Sunday Stories
Your weekly dose of storytelling inspiration
Hey there, storytellers!
Welcome to Sunday Stories, your weekly dose of storytelling wonder for small business owners. It's the perfect excuse for 5 minutes of peace and quiet with your favourite drink of choice (mine’s an Earl Grey, thanks for asking) on a Sunday afternoon.
Unlike my other Substack posts, full of lengthy goodness to devour, Sunday Stories is purposefully short and sweet, designed to give you practical ideas and inspiration for the week ahead.
So let’s ease ourselves in gently to start…
Hilary x
Story spotlight: This is where I big-up a female small business owner nailing their storytelling game.
Going from birthing babies to giving life to a gorgeous wellness brand that’s just signed a deal with the National Trust could sound like a way-too-perfect story. But Ellie at Tyler Aromatherapy does such a brilliant job of sharing all sides of her business that you can’t help but believe in her. Check her out on Instagram here.
Amazing things happen in business, and it’s great to shout about them, but make sure you’re keeping it real by sharing the lows and highs to build connection and trust.
Technique to try: I dish out a juicy storytelling technique that'll make your brand narrative pop.
It’s all well and good to tell your dream clients what a difference your product or service could make, but imagine how much more powerful it would be if you could show them.
Tell a story that predicts what their future could look and feel like if they were no longer bogged down by the problem you’re here to solve. But don’t forget to make it all about them (not you or what you’re selling).
Creative prompt: Feeling adventurous? I’ve got just the thing to spark your creativity!
I wrote a letter of hope to my teenage daughter on International Women's Day. I wanted her to read what I had to say about equality (putting it on social media is the only way to get her attention !) It was also a creative way for me to share my experiences and spark a conversation on a day that’s flooded with content.
Using a different writing format, like a letter, a journal entry, or even a poem, is a great way to break through the noise and get your message out in a more engaging way. Why not try writing your own letter? It could be to your younger self or a future you, to your dream client, or to something you want to change in the world.
Resource recommendation: Need a little extra storytelling fuel? Here’s my top recommendation of the week.
On Writing by Stephen King. My friend Roz reminded me of this book recently.
As a moody teen, I was obsessed with King’s novels. I would inhale his words and wish I could write stories like him. As a fully-fledged adult writer, I find even more inspiration from learning about his methods, his unforgiving approach to writing, and his commitment to his craft. Even if scary movies are not your thing, but improving your storytelling is, this is definitely a worthwhile read.
Community corner. It's time to celebrate YOU—the heartbeat of our Sunday Stories community. If you have a story you’d like to share with the world, please send it, and I’ll make sure it gets included.
I’ll start with one of my brilliant clients, Anna Peters, at Evolve Events who’s been named Event Influencer of the Year two years running. And why? Apart from being freakin’ awesome at what she does and driving action for sustainable travel, Anna sold a compelling story the first year she entered and won (words created by non-other than moi). For the following 12 months, she lived and breathed that story, and when it came to her entry this year, all we had to do was evidence her achievement against the backdrop of what she’d set out to do.
Getting your story straight, sticking to it, and evidencing it
is a great way to be seen for the wonderful work you do and the impact you make on others. So get telling yours!