MO Realtors Story Case Studies

Missouri Realtors Story-Driven Leaders Workshop Kelly Swanson October, 2021 1

Table of Contents EXPLAIN TO GROUP WHAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS IN THIS ASSIGNMENT .................................................................................. 3 OVERVIEW OF ASSIGNMENTS: ........................................................ 5 QUESTIONS EVERYONE HAD TO ANSWER FOR THEIR ASSIGNMENT 6 TODD HENSON / WHY WE NEED TO REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN ........ 8 ASSIGNMENT .........................................................................................8 TODD’S ANSWERS AND KELLY’S COMMENTS .................................................8 KELLY’S PRELIMINARY NOTES AND IDEAS................................................... 15 WHAT’S THE STORY? ............................................................................ 25 STORY – A TOWN WORTH SAVING ........................................................ 29 ANGIE MULLINS / WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND THE STATE CONFERENCE ................................................................................ 40 ASSIGNMENT ...................................................................................... 40 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS .................................................................... 40 STORY: THE HIDDEN VALUE OF THE HALLWAY ........................................... 49 MATT MUREN / WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN RPAC ..................... 57 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS .................................................................... 57 OPTIONAL BONUS QUESTION: MATT’S “PITCH” FOR TRIVIA NIGHT ............... 65 MATT’S WHY THIS MATTERS STORY ........................................................ 67 BRENT SAGER / WHY YOU SHOULD ENDORSE THE MO NONDISCRIMINATION ACT ........................................................... 71 ASSIGNMENT ...................................................................................... 71 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND KELLY’S COMMENTS .................................. 71 BRENT’S STORY AS TOLD BY KELLY........................................................... 85 MICHELLE WALKER / CITY OF ST PETERS SHOULD REMOVE THEIR CITY DISCLOSURE FORM REQUIREMENT ....................................... 92 ASSIGNMENT ...................................................................................... 92 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS .................................................................... 92 KELLY’S ADVICE ................................................................................. 101 CLOSING THOUGHTS ................................................................... 109

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Objectives My specialty is taking stories and making them over. My Story Makeovers are crazy popular and audiences love to watch me do that. I wanted to give your group that experience. However, with some groups it is harder because they don’t come with stories ready to be made over. They aren’t used to creating stories (like speakers, for example) and so it can be overwhelming to ask them to write one, especially since I know what needs to be in that story, and I know that most people will not include that, and we have to basically start over anyway.

So we decided to find some volunteers ahead of time, and choose scenarios that would represent the different ways in which you might have to persuade someone in your industry. To show you how stories could be crafted to persuade depending on our own buyer, seller, and product.

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Please keep in mind that the words buyer, seller, product, aren’t always the exact words that apply to you. You might not be selling a product, but rather a vision or an idea. You might not be a “seller” but rather someone who is the one doing the influencing, not a sales person. And your buyer might not actually be giving you money for something, but rather someone whose “buy in” you want on a particular idea. I just use the words buyer, seller, and product, to help you see the three different perspectives that need to exist when it comes to turning data into storytelling, and creating an emotional connection between buyer/seller/product.

AS YOU LISTEN AND READ EACH CASE STUDY, I WILL BE EXTREMELY VALUABLE IF YOU HAVE IN MIND YOUR OWN SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENT. ONE SPECIFIC AREA WHERE YOU MIGHT LIKELY BE REQUIRED TO PITCH AN IDEA OR A PRODUCT OR SOMETHING TO SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR. IF YOU CAN PICTURE THE ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCE AND PLACE WHERE YOU WOULD DO THIS. IN ESSENCE, YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT YOUR OWN BUYER, PRODUCT, AND SELLER FORMULA. AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE

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QUESTIONS BELOW BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOUR ANSWERS WOULD BE. AND AS WE WALK THROUGH EACH CASE STUDY, YOU WILL SEE HOW THAT CASE MIGHT APPLY TO YOUR OWN SITUATION. Overview of Assignments: Kelly, these are the volunteers and issues we have chosen: Day 1 •

Todd Henson - President-elect who can pitch their community as the best location for a new business relocation to the media

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Angie Mullings - Broker who can pitch to their broker colleagues why they should attend a state conference.

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Matt Murren - Local RPAC Chair who can use existing materials to convince someone to invest in RPAC.

Day 2 •

Brent Sager – State Advocacy Chair who can pitch why Legislators should endorse Missouri Nondiscrimination Act

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Michelle Walker - pitch city council on why they should not pass an eviction moratorium or sign ordinance or other current issue…

Questions Everyone Had to Answer for their Assignment ● What is the message you want to deliver from this assignment? The point you want to make? What does the person you’re trying to persuade really need to know? ● Is there anything else they need to know about this?

(Again, bullet points are fine) ● What reason(s) will they have for saying no? ● Who is the person (or persons) that you are trying to convince? Tell me a little bit about their job, their life, and what motivates them.

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● What happens if they don’t listen to you and act? And then what will happen? And then what will happen? ● What happens if they do? And then what happens?

And then what will happen? ● Tell me why this message/project matters so much to you personally? Why do you care? ● Tell me a little bit about why you chose to be in this role - standing here today? What reward do you feel from doing this work? What challenges do you face? ● Is there anything else you want to tell me or think I should know about this?

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Todd Henson / Why We Need To Revitalize Downtown Assignment Todd Henson - President-elect who can pitch their community as the best location for a new business relocation to the media

Todd’s Answers and Kelly’s Comments What is the message you want to deliver from this assignment? The point you want to make? What does the person you’re trying to persuade really need to know?

The message – Pitching the Downtown Poplar Bluff community (to the media) as a good new business location to relocate Downtown Poplar Bluff is growing and a great place for a new business. As other downtowns across America, ours is prime for growth, and you can be a part of it. Some of the things that would be great to know is that many local investors, like myself, are in the works of developing the downtown area.

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Some of the recent investments in the area would be the Poplar Bluff School district recently purchased one of the large former banks to renovate. It will be turned into a central office for the entire school, adding to the daily traffic in the area.

Other projects are underway, including a food truck lot, small concert venues, outdoor entertainment area, retail building spaces being renovated, and an increased volume of sold properties in the area. We have also passed a designated ‘Entertainment District” and fulfilled a contract with Bird Scooters.

What reason(s) will they have for saying no?

Some businesses have decided to not move to the downtown area for a few reasons. Lack of parking, lack of traffic, lack of other similar businesses, cost of older building renovation, and not wanting to comply with some of the historical preservation requirements. The negative perception is that the area is just not conducive for growth.

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Who is the person (or persons) that you are trying to convince? Tell me a little bit about their job, their life, and what motivates them.

I am wanting to convince the small business owners, the entrepreneurs, the locals, the startup companies. I do not have ONE specific person in mind, but I am plugged into the community and hear the doubts of young entrepreneurs when it comes to starting a career they have passion about. Anyone that would want to turn an old building into their place of business has to be someone that cares about more than just the bottom line on a spreadsheet. They, like myself and many other young/new investors, want to see a turnaround that is long overdue in our area. They would be motivated to see a community that is safe, growing, diverse, and different from the chain box stores that are being developed daily on the outskirts of town.

What happens if they don’t listen to you and act? And then what will happen? And then what will happen?

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If they do not listen we could be facing a problem in our downtown area long term, and beyond repair. Homlessness and drug use will begin to trend upward again as the vacant building provides adequate enough cover to hide from the public eye. The buildings that are on the cusp of deterioration will continue to decline in quality as the years wear on them without occupancy. I understand the “box store” model being built on a clean slate development is an easy choice, but it is also imperative that we do not turn a blind eye to the areas of need in our community. We all live here. We all need a safer community and downtown is a major part of that community.

We can not turn a blind eye to such a large part of our town.

Because once an area starts to decline, the areas adjacent to it begin to decline as well, growing like a cancer until all of Poplar Bluff is unfit to live in. Beyond that you will see a decline in the quality of life in general in Butler county, as we will be living in a live version of George Bailey’s nightmare of “Pottersville” What happens if they do? And then what happens? And then what will happen?

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If you move your business to Downtown Poplar Bluff you can be a part of the growth early and be profitable now and long term. Some of the cheapest rents in the area are downtown.

You can rent a space for office, retail, entertainment, living, or storage for a fraction of the cost per sq ft in other areas in town. With the I-57 project connecting from Sikeston to Central Arkansas we will have the fastest route from Chicago to Dallas coming right though our region. The first exit into Poplar Bluff is a direct line to, you guessed it, Downtown. With many travelers looking for something off of the beaten path, we will be sure to be provided with a pipeline of visitors. From there we can continue to build on each other’s growth. One event venue leads to 2, then 3, then an entertainment district.

One restaurant leads to 2,3,5,7,10 an entire culture of great food. People will want to relocate closer to the ‘hub’ of the city, so loft apartments become in higher demand. The city owned Coliseum now has more events now that the area can accommodate more people. The city has additional funds to

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police the area further, it becomes safer and has a budget for beautification projects. We have sustained growth.

Tell me why this message/project matters so much to you personally?

Why do you care?

This resonates with me personally, as it should anyone who lives in the area. We live here. We work here. We shop here.

Our children go to school here. We are all invested in this community in one way or another. Our downtown is finally on the upswing after decades of decline. A difference can and IS being made right in front of us. We can not afford to turn back and let this section of our community fall victim to crime, drugs, homelessness, disrepair, and ruin. This cancer must be cut out before it grows. I have personally invested in 3 projects myself including renting/ restoring an office in the Historic Rodgers Theater, starting a food truck lot, and buying a commercial building to lease to incoming small businesses wanting to come in at an affordable rate. I support and advocate for the locally owned coffee shop, buy all of the retail

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I can there, and help plan events as a member of the Downtown Events Planning Committee.

Tell me a little bit about why you chose to be in this role - standing here today? What reward do you feel from doing this work? What challenges do you face?

I chose the role of ‘downtown advocate’ through traveling across the country near and far to admire other downtowns.

They have so much charm, character, history and uniqueness. I wanted to be able to enjoy that without the roadtrip. I never thought I would be in the position to do anything about the personal growth of my town because I have heard for the past 3 decades that “It isn’t worth saving”. I have been a Realtor for just over 3 years and have talked to other Realtors about ideas they have done in their own hometowns. I have been inspired by their ideas and dedication. I have networked with several of the newer local public figures, committee members, chamber members, council members and have continued to ask “why not us?” We have tapped into a group of people that have fed

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off of one another, with a shared goal to improve. We are changing the narrative locally. Obviously we still face challenges from the people that believe the old paradigm of ‘it isn’t worth saving”. But my background in successful real estate investor is proving some of them otherwise. I always expect opposition, it is necessary to sharpen your personal ‘why’. But the biggest perception we face is the negative perception itself. And we can change that with 1 new business at a time. Your business.

Kelly’s Preliminary Notes and Ideas

• Let me start with the last statement you made about a negative perception. So many of us are trying to change a story that has written about us, our industry, our product, etc.

Convincing someone to change the way they believe is almost impossible. Telling them to change their mind, is pretty impossible. The only way to combat a negative perspective is

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to show them a different perspective. And that’s what story can do, in a way that telling people what to do doesn’t. A story paints a picture and allows your listener to step inside and see a situation from a different view.

• If the goal is to attract a new business, then the story (or certain elements of it) would change to reflect the pains/desires/emotions of the particular business you are courting. Lesson: Stories are organic, and put a human face on the seller, buyer, and product. The story tells the buyers story, the product’s story, and the customer’s story.

Therefore, if you change the buyer, you have someone who is motivated differently, so the story changes. This is about emotional connection between seller and buyer, so if your seller changes, you will change the story of the seller. In the case of story, business is personal. Connecting you personally with your buyer. So one story will not fit all. Though sometimes you have no choice. And in some cases you will create a story with an imagined buyer that reflects your

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typical buyer.

• We definitely want to paint the picture of what a vibrant downtown FEELS like – the EXPERIENCE – the effect on the life of that buyer and his family. Lesson: We don’t buy products.

We buy the transformation they bring to our own lives. We buy what we have an emotional connection to. Emotional experiences create emotional connections. Story wraps data in emotion.

• Who is your buyer? This would be a case where there is probably more than one person who needs to buy into this. So you want to mirror the pains/desires/emotions of the other buyers too. Lesson: As I said before, stories are organic, and change to fit different buyers. If you have a team of buyers, you want to find out what motivates each one of them – or at least guess based on the information you have gathered.

Another lesson: GATHER INFORMATION. My book shows you

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how.

• Why the product matters? Each of the features of this downtown plan (Foot traffic, Entertainment Center, Bird Scooters, Central School Building) needs to do more than just say what it will have, but go further to say how that will impact those who live there on an emotional (not just factual) level.

For example, saying there will be an increase in traffic is clinical. Show me an example of how it will FEEL – a specific event/moment where that traffic will bring a positive outcome to the buyer(s). Lesson: We don’t always know how your feature or benefit will transform our life. And if we can “see” it, we can experience it. And if we can experience it, we are test driving your product, rather than hearing a list of the features that don’t have much true meaning. When you think about the product, or message, you are selling (in this case, set up your business in Poplar Bluff) don’t just think about what it does. Think about why it matters to you – them – and the community. And why does that matter? What good does

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this product bring to the world?

