Sharing your challenges builds connections and relatability which can inspire others who face similar obstacles

Humans are storytellers.

Since the dawn of language when our ancestors sat around fires sharing stories, it has become an ingrained part of our cultures and societies.

Stories are used to teach, inspire, share lessons, and spread caution.

Though we no longer rely on oral traditions to pass down out history and share our stories, personal journeys are just as impactful now as they were to our ancestors.

Put Yourself on the Page

Many of my clients share some of the most complicated, emotional, difficult experiences they’ve ever been through in their books.

I’ve written books for people who’ve lost everything because of bad investments, a cartel kidnapping survivor, someone who lost a child to drug addiction.

Each of these clients elected to get vulnerable with their stories and dig deep for those emotional challenges because they understood the power of a story.

Sharing challenges builds connection with your audience and relatability with you. It can inspire others who face similar obstacles or create an emotional connection to you, your brand, and your product or service that establishes long-lasting loyalty.

Each challenge you’ve faced and overcome has brought you to a level of success that could literally change someone else’s life. You never know who will benefit from your story.

Learned Lessons Become Teachable Moments

Any business book should be shaped around teachable moments that coincide with your brand, product and/or service, and your message. These are the pieces that will appeal to your audience and allow your influence to grow and spread.

When you reflect on the challenges you’ve encountered, you’ll find moments you can turn into actionable insights and steps for your audience.

You’ll be able to implement one of the oldest purposes of storytelling – teaching.

A lot of my clients approach their book with the mindset of, “I’ve been through these challenges, and I’ve learned these lessons so that my audience doesn’t have to go through it.” The goal is to use what you’ve learned so that your audience can accomplish their goals with your knowledge. It makes it easier for them.

Isn’t that what any product or service is designed for as well – filling a void and making something easier or more accessible?

When you write a book, life challenges make excellent chapter themes because you can share a personal anecdote and tie that into a teachable moment blended with your brand and message.

Authentic Storytelling Builds Trust

Why do clients and customers keep returning to a product or service? What creates loyalty and reoccurring customers?

Trust.

If you want to build trust in your brand and in you as the leader of your company, sharing your personal, authentic story is a great way to do it.

Authentic storytelling establishes credibility, but it also helps your audience see you as a relatable and resilient leader. You’re the face of your company and when they trust you, they’ll trust your product or service.

Being vulnerable and authentic helps build that trust and makes you more relatable instead of an elusive business figure.

Impact Creates Opportunities

A book that shares your story will create an impact on those who connect with the message and relate to you. Whether that’s because they are facing similar challenges of their own or they have goals they want to reach that you’ve achieved, or any other number of reasons, your story can motivate others.

It could motivate them to persevere through their own struggles, innovate with new ideas and methods to reach their goals, or inspire them to leap into opportunities.

Maybe you’re wondering why or how all of that benefits your company.

It’s a valid consideration, seeing as writing a business book is designed to support your business.

When you have people who are inspired and motivated by your material, it opens new opportunities for you and your business. The first two that come to mind are in speaking engagements and consulting opportunities. People will want to learn from you and hear what you have to say,

The impact of your story, your challenges, and your book will benefit your audience and your business.

Humanizing Leadership

Successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, coaches, and businesspeople usually have public personas. You’re the face of a company, the mind behind a leadership program, the power behind a product or service. It’s a great place to be but it does come with that public persona.

Many business leaders I’ve worked with are hesitant about getting “too personal” because they think it will undermine their authority.

In fact, it does the exact opposite. When you let your audience see the challenges you’ve faced and the problems you’ve overcome, it allows them to connect with you on a human level. You’re no longer a business figure or an enigma. You’re a person, just like them.

It adds depth to who you are and to your brand.

This reinforces trust but it also builds stronger, deeper, more loyal connections.

People will connect with you and your company because of how it makes them feel about themselves. If you’re willing to humanize yourself to others, you’ll be more relatable, they will find common ground with you, and as a result, it will build a stronger connection.

Building Teams through Inspiration

Another benefit of sharing your story is the effect it has on teams you work with. When you build teams and hire employees, the best people to work with are those who resonate with you and your brand. You want to work with people who believe in your message.

When you share your story in a book, you’ll attract those people in a lot of ways. And one way is through employment and team building.

Whether they work for you and you manage them directly, they are part of your company under other management, or they are an outsourced team, you’ll have the opportunity to work with and partner with people who believe in, are inspired by, and empowered by your story.

That kind of motivation and inspiration in the workplace can drastically change the work environment for the better.

As far as benefits go, establishing a solid, loyal, motivated workforce behind your brand can also increase revenue and decrease overhead and expenditure of resources.

Authoring a book featuring your story can have a multitude of benefits for your business, brand, and platform. The only question that’s left is are you ready to put yourself on the page?