Want to Boost Your Influence? Start Telling Stories Like This

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This week I went to Baltimore for a speaking engagement at M&T Bank Stadium. I wasn’t planning on bringing my six year old with me but I had to because of a scheduling mishap.

Surprisingly, he became central to the story and helped me connect with the audience on a deeper level.

Today, I’ll share how you can increase your impact and influence through storytelling. And fortunately, you don’t need to take a train to Baltimore to make it happen.

For entrepreneurs, this is a great way to attract and convert customers with authenticity.

For high achievers, you can use this process to build your influence and network with intention.

Today, at a glance:

Learn how storytelling can help you increase your impact by making authentic connections.
Discover how the StoryBrand framework positions your audience as the main character, making your personal brand more relatable and memorable.
Uncover practical ways to apply storytelling, whether you’re selling products or building your personal influence.

Spoiler alert. I used Shortform to learn these principles from the book Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. We talked about Shortform last week. It’s an easy way to dive into all those books you’ve been meaning to read. You can use my exclusive link to get 20% off your Shortform subscription today.

And now, back to the story.

As you may have guessed, one of my favorite books on storytelling is Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller.

In it, he shares how you can craft a compelling story that will engage and enlist the listener by using a few fundamental building blocks.

And again, it doesn’t matter if you’re selling products to build your revenue or sharing your perspective to build your brand, the process remains the same.

Your audience is the main character, and you’re the guide that leads them to a successful outcome.

The process is simple and repeatable, but I’ll share a few guidelines to help you get the most out of this opportunity.

1. Make the Audience the Hero, Not Yourself

The core idea of the Storybrand method is that your audience is the hero, and you’re the guide.

Your personal brand should revolve around understanding and solving the needs of others. So instead of focusing on your achievements, prioritize how you can help others succeed.

But you can’t just tell people what to do—you have to tell a story that reflects your personal experience.

While I was on stage in Baltimore, I told the full story of why my son was with me. It wasn’t just a father-son bonding experience.

Here’s what I shared on stage.

“To get here on time I had to leave the house at 6 a.m. this morning, so I needed to get a babysitter lined up to come over early, watch the kids after I left, and get them to school on time.

My sons Tyson and Trevor have been at each other constantly lately, and I could just picture them arguing first thing in the morning, making the sitter lose her patience before the day even started.

So, I decided to keep things simple and just take Tyson with me while she stayed behind with the other kids.

I’m saying this because I know how challenging it can be to juggle multiple things at once, and I want to share how you can make the experience more manageable.”

Just like that, the audience was engaged—they could see I wasn’t just talking the talk, but that I was right there in the trenches, finding ways to make it all work.

Yes, I was there to help them – since they’re the main character – but they knew they had a trusted guide who could help them along the way.

How to apply this concept to your daily life:

In your personal brand, frame your story as one that helps others achieve their goals. When meeting new people or engaging with your network, focus on what they’re looking for and how you can be of value.

This approach makes you memorable as someone who listens, supports, and adds genuine value—qualities that attract long-term connections and build credibility.

2. Identify and Solve a Clear Problem

The riches are in the niches.

Identify a specific problem or need that your skills or expertise addresses.

People resonate with brands (and individuals) that help them overcome obstacles, so defining this problem builds immediate relevance.

The challenge my audience faced? Figuring out how to tell stories that grab attention, grow their network, and build a business with rock-solid authority.

And, how they could do this consistently without it taking up too much time or pulling them away from their main priorities.

Instead of trying to turn everyone into a master storyteller in less than 60 minutes, I shared a few ChatGPT prompts that simplify the storytelling process.

Want to try one out? Enter this prompt into ChatGPT.

“My target audience is (your audience). Breakdown their psychographics and biggest pain points in a way that will help me craft engaging stories that build my influence and brand.”

Want to see a quick example? I’m not going to show you the entire output, but here’s what I got when I inserted “Stay at home dads” as my target audience.

Just give a quick skim and while you’re doing so, imagine how easy it would be if you had this information for your specific audience.

Key Pain Points of Stay-at-Home Dads

Social Stigma and Stereotypes: Despite changing perceptions, they may still face stigma or judgment for being primary caregivers, leading to feelings of self-doubt or isolation. This makes them highly responsive to stories that show respect and support for their role.

Financial Pressure: Some stay-at-home dads may feel a lingering pressure to contribute financially. They’re often interested in side projects or opportunities that allow them to bring in extra income without detracting from their primary role.

Storytelling Tips Based on Psychographics and Pain Points

Validate and Empower: Share stories that highlight the strength and value of being a stay-at-home dad, reinforcing that it’s a purposeful, valuable role. Acknowledging societal challenges while highlighting the positive impact they’re having can build trust and engagement.

Share Relatable Personal Struggles and Wins: Be open about your own experiences with challenges like work-life balance, identity, or financial pressure. Showing vulnerability in these areas creates an authentic connection and builds rapport.

How you can apply this approach:

Want this information for your own audience? You’re only two minutes away from making it happen. Use the same prompt and customize it based on who you want to connect with.

3. Use Simple, Clear Language

When you confuse, you lose.

In Building a StoryBrand Miller emphasizes the importance of clear, straightforward language that’s easy to understand.

Overly complex or jargon-filled messages can confuse and disengage your audience, while simplicity helps people instantly grasp your value.

During my presentation I shared how AI helps me throughout the day, but I made it clear that we can use this for things that we were going to do already.

This helped me position AI as an integration to their life, not a disruption. To reinforce the point, I had audience members use ChatGPT in real time so they could see how easy it was to use a seemingly complex tool.

You can’t just tell a good story, you have to explain it in a way your audience can understand, and make success feel attainable.

How you can apply this approach:

If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough, which means your audience won’t get the point either. Avoid industry terms or technical language, and use concise, clear phrases to communicate your offer or perspective and why it matters.

Terry’s Recommendation Zone:

I gotta be honest here, I purchased Building a Storybrand back in 2018. You may have noticed it on the bookshelf behind me—where, unfortunately, it’s stayed since I bought it.

Instead of speed-reading to prepare for my event, I used Shortform. I talked about it last week, but here’s a quick refresher: Shortform is an easy way to dive into all those books you’ve been meaning to read. Whether you’re into self-improvement, business strategies, or personal growth, Shortform delivers detailed book guides with in-depth summaries, exercises, and actionable insights you can apply right away.

Now, while Shortform isn’t a replacement for reading full books, it’s an efficient way to explore key concepts and decide if a deeper read is worth your time—or even cram for an event the day before. You can get through some of the book guides on Shortform in just two hours, whereas the full book might take six. You can even start with the audio version, so you can listen and learn on the go. Ready to get started? Use my exclusive link to get 20% off your Shortform subscription today.

Start exploring with Shortform

Applying these principles to your personal brand and network can help you communicate a clear message, create meaningful connections, and build lasting influence.

That’s it for now, but here’s a quick recap:

Use storytelling to engage and connect with your audience authentically by making them the hero and positioning yourself as the guide.
Focus on addressing a specific problem to ensure your message resonates deeply.
Keep language simple to ensure your message is clear and your value is immediately recognizable.