• Reasons not to buy: You have a clear idea of why they will say no, and they are pretty big valid reasons - so you definitely need to address the objections and paint the picture of how convenient it will be since they think it won’t be convenient. If there’s no solution to the problem, then you want to find a silver lining to this. A reason why it might actually be good to have to park further. If you could find a story of another place that has these same issues, but people love to work there, because the payoff is bigger than the hassle, then that would be great. So searching out another city where parking is nonexistent, etc., you would tell their story. Lesson: I have something in my Story Lib book called the Anatomy of a Presentation –that lists the elements I believe are important to make an emotionally persuasive argument. I usually use them for speeches, but people have found them valuable for brand messaging and clarity. They are also probably helpful for pitching a town. It shows you how to weave in my story

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formula – you, it, and them. There is a bullet called “I know what you’re thinking” – which is the place in every argument where you tell them what they are already thinking and address it. You can bury this in a story as well. You will see how I did it in my “after” version of this case study.

About your buyer: I like that you are understanding what your buyer needs to care about – or what you need to make them care about. This is about finding a why bigger than the why not. Then once you find it, story just helps you paint the picture. Lesson: I’m not here to help you figure out ways to sell your city. I’m here so that once you’ve figured out the ways, I show you how to wrap it in story – and put a human face on it. Because the story convinces more than the bullet points. Another lesson: If you are trying to appeal to a specific buyer, then you will want to make sure that a character in your story reflects this buyer and his/her wants/needs. Stories help put your buyer into the seat of this car to test drive, and show him/her how it will feel to

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have whatever you’re selling. VERY POWERFUL. (Create a character in the story who wants to start his/her business in an area like this, but is worried about parking, but they want to do something “cool” and “fresh” – kind of like Apple where they used to work, etc. It would be cool to have two buyers – one who used to work for Apple who was wanting something different and fresh and not like all the other box stores, where people were part of something bigger and amazing – and the other buyer desperately wants to see his city come back to life again because he is from here, and wants the kind of lifestyle this community will offer)

• We understand that if Poplar Bluff can’t be rebuilt it will have drastic consequences to the town – and easy to paint a picture (which you’ll need to do) of the negative impact of that on everybody in the town. Now I’m assuming your buyer lives here and cares. If they don’t, it might be more an issue of what happens if they decide to go with your competitor. I often like to have this suggestion that I have something nobody else has

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– that everybody else is looking in that direction and I think the answer is actually over here. This is a cool way to diss the competition but in a nice way. Or maybe you could create a sense of urgency and scarcity by spinning it as how quickly this will fill up until they are gone. Act now while you can, type of thing. Lesson: When my clients come to me with presentations that have no stories, they ask me where to even start? I say, “What’s one point you want to make?” They say, “You need to save x percent of your income and invest it in XYZ.” Then I say, “Okay, do you know anybody who didn’t follow that advice and hit had a drastic consequence? Or someone who did and it paid off huge?” Tell me about that person. That’s the story.

• Why this matters to you personally? Lesson: The reason I asked him this, is because he is the sales person. We buy from people we like, trust, believe, and know. So our goal is to make the buyer like him before he starts pitching. Or during. By putting a human face on this seller. Creating a

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human connection. We want to show the buyer why THIS seller cares so much about the product – downtown and its revitalization. We also want to make sure that the buyer sees you as a real person – do you have kids, a dog, a military background, an annoying neighbor. We want you to be PERSONAL. And in addition to you just being personal, we can make you personal in a way that is like your buyer. To show them that you are like them – that you get and understand what they are going through – that you have things in common – that you have struggles and desires in common – that you both really want the same thing. This is why I often look at the personal seller profile last, because I want to be strategic and reveal about you what relates to the buyer we have already profiled. This is spelled out in my book, and gives you worksheets to gather the data every time your seller/product/buyer changes. Without even knowing his answers, I am wanting to find out if he has experiences living in Poplar Bluff, or a town like it. Having a relative who taught him the value of investing in the community. If he knew someone

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who built a company in a place where it was overshadowed by the big box store. A story about two guys he went to school with who wanted to start a business in town and they chose downtown. Etc.

o His answer is how much he cares about his town. So this tells me that the buyers he is aiming for is ones who already live here, or who may be graduating and he wants them to settle here. This is an easier sell than to the ones who are relocating from somewhere else. You really need to tap into what would motivates a young person to want to stay also. This is going on in my own city. So I get it. Recently I just heard stories that made me care again. Again, it was the stories – when I already had known the facts. o So you need to really dig deep into why someone would want to stay rather than move somewhere else – and then have your main character reflect those feelings – so your buyer can go, “Oh, that’s how I feel.” Or realize

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they want something they didn’t know they wanted. Just like I didn’t’ care about my city until people made me care about my city.

• Why did you take on this role? Okay, I LOVE LOVE LOVE how you talk about why this job means so much to you. I’m wondering if you were ever sharing that. It’s quite persuasive. I hear your story and I connect and want that too. So this pitch story is really going to center around your story, but we will weave other people into the story – business owners who have hopefully already invested – so we can make it even more persuasive.

What’s the Story?

After I have gathered all the facts (above) in the data gathering stage, I will then find the story.

• Story is not a list of facts

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• It is about someone’s experience – puts a human face on it • I usually go to a customer story – or someone who bought the product and benefitted o Someone who already has a business in Poplar Bluff o I would have the story include a buyer moving into town and one who already lived here – or even three or four • That’s what I’ll do here • I also want to weave in Todd’s story – he’s the seller – putting a personal face on him • And I want to make sure I put a human face on the product (Poplar Bluff) and the story of what a revitalized downtown will mean to the people

I’m going to make up a bunch of stuff for the sake of time, and because I just want to give an example of one way among many that it could be done – and show you how I can weave a LOT into one story to accomplish many of those talking points he included in his answers.

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As I read through Todd’s notes, I realized that he isn’t really selling a product that exists, that has customers who have used it and can become success stories. If Todd does have some businesses already in downtown, then we need to include them in the story. But it really feels like he’s selling the VISION of what downtown could be like for those who live there – how it could help the community – why they should care – and how they can be part of something really amazing. In essence, it’s a story of how we can save our town. So I’m going to go in that direction with the story, focusing on a buyer who lives there and loves his community. We could always write a different kind of story to sell someone moving into town to relocate a business.

The message of the story is that our town is dying and we can either move, and leave everything we love, and go chasing something that exists somewhere else – or we can stay and fight. We can build back.

We can create the same thing they have there, just as easily here.

We just have to see the opportunities instead of the obstacles – come out of our comfort zone – trust that there is a way – and invest

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in ourselves again. The point of the story is to remind people of what they love about the town – how it could look – and paint the picture of a thriving downtown being the thing they need – and that if we keep going at this rate, we will all suffer. That when we invest in one, we invest in us all. We can create a town that will make our children want to stay and raise their families here.

The telling statement from Todd was that he’s not really focused on one buyer in particular. This will make it always hard to get a story that is super focused. I recommend that he create different stories that appeal to different buyers. And for each buyer, I recommend that he find someone like them who DID this, and it was successful. I also recommend that Todd start collecting the stories from the people in downtown and share them – giving them exposure in the city (another benefit) – but giving him stories to share with people who might want to settle their business here. “We are the faces of downtown.” Maybe even have a downtown newsletter and put it on Facebook. In this story below, I am really focused on one product

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(saving our downtown) and one buyer (the person who could help us (and cares about) saving this town – the one who lives here).

