:10 They haven't. They're all winging it too! And another one was... Every year goes faster, so choose carefully how you spend your time and who you spend it with. Don't bother putting the Christmas decorations up in the attic because you'll be getting them down again before you know it. Another post that works well with bullets is to show people what the last 10 years have looked like for you. Maybe you left your job Maybe you went travelling, got married or divorced. Celebrated reaching your 30s or 40s or 60s… Or got over a fear of public speaking? Share the story of the last decade in bullet points! How about 5 things people don't know about you? You can use bullet points in a timeline post like something you did or achieved in 2020 and 2021 and 2022

07:11 Or you could do a then and now story. So for instance, you might share where you were and what you were doing in 2016 And then compare that to where you are and what you're doing in 2026 with three or four bullet points for each so lots of stories You can share using bullet points The key is to keep it simple with just a couple of sentences for each number 3 Use a simple storytelling structure. My favourite is somebody wanted but so then, which I cover in a lot of detail in episode 12 but here's a really quick recap Somebody who is the story about? Wanted What did they want But what was in the way of them having that So what did they do? What action did they take

08:08 And then, what changed? What was different? What result did they get? Following a simple structure helps you keep your story focused on what matters and tell it in an order that makes sense to people because its the way life plays out. Number 4 Another way to keep your stories simple is to think before you start What is the key message or takeaway, or reflection or insight that you want to share? And then what part of your story is the most relevant part for you to share for it to land the way you want it to. This saves you from sharing a story without knowing the purpose of it or where you want it to go

08:58 And helps you keep it focused on only what's relevant for people to get the message that sits at the heart of it. And helps answer the question, do I need to include this bit? So for example a few years back I decided to share the story of when my business wasn't working and what I did to make it work because the pivot I made and the results I got are so relevant to what I do now Of course, there was a lot to that story and it would have been easy to give all the background first. When I'd started the business? Why I had started the business? What I tried? What had worked and what hadn't? What books I read or what courses I bought to try and find answers? Who I turned to for help? How my confidence took a dive? How I started to compare myself to others

09:50 How I was confused and overwhelmed about all the things I thought I had to do to make it work. And then what changed? What did I differently, what difference that made? What steps I took, what I learnt along the way how my story evolved...and I did tell a potted version of that story in episode 1 but on social media I only ever tell one moment at a time One decision! One realisation! One aha-moment Like the time I was sat at a kitchen table, feeling very emotional telling my husband something I could no longer ignore. My business wasn't a business! I kept that story simple one defining moment on my journey about how i was feeling and the decision I made that changed everything

10:45 I've shared that story with lots of different messages, but one of them was that we all have times when we feel stuck in our business. And knowing that's what the post was about helped me stick to the core bit of the story that was most relevant – the moment that I felt completely and utterly stuck. People didn't need to know all the background. They didn't need much detail at all! I could just share that one specific moment on my journey and I knew it would resonate with people who had felt or were feeling the same. So, get clear on the point of your story first – the insight or reflection you want to share – and then think about the part of your story that best delivers that. You want to keep your stories simple and concise…just enough to bring your message to life!

11:44 Same when you're sharing a client story. Think, what do I want my client to take away? That will help you pull out and share the most relevant bits of your clients' story So say the message you want to convey is for people to see the value in working with YOU You need to see it first! You don't need to share your clients whole backstory for that message to land You can just share the moment the penny dropped for them and they deeply connect it with the true impact their work has on people they serve. That's the story, and when you know the point of it, its a lot easier to see what you need to include and what you don't. Number 5 Chop the beginning & end off your story

12:39 In most cases, you don't need them. You can cut to the chase and end the story before you lose impact I talked in episode 3 about starting your story in the moment – in the middle of action Not right back where it all began but in that specific moment Like the story I just shared about telling my husband my business wasn't a business When I shared that story on LinkedIn, my opening line was... By starting my story like that, I immediately brought everyone straight into that scene with me and grabbed their attention. But you can also practice stopping the story before you add that last bit on

13:39 If the insight has landed, you don't need to keep talking to make it clearer. If you've already made the point anything extra usually dilutes it rather than deepens it so start in the moment cut to the chase and stop before you start over explaining. And number six put yourself in your idol client's shoes When I'd finished writing the first draft of my book put it in a ring binder and took myself off to a coffee shop, to read it as a reader. I imagined someone had just recommended this book to me and was reading for the very first time! I stepped out of the role of storyteller and became the person I wrote the book for It might sound odd but really helps to experience the story as they will

14:38 I also recommend reading your stories out loud. Obviously, I didn't read my whole book out loud in a coffee shop but still to this day even though I write every single day often reads something out loud before I hit publish and as I do I imagine that i'm my idol client does it make sense? Does it flow? Does it keep me engaged is it simple? Is it just one story Putting yourself in your customers' shoes will really help you tune into where they're at, how they are feeling and what they need to hear. And then as you read your story, you can feel how it lands! So that's 6 ways to keep your stories simple and avoid packing too much in. Here is one more thing to help you…

15:32 As you know, I love an analogy so let me share one that really helps to bring the point i'm making in this episode to life. Imagine you cook a beautiful fillet steak or something else if you're not a steak eater it's tender and juicy and seasoned and cooked to perfection and you put it on a nice warm plate ready to serve to your guest But then someone else comes along and starts to add more things to the plate. Like dauphinoise potatoes, cauliflower cheese, nachos, some rocket and sliced tomatoes, a spoon of hummus and guacamole, chopped peppers and parsley… They pile it on so that you can't even see your steak at the bottom of the plate! How's that going to make you feel?

16:27 And how likely is it that your guest will really savour and appreciate the taste of the succulent steak? Not very likely, right?! It's going to get completely lost in all the other textures and flavours and smells. Stuffing too much into your story is like that! The beautiful simplicity is lost. The meaning in your story is lost. The message gets lost Overwhelmed by the nachos! So when you write your stories, check what you're serving up. Is it a small but perfectly cooked steak? Or a plate stuffed so full of food that it will almost certainly turn people off? Food for thought...so thats it one simple story One message And if your adding a call to action which I do recommend one clear call to action

17:31 Simple is more compelling. Simple will cut through the noise, less is more! So notice when you're packing too much in and think about how you can pull out the gold And a good thing about doing that Is that you'll have more stories to share because you're not cramming them all into one post You can save the stories you haven't told this time for another time and use them one at a time Because that will help you keep it simple And that will keep your audience engaged. So, as always before I go let me give you a quick action step that you can go away and do Here's your action step for today Share a story in bullet points! I've given you lots of examples in this episode You could do an introduction post or five things you know from living your life Or what the last 10 years have looked like for you? Or things that people don't know about you

18:37 or a then and now story, or come up with one of your own. But remember to keep it simple so it's super easy for your idle clients to engage with it! So that's your action step for today share a story in bullet points and I'll see you next time for more stories that do the selling FOR YOU...so you don't have to Thank you so much for being here. I love that we get to do this together! Would you do me a huge favour and please rate, review and follow this podcast in Apple Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts? And i'll see you next time for more honest conversations meaningful connections and of course stories