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FBM Digest #35: How to win industry awards, the formula for stories that sell, and more...

Lee Chapman

Lee Chapman

FBM Digest #35: How to win industry awards, the formula for stories that sell, and more...

Hey, I learned yesterday that I've shared 115 golden nuggets in these digest emails so far. If you have any that were standout favourites, I'd love to know.

 

Before all that, here are nuggets 116-120:

 

1. FBM EXPERT TIP:

How do you write great stories? Stories that captivate your audience, awaken their desires, and multiply the effectiveness of your ads, page copy, and videos?

 

Writing a story is an art, and that's why only a small group of dedicated people ever achieve this ability. However, those that do often pass on tips and tricks the rest of us can use to take our story writing up a few notches.

 

A great example of that is expert copywriter George Pappas and the simple five-step formula he provided this week. Take a look: 

 

1. Choose a clear central message

A great story usually progresses towards a central message. When crafting a story, you should have a definite idea of what you’re building toward.

 

2. Your goal in the story should be similar to that of your reader

When readers can identify with you and share your goals, they become more invested in the story and are more likely to experience the same epiphanies you did.

 

3. Be clear on the conflict 

To enjoy a story’s happy ending, we must see the characters work hard to achieve their goals. It’s important to explain the difficult challenges you had to overcome because it makes the story far more interesting. 

 

4. Write out the structure of your story

Choose a clear beginning and end to your story, then write the key plot events as bullet points between them. Don't include too much extra information or stories that don't really matter. Just trust that your readers will understand what's happening in the story.

 

5. Expand your bullet points

Once you have all four pieces in place, expand on each bullet point. What you will be left with is a great first draft of your story. Read it aloud multiple times, and you will naturally spot areas that need to be smoothed out and others that need more depth and emotion.

 

If this still feels like too much work, but you want the results a captivating story can bring, send George a message here, and he'll craft something special for you.

 

 

2. MARKETING TIP OF THE WEEK:

As a regular here, you know social proof is vital. In fact, most people only buy based on some form of proof.

 

In a previous life, I wrote scripts for short films and would submit them to film festivals. And as I was writing this email, I wondered, is there something similar for businesses? 

 

So, as is customary these days, when I have a question I don't know the answer to, I ask ChatGPT. It didn't disappoint.

 

Here is a list of places you can submit your business or product for recognition or awards:



You might think, 'I'm not going to win any of those', but you don't need to win. Simply being accepted for consideration carries a lot of power and proof.

 

Imagine reaching out to your Dream 100 and being able to say you were considered for one of these awards... sounds good to me.

 

 

3. TOP TIP FROM A FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBER:

Are you finding it hard to get your business to a place where it is profitable every single month? This might help:

 

Steve Green lost money on his coaching business for 6 straight months until it had its first profitable month. It took another 6 months before profitable months became the norm. Looking back, he said there were three big changes which shifted his results:

 

"Looking back, uncertainty caused by a lack of knowledge killed my progress. I thought my sales page and offer were good enough to get hundreds of sales a month. But, while people were opting in for my free report, no one took the offer on the thank you page.

 

I couldn't understand why it wasn't converting, so instead of taking effective action, I spent weeks procrastinating. One day I decided enough was enough. I was wasting too much money. I gave myself 60 days to either fix the funnel or quit for good.

 

That evening I made a list of everything that could be causing my landing page to suck and assigned each item a day where I would do nothing but search for guidance on improving that 1 thing.

 

After this process, I made three big changes that improved my results dramatically:

 

1. I stopped assuming I knew what would work and started assuming I knew nothing whatsoever

I thought my landing page was great, but after reading several books and getting advice, I saw it with new eyes and realized it really did suck. Since then, every ad, page, and email I write, I get solid guidance on beforehand or have someone else do it for me.

 

2. I started planning my day the night before

If I spent 5 mins before bed writing down everything I needed to accomplish the next day, my clarity and productivity went through the roof. I'm certain this would be transformational for anyone trying to build a successful business.

 

3. I split-tested different funnels for every offer

I found that the type of lead magnet I used impacted how well my product sold.

 

I changed my report to a VSL, and although my opt-in rate dropped slightly, sales were much higher. I bet many businesses would see a higher return with a different funnel type."

  

4. FUNNEL OF THE WEEK:

This week's funnel is for a nutritional supplement built by Dodd Stocker-Edwards. This funnel is currently producing great results. In fact, the biggest problem is keeping the product stocked! 

 

Take a look and let me know your thoughts. Are there any split tests you think would be good for Dodd to run? Check it out here.

 

Then, send me your funnel. No matter what stage it's at, a little feedback from the market is always super valuable.

 

 

5. FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

“The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving.”

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

Have a great weekend,

Lee

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