STORY – A Town Worth Saving

Hi, my name is Todd Henson, and I’m a realtor in Poplar Bluff. I have one son, and yes, he’s the one beside me in the headshot wearing a matching suit jacket. He’s six. That was take your kid to work day.

Took him weeks to stop wearing it. I still remember that day, when I was walking him through the streets of our downtown, explaining about revitalization and historic preservation and permits. He was obviously not impressed. His friend’s dad was a fireman. Way cooler.

He didn’t get why I was so excited about a bunch of buildings. But one day he will. One day he will see just what we built – for him.

We stopped for lunch at an outdoor café, and my son pulls out of his superman backup, his favorite Lego thing he’d brought with him. You know that massive thing that’s shaped like a spaceship that turns into a monster – or something like that. That cost more than my first car.

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Toys have sure changed since I was a kid. I thought my light up YoYo was cool. I told my son it was a bad idea to bring it out of the house, reminding him how many hours it took to put it together. But he didn’t listen. And, yep, sure enough, he drops it. Pieces go everywhere. Someone accidentally stepped on part of it and crunched it. Some pieces went down the sewage drain on the sidewalk. So of course my son has a meltdown. I don’t really blame him.

I kept trying to tell him that we could fix it. And he kept insisting that “No, it can’t be done. It’s broken. It’s not worth saving.” Wow. #Dramatic Thank you, Disney.

Not worth saving, he had said. I knew this needed to be a teachable dad moment.

And I said, “Son. Stop saying it can’t be done and that it’s not worth saving. As long as you say that, you will be right. You need to change your perspective. Stop telling yourself a story that it can’t be done.

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Write a different story in your head. Prove that other voice wrong.

Find a way to build a new one. And you just might find you like it just as much – if not even more.”

The words I told my son, were the same words I had been telling myself for a while. You see, he wasn’t the only telling me it can’t be done. That it’s not worth saving. They had once told me the same thing about this downtown - the very spot where we were sitting.

Downtowns mean a lot to me. I’ve traveled a good bit over the years for work, and in most cities I visit, I usually head to the downtown to get acquainted with the area. See what they’re known for.

I still remember this one particular downtown that I visited several years ago on a crisp Fall day. It was small and charming and just awesome. The streets were brick. It had an artsy vibe. You could smell fresh coffee everywhere you went. There were musicians playing on the corner. They had music piped in above the sidewalks, and twinkly lights strung through the trees at night. Kids were playing 31

on the sidewalk, while dogs slept at the feet of their owners. I was absolutely charmed. I didn’t want to leave. I was there for several days, and when I wasn’t working, I hung out there. I became friends with the three old guys who play chess there on Thursdays. The place was always packed, and I had to park a good ways away. But I didn’t care. It was kind of nice not having some big concrete parking lot.

Which I think was kind of the point.

Downtowns are the core of a city. Think about it. When you go to a city, most of us check out the downtown area first. It’s where everybody goes. The heart of the city.

I felt guilty because I didn’t want to leave this place. And I secretly wished I lived somewhere like this. Everywhere I looked I saw what my own town wasn’t.

You never saw people just walking in our downtown. Most of the stores had closed, or were barely open. Businesses had been leaving at a steady pace. The money coming in, just wasn’t enough to be 32

really sustainable anymore. We had gone from vibrant, to quaint, to, well, a little sketchy to be truthful. Maybe you know the feeling. It tends to be the chorus of quite a few downtowns these days.

If downtowns are the heartbeat of a city, ours barely had a pulse.

I wondered how long it would take to spread. Because once that area goes, it tends to be contagious until the entire town is affected. Not an opinion, but a fact.

Even though it was tempting to move somewhere else, I knew I would never leave Poplar Bluff. I love it here. My family is here. I grew up here. I still drive past my high school, and where I got married. I wasn’t willing to give all that up. I wondered if we could ever go back to the way it used to be.

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We had tried to do things to revitalize the downtown. But they never seemed to work. Not enough money. Not enough interest. Or it just didn’t work. People kept saying, “It’s not worth saving.”

But something in me began to wonder. What if? What if we could change it? Or even more important – WHY NOT? If that downtown could, why can’t we? And I had a vision to create a downtown that my family could be proud of – that my kids would grow up in – that I would never want to leave.

I knew I needed a plan – something they couldn’t shoot down right away. More than just a vision, but proof. So I traveled to those other downtowns – the ones who had done it. And I heard story after story of how they rebuilt. How their community was re-energized, the population was growing, the college students were now staying after graduation to work and raise their families there. They saw a growth in tourism. And most of all, I saw the pride in where they lived – and what they had created. And in their stories, I studied their plans,

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found what they did to make it work. And I realized that if they could do it, we most certainly could too.

Turns out I wasn’t the only one who wanted to get our downtown back to the way it once was. There were many others who craved to build something better. Investors jumped on board.

We brainstormed ideas and ways of doing things that weren’t the way we had done it before. We didn’t take no for an answer. And we refused to focus on excuses, and what we weren’t, and focused on what we wanted to be! It was cool as heck. You could feel the energy shift as people got excited and more wanted to come on board. Sure, there were obstacles. Things like parking, and historical preservation, and the cost of renovations. But people could see that this wasn’t just about putting some new stores in – it was about the vision. And that was big enough to pull us out of our comfort zones, and to keep finding our way around the bumps in the road.

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Slowly we watched the downtown come to life again. Businesses started reaching out to us – the ones who had been craving a unique environment for their unique culture. More people began finding reasons to come, as they heard of new shops opening. The expansion of the coffee shop. The concert in the park series beside the new food truck court where people could eat food from over twenty different cultures!

I heard people say over and over that they couldn’t believe this was the same place! And I didn’t hear anyone complain about parking!

And the tables in the park are always filled with chess players. Oh, yeah, and you’ll love the twinkly lights and the piped in music. I think what I love most of all, is the look of pride on our people’s faces – that this is their downtown. Something we all built and can enjoy together. Not just for us. But for our kids.

The heart of our town had started beating. And not just a slow steady pulse – but a rapid rhythm that isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Just ask the businesses to tell you how much growth they’ve seen!

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As I was walking my son through the streets that day, I realized that we had done so much more than just a revitalization project. We had re-energized a community. A team of people who want to be part of something bigger. Who have a vision of what they want their downtown to look like – feel like – and the experience they want to create.

And we pretty much have one goal - to bring magic into the downtown.

To fight the idea that everything has to be bigger, brighter, noisier.

We want smaller. Safer. Happier. Quaint. Eclectic. Charming. A place that doesn’t look compete with the concrete big cities, but prides itself on slowing down and enjoying the moment. On visiting with shop keepers instead of ordering online. Enjoying coffee with our friends over a game of chess. We choose comfortable over convenience. And we’re proud of that.

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Our city was at a dangerous turning point. But we linked arms.

Because we know that what we do for one affects us all. We know that if we don’t take care of the heartbeat of our city, it will slowly kill off everything else. That’s not an opinion that’s a fact. When downtown falls, so goes the surrounding areas. And as each community shuts down, it becomes something we don’t want our town to become. So we changed that.

There were many, like me, who said it couldn’t be done. That it wasn’t worth saving. They were wrong. All good things are worth saving.

And now we want to share this amazing opportunity for you to become part of something really special. We are a strong team of investors, business owners, patrons, and people who aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty to build something we love. We’d love for you to be part of our story.

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You know that when you get in on something early, you get the best deal. To be quaint, we have to be limited. We are looking for people and businesses that want to be part of something fresh and unique.

Who want to pick out the best spots. To be in on this when it really hits its stride.

I love what I do. I am invested in my work. Because I am invested in my city. I know that what I am investing in benefits me, my children, my family, my neighbors, my church, and my community. And by invest, I mean that this is where I chose to spend my money, support local businesses, and do everything I can to help my town.

I hope you are just as excited to invest your downtown. As my son will now tell you – as long as you write a story that says it can’t be done, you’ll be right. So maybe it’s time to write a different story – and prove them wrong. And you might find you like it just as much – if not even more

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I’m Todd Henson, and I would love to chat about how you can become part of our magic.

Angie Mullins / Why You Should Attend the State Conference

Assignment Angie Mullings - Broker who can pitch to their broker colleagues why they should attend a state conference.

Questions and Answers

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What reason(s) will they have for saying no? Takes too much time away from business. What is discussed there doesn't impact me. I've been before and really didn't get anything out of it. Good that you know their reasons for not coming. I am part of an association and very tapped into why people come and why they don’t, and they are the same reasons. So I might have a good perspective on this. In terms of the value of the

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conference, I’ll leave the “fixing” to you. Not my job to help you create a valuable state conference. It’s my job to help you convince them it IS valuable and why. How? By tapping into what they REALLY want, not what you are selling them.

Sometimes what we think they want, is not really what they want, and there could be a deeper hidden motive you’re not tapping into or illustrating. Your sales language might not be compelling enough either. It might be depending on the data to sell it, when people are more driven by the stories and the testimonials of those who came. So gathering stories from people who come to conference and will never miss one, is HUGE. Not just gathering their stories, but making sure you get the information and craft it in a way that is strategic, not just “It was great!” Don’t leave it up to them. Give them a template so you can have a finished story that has the persuasive components I teach you in my book – character, conflict, resolution, emotion. You want each story to talk about a pain your attendee had (that mirrors your typical/ideal buyers) and how that pain was making them feel – or a desire,

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and how that was making them feel – and how the conference (someone they met, a session they attended, networking with someone in the hallway) solved that problem, and this problem – and the result of having that problem solved – and the emotions attached at every step of that process – and the lesson learned – and the “I know what you’re thinking” – and encouragement to the listener to just come and see for themselves how great this conference is.

You may be saying, But we already tell them that! Yes, but telling is not the same as SHOWING. This is simply taking the talking point and wrapping it in story to deliver it in a more persuasive way.

Lesson: Before we write a story, we gather the data on the three connection perspectives – to give us a good understanding of the pieces we might want to include. We gather the data and create a profile on the product (conference), the buyer (ideal attendee/s), and the seller 42

(you, the team, the president, etc.). This step is very important because it forces you to really get a deeper look into what your attendees care about, and how to show them that you (personally, and the association) gets them. Be sure to put a human face on the association staff/committees/etc.

Often there can be an us/them mentality. You are the sellers.

You want them to see you as people. With names and faces and children and pets. You will have more impact if you do, and less push back. Don’t forget that statistics show that doctors who are liked by their patients are sued less often.

Remember that people buy from people they like/trust/believe/know.

•

Who is the person (or persons) that you are trying to convince?

Tell me a little bit about their job, their life, and what motivates them. JOB - Day to day operation of the brokerage, managing agents and staff (communication, coaching and training of agents), handling complaints, risk management. LIFE - Hectic, always on call, constantly on the

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phone, making hard decisions MOTIVATION - Not all brokers are the same but among the motivation I believe is: agent success, company success, personal gain

Obviously you know what kind of life most of your buyers are dealing with. You know the hassles of the job. The rewards of the job. And the kinds of things that buyers in your particular region might be facing (issues their state is going through, for example), or issues like Covid that might be affecting their jobs in a particular way. I know in my own association, I can easily spit out all the things a typical speaker does, has to deal with, is struggling with right now in 2021, and how they are trying to balance that with whatever is going on in their personal life. I could fill out a buyer profile for them and it would be quite extensive. A full page easy. I’m hoping you could do that too.

If not, go a little deeper into getting those words on paper. The key is not just naming everything they do – but rather describing in a human way, what it feels like to have this job.

Emotions are key too. Lesson: Remember that we aren’t just

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telling them what they do for a living (they already know!) – but rather telling stories with characters in them who have pains and desires and emotions just like them – so they recognize themselves in the story and identify with the main character. When this happens, you are forcing them to interact with your message and test drive your solution, in a way that your information could NEVER do.

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What happens if they don’t listen to you and act? And then what will happen? And then what will happen? They miss out on information that is vital to their business. They miss out on keynote speakers that inspire and rejuvenate. They can't pass along the things they could have learned. They continue their day to day without getting the inspiration. Their agents are disengaged and miss out on opportunities. Their clients suffer because they don't have the latest information.

Wonderful grasp of why this matters so much. You could even

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go further into it – if they miss vital information, what could happen, and then what could happen as a result? I think it would be SUPER COOL to tell a story about someone in your industry (could be in another state, someone they don’t know) who didn’t get this information that was vital to their business, and the result was AWFUL. They paid for it in a big negative way. And/or a story about someone who did have this information ahead of time and how they were able to be ahead of the competition because of it.

The words you use above to explain what they are missing are flat words that don’t really have emotion to the listener.

Meaning they don’t persuade. They tell, they don’t show. This is where story can help. Story can put a specific face on this.

Tell the story of ONE person, not many. A collective “they” can’t be connected to. I would much rather you tell me about the experience of one, rather than sum up the experience of many. And, in fact, telling me these things about many people tends to be facts, not story. Lesson: The very definition of a

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story, is not a list of facts, but rather an experience that someone has, with a beginning, middle, and end. A before and after. A problem that gets solved. The story of what one person gained (specifically) from having attended last year’s conference, is MUCH more powerful than telling me that a lot of people found it helpful.

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What happens if they do? And then what happens? And then what will happen? They get to see the bigger picture. Learn how what is happening outside their bubble effects them. They hear about trends and issues that may be on the horizon. They get inspired! They come back to their offices rejuvinated full of information to pass on to their agents. This makes their agents better and thus their clients are better served.

Again, a story of someone talking about how they were burned out and wondering why they got into this job in the first place

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– feeling like they were going through the motions – and then in one unexpected moment, they heard the words that changed everything – is much more powerful than just saying people come and get inspired. And I think a story beats a couple of line of a testimonial. When we all talk to each other about whether we are going to convention this year, we talk to each other. To see who’s going and why. When people come back, we ask them how it went, what they learned, etc. Our association should be taking our stories and posting them – so that everybody in the association hears the story of why Kelly went and how it changed her business. And people should be guided to speak about one specific example, instead of just gushing about how much they loved it.

Here is one of my story examples from a past convention, that I posted in the association facebook group page, to encourage people to come to convention for more than just who the keynote speakers are, or what the topics. I was trying to show people that the money they spend is far more valuable than

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just the information they take home in a notebook. So I told them about my experience. Here was my post, and it is an EXCELLENT example of something you could do in many different ways to sell different features of your product, connect to different buyers, and have different tellers of this story.

In Angie’s case, I didn’t create a new story, because this one that I wrote would be perfect for her to model after and achieve her goal. So this will be my example for her.

Story: The Hidden Value of the Hallway

I will admit that every year I'm about to "write that big check" to attend convention, I stop and determine its value.

I look at the general session presenters and what value I will get from studying them.

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I look at the breakout sessions to determine whether their topic is relative to what I need this year, and whether that presenter has the earned credibility to teach it. All while knowing I can just buy the sessions later if I don't want to go to convention.

Then I look at the value of seeing my best friends in the one place where I am sure they are all going to be , because it's so damn hard to get everybody gathered in one place anymore.

I look at the value in having time away just for me - to surround myself with people who "get it". To see that they still have gigs that stink sometimes too. It fills me back up.

I also look at the value in not just seeing people, but having people see me. I get business from my peers, and having them see me, reminds them that I'm here, and gets them more acquainted with my work, and we both see ways to help refer each other.

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I look at the value in attending the banquet where I honor my peers, watch more of them share their talents, get glimpses of the faces long gone who paved the way, and get filled up on the spirit of this association and the people who have dedicated their lives to it.

And usually I can stop there and consider it money well spent.

But this year I looked at another value of this Convention - THE HALLWAY.

I will admit that most years I hide in my room at Convention during the off times because I am an introvert (gasp) and need those times to get in a quiet place when it gets too much for me. But this year, I forced myself out of my cocoon more - to go simply stroll the hallway. In fact, I actually scheduled "stroll the hallway time" into my schedule.

And it changed everything.....

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There are some who might consider the hallway as irrelevant to convention - having nothing to do with price of admission. But this year I realized that the hallway might actually be one of the biggest values in the price I paid to be here.

In the hallway, I met new friends that I loved instantly. In the hallway, I got to meet speakers from the flippin' Hall of Fame, who wanted to know more about me! In the hallway, I got to hear people discuss their secret ideas. In the hallway, I got to learn what mistakes that speaker made, and how that speaker made their first million. In the hallway, I got to rub shoulders with the masters of the craft. In the hallway, I got to share my new dreams and have speakers say, "Count me in. I want to help you make that happen." In the hallway, they laughed at my jokes and called me friend.

I'm not sure that the price of convention can ever reflect the money I will make because of that Hallway.

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I am writing this in the hopes that next time you hesitate as you "write that big check" for convention, that you will include in your decision, not just the programming and the speakers chosen, but the beauty of what is happening outside the program in the hallway.

If the Conference didn't exist, there would be no hallway.

To network in the hallway is part of the price of admission. Please don't overlook that hidden value.

Thank you to the NSA Staff, and all the speakers who gave tirelessly not just for creating amazing programs, but for creating amazing hallways.

Once I found this post, I realized that this is exactly the kind of story I would have Angie write. Change out the details. Find someone of influence to tell it (make it true to them – authentic). Get it in their own voice. This story sells much more than just what the conference 53

does – it sells why you need to be there. And you can certainly tweak what this main character learns, gets help on, what problems get solved in the hallway – or just focus on specific problem and that will do the job too.

•

Tell me why this message/project matters so much to you personally? Why do you care? I learned first hand how attending the meeting and gathering the information made me a better leader. I spend half my real estate career with my head in the sand not being involved. Now I understand the bigger picture.

You have a great story here about leadership and how maybe you were nervous when you first took on this role. Not wanting to get involved. Worried you didn’t have the time, the knowledge, or the energy. Worried that it would take away from your career. When actually it empowered your career. It gave you X, Y, and Z. And it was, in short, life changing. So if you’re sitting there wondering if 54

you should be involved, thinking maybe you don’t have the time, or that it might be a distraction from you work. I think you’re wrong.

Come ask me about all the new business I’ve booked as a result of this position. And if I could do it, with no experience, then you can too!

See what I just did there? I made it about the listener. That’s a piece of the equation that I show you in my book – action step. Stories aren’t just about you, they are about the listener.

•

Tell me a little bit about why you chose to be in this role standing here today? What reward do you feel from doing this work? What challenges do you face? I'm assuming by "this role" you mean my volunteer leadership role. I choose to be a volunteer leader for several reasons. I've built some amazing relationships and made friends across the state. I feel comfortable sending them referrals or reaching out to them with questions or concerns. I have become a better 55

leader. I'm more knowledgable about potential issues coming down the pike. I can take all of this back to my agents so they are informed and therefore provide better service to our clients. The challenge is always time and scheduling. I feel it's important enough and the benefits are great enough to take the time and block off my schedule.

Wonderful. I asked you this because we are buying you too, when you try to persuade us, and we can’t buy someone we don’t really feel like we know. So I am always looking at how to make you personal. How to put a human face on the brand (the association).

Lesson: We buy from people, not systems. AND when you are able to show me why this means so much to you (the association, the conference, your involvement) then it is more persuasive and emotional. I care when I see you care. That’s how you get people to care about what you care about. And you attach it to what THEY care about.

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I think Angie will have no problem creating a portfolio of stories from different faces of the association to tell the stories of the value it has brought them. And each person on the team (headquarters, staff, etc.) could/should have their own personal why story. Why they do the work they do – why it matters to them personally – why they care about the brand they represent and the people they serve – the reward it brings to them personally.

Matt Muren / Why you should invest in RPAC

Matt Murren - Local RPAC Chair who can use existing materials to convince someone to invest in RPAC.

Questions and Answers •

What is the message you want to deliver from this assignment? The point you want to make? What does the person you’re trying to persuade really need to know?

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o

In my opinion, the key/point in this scenario is to get to the individual “Why” for this person as quickly as possible. This is the Pain/Pleasure component of the “sale” (the motivation to avoid pain, or seeking pleasure) to get them to be willing to invest in RPAC.

o

Realistically, when convincing someone to invest in RPAC, the “pleasure” route (recognition, fun events, trips, upgrades, etc) probably applies more and is more effective. Many of the “pain” items are viewed as more industry related rather than personal (though the “Your RPAC Dollars working for you” piece does speak to the pain/negative impact avoidance).

o

The person we’re trying to convince needs to know how RPAC applies to them personally, how it makes their life better, and why investing is important.

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Is there anything else they need to know about this? (Again, bullet points are fine)

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o

If the “gain”, or positive, to investing in RPAC is viewed by the person as greater than the cost/dollar amount contributed, then they will invest in RPAC

•

What reason(s) will they have for saying no? o

Most likely reasons for saying no: Personal finances/income don’t allow for investment Disagree with earlier RPAC supported candidates or causes And/or: Concern that their money will go to support a candidate or cause they don’t agree with Don’t believe in the importance, or the idea, of political advocacy and therefore don’t believe that their/association money should go towards that item

o

Ultimately, it comes down to lack of knowledge by the individual of what RPAC is and what it does

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•

Who is the person (or persons) that you are trying to convince?

Tell me a little bit about their job, their life, and what motivates them. o

While there would probably be different items of importance (hence the importance of getting to the “why”) for each individual, the audience would be your “average” agent.

Per NAR: 65% are female Median age is 52 with 8 years of real estate experience They have been at their current broker for 5 years They work about 35 hours a week Median gross income was $43,333 in 2020 & they did 10 transactions

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NAR states that the “typical” Realtor is: a 54-year-old white female who attended college and is a homeowner.

Most likely motivation is to make some money and stay active/continue to do something •

What happens if they don’t listen to you and act? And then what will happen? And then what will happen? o

At the individual level, nothing really. But as the cumulation of individuals who don’t act grows, the industry/association loses leverage/clout/ability to make an impact. Then we have less control in our industry/society to make an impact for our members and the general public.

•

What happens if they do? And then what happens? And then what will happen? o

At the individual level, nothing really. But as the cumulation of individuals who do contribute grows, the industry/association gains leverage/clout/ability to make an impact. Then we have more control and options in 61

our industry/society to make an impact for our members and the general public.

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Tell me why this message/project matters so much to you personally? Why do you care? o

I recognize that our profession/industry is currently under pressure from external forces and we have to make sure we continue to have a “seat at the table” to continue to protect our members and the public on real estate issues.

o

I would like to protect my livelihood/industry and make sure other Realtors have that opportunity in the future.

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Tell me a little bit about why you chose to be in this role standing here today? What reward do you feel from doing this work? What challenges do you face? o

Investing in RPAC is an important contribution to our real estate industry. By continuing to get Realtors to contribute to RPAC, and increase its awareness by members, I know we are making a difference in our industry and markets.

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o

The challenges would be to break through the “clutter” of communication/emails/events/etc that we as Realtors received on a daily basis.

•

Is there anything else you want to tell me or think I should know about this? o

Missouri Realtors does a great job with RPAC and we have some strong individuals in a variety of roles supporting this important cause.

You have a great grasp of your product, who the ideal buyer is for that, why don’t buy, why they need this, and admitted that they don’t always understand what it is and what it does. So they don’t really see the value. You admitted that it’s often the perks that they get swept up in. You do amazing work for this industry – you provide an incredible value. And it might sometimes feel hard to convince people why this matters. This will always be hard if you are just focusing on telling me why it matters. That doesn’t convince me.

Show me.

Story is your Trojan Horse.

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Lesson: The main thing here, is that you need to get your ideal buyer to care about this. You need to show them why you care about this. Why RPAC cares about them. Why you care about them.

And how this helps them get what they care about. Far more valuable than a list of what you do, is a story of why you do it, and why it matters to you, to the world, and to them personally.

So your job is to show them what it does in a way that means something to them. Telling people what you do, doesn’t have any persuasive ability. Showing them the transformation in their own lives, does. And the vehicle to do this, is story.

I took some creative liberties and just made this story up, to show Matt, and others, how this can be done. He can take this story and make it work to fit his own details.

I want to make sure this story has something personal about Matt so I feel like I know him as a person – something personal about RPAC and the brand people who work for it – something about a buyer who has benefitted from being a member and what it has

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meant to them– and something about that buyer who needs this and why it matters to them Note: Mention Matt’s pitch and how I completely rewrote it to be more of a sell RPAC pitch where the call to action is buying a ticket to trivia night.

Optional Bonus Question: Matt’s “Pitch” for Trivia Night Assignment: If you REALLY want to get the most value, or perhaps create something that will really benefit you, then feel free to write out the entire pitch as if you have five minutes (or less) to make your case. But it’s optional. Some of you already know exactly what would you would probably say in a situation like this, and if you feel like sharing that, I would love to see it. Please don’t spend a lot of time working on it, or that will defeat the purpose of showing a “before” version. Stick to what you would typically say in a real situation.

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Michelle, you look like a trivia player to me. I wanted to make sure you knew we have our 2021 RPAC Trivia night coming up on October 15 at 6pm. That has always been a fun event and a great chance to hang out with friends and fellow Realtors. And if you are like me, it a great chance to try all the different snacks everyone brings to share for a great cause. The RPAC committee went with a theme that I can I finally can keep up with ”TV Sitcoms”.

Individual tickets are only $35 and one can secure a whole table of 8 for friends or clients for $250. Beer, wine & soda are included if you can believe that. And most importantly all the proceeds from this event are a direct 2021 RPAC investment to go towards the critically important role of protecting our industry and the public through our advocacy efforts. Can I sign you up for a table today?

That investment will also put you at the Capital Club level, and certainly make you an upper tier Realtor member. With only

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another investment at the later auction or other events this year, you would be able to secure Leadership Club status. Make sure you keep an eye out for those upcoming items, or if you want to go ahead and lock that upper tier status now, we can do an individual donation. Can I go ahead and start that process now?

Matt’s Why This Matters Story Hi. I’m Matt.

I’m one of five kids. The middle kid. The one that tends to get lost in the shuffle. Ignored. Forgotten.

I remember being a kid and getting frustrated because I felt like everybody else was always making decisions for me. Deciding what was best for me. What was in my best interest. I felt so – well – out of control.

Know the feeling?

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Who knew that so many of us as adults would have that same feeling today! Right? Doesn’t it kind of feel like there’s a lot of noise out there in our market and we’re trying to be shout above it? So many topics. So many discussions. So many arguments. I kind of still feel like that little kid sometimes – where those in power are making the decisions for me, without me having a say. Claiming it’s in my best interest. Is it? I don’t remember them asking me first.

There has never been a more critical time to protect the power of our voice, our industry, and decisions made in our best interest. This is our chance to let them ask us first.

That’s why I went to work at RPAC. To help people in your industry have a voice.

I met a woman, Jane, who joined RPAC a few years ago. She was hesitant at first. Worried we would pick candidates she didn’t agree with – didn’t have the money – didn’t really understand what we do.

She also didn’t have the time to take on a cause of such magnitude.

She was busy working, selling, raising her kids as a single mom. Yet she knew there were lots of decisions being made that were not in 68

her best interest for her job or her family. She also felt powerless.

Like she didn’t have a voice. But she believed that same thing that RPAC was founded on – that change starts with us. Every single one of us.

At first she thought she was investing in RPAC - in us. What she learned is that we are really investing in her. I work for her. To find out what her interests are, and go out to be her voice. To make them pay attention. To let her be heard.

She joined our story to give herself a voice.

What she didn’t realize she was getting an entire community. That she was linking arms with other voices to empower each other. She especially loves the loyalty points and all the cool things she can earn along the way.

And the beautiful thing is that it doesn’t take her away from her priorities. We do the heavy lifting, so she can focus on what she’s good at. And feel good knowing that her voice is still being heard.

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If you would like to know more about how you can invest in your own voice again, I have a special invitation to join us at our next Trivia Night party. It’s a good chance to network, share your story, enjoy an open bar, and let us find out what will serve you and make you stronger.

I love what I do, because I love what you do.

You help people navigate the most important decisions of their lives.

You help them take a house and make it a home. You are the pulse of our communities.

And I love being able to support you and unite you, and give you a bigger voice.

Together we can stop trying to shout above the noise, and work smarter within it. I’m here to help you work smarter, so you don’t have to keep working harder to get what you need.

I think we’re in a critical time in our world, where if we don’t speak up, we will be left behind. And what happens out there, eventually reaches us in here. And by the time it does, it will be too late. What

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happens tomorrow for our children depends on what we do today. I think this is one of the most important investments you can make in yourself, your business, your industry, and its future.

Please see me about getting a ticket to our next trivia night and have dinner on us!

I’m Matt Muren. It’s nice to meet you.

Brent Sager / Why you should endorse the MO Nondiscrimination Act

Assignment Brent Sager – State Advocacy Chair who can pitch why Legislators should endorse Missouri Nondiscrimination Act

Questions and Answers and Kelly’s Comments

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•

What is the message you want to deliver from this assignment? The point you want to make? What does the person you’re trying to persuade really need to know? o

I want everyone to know that you can be in favor of MONA without compromising any religious beliefs you may have. This bill simply states that people shouldn’t be able to be fired from their job, kicked out of their home, or removed from restaurants simply for being a member (or an assumed member) of the LGBT community.

o

WOW. That’s a tough one. People don’t play around with their faith. Me included. So let’s beat them at their own game – or rather tap into what matters to them too. And sometimes, like you said, it’s simply about educating them because they have a misconception.

o

I think it’s also about tapping into something they care about just as much – like freedom – the freedom to practice whatever they believe. That’s sacred to us all.

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We live by a set of sacred rules. We don’t want others discriminating against us. o

The idea that today it might that group, but tomorrow it could be yours.

o

And most people of faith can relate to the people in the LGBT community. Put a face on the one being discriminated against, and we connect to the person, not just the issue. You make this issue PERSONAL to us.

o

But people of faith aren’t your only buyer, your buyer is the person who thinks this is how the people of faith will respond. The person who wants to please those people.

So maybe the angle of this story is about doing the right thing, even though there will be those who disagree.

Maybe it’s about how the world needs leaders who do what’s right, not what is easy. And telling them they should be this way is NOT how you persuade. That’s how you push. Stories, however, have a pulling action. So finding a story about a legislator who made a decision to do the right thing, even though he/she was worried

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about how the voters would react – is a good choice – especially if the story shows that the legislator was wrong about his/her voters all along. Maybe it’s a story about a group coming together because of one person.

One person that they all formed a human connection to.

Someone’s story. o

So the best thing to do when raising awareness about the rights of others, is to put a human face on it – let me experience what it feels like to connect to this person who seems like me, and then feel what it feels like to have them discriminated against – so that we experience that pain ourselves.

o

Lesson: Stories allow us to test drive your message – feel the pain of the main character – and the emotions – and share an EXPERIENCE to some degree. That connects people. It’s hard to argue with someone’s story. We are more of a compassionate people than we are not.

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o

Brent, if you have personal experience of any type (where you or someone you knew and loved) who was discriminated against in any way, it would be a good story to tell. A story that illustrates what it feels like to be shunned. The best example would be one directly related to what the MONA would be protecting. If we can make the victim a child, even better!

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Is there anything else they need to know about this? (Again, bullet points are fine) o

Being in favor of this bill only means that you believe ALL people should have the right to housing and jobs.

o

There are religious exemptions that will still allow your churches to operate just like they always have.

o

I teach story as a tool to persuade. Here it sounds like you really just need to get the word out and explain the bill. That’s different. That’s no persuasion. That’s just getting out the information.

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o

I recommend that you have some sort of bumper sticker tweetable, that is easy to remember and repeat, that quickly explains the bill in a way we the core of it.

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What reason(s) will they have for saying no? o

They will say that they are worried about their constituents being upset and hurting their chances of reelection

o

They will say they are worried that they are going to be forced to have a “gay priest”

o

Again, this feels like more of an issue where somebody just isn’t explaining it right. If they are still worried that it might go in that direction, then THAT is where you have to persuade. How the bill can or will not be more than it promises. And good luck with that. When you get that explanation, I can help you wrap it in story.

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Who is the person (or persons) that you are trying to convince?

Tell me a little bit about their job, their life, and what motivates them. o

Republican legislators who are motivated by reelection.

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o

Yes, they are definitely motivated by what their people want – and so this is still about tapping this into what their people want, and the way you phrase it, will be the way the legislators know to now phrase it to their people who push back. Again, I don’t write debating points, or political commentary. That’s not my area of expertise. I simply take your message and help you illustrate it through story so it has more emotional impact. Very hard to do in this case, unless you can tell me stories about how other bills were passed that legislators thought would have the same effect and how it didn’t. Note: Stories are about creating trust between seller and buyer. They are not as easy, when the buyer no longer trusts the seller, or the actions of that seller, or the sellers who came before him/her. We definitely live in a world where it seems that the one controls the narrative wins – and everybody is writing different stories. This is makes it VERY hard to persuade if you’re in a position where people don’t trust you anymore.

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When I spoke to several in the past they told me that they may personally be for this bill but they are worried about their voter base not approving.

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If they are worried, this tells me they aren’t sure. It also tells me that they don’t know how to explain it to their voters. You need a good story they can buy into, and then get their voters to buy into. Again, I think you need to find something the people you think are against this bill are for even more.

Or the things people can’t argue against – or don’t like to be seen arguing against – compassion, kindness, equality, freedom, allowing for different beliefs, loving your neighbor, etc.

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What happens if they don’t listen to you and act? And then what will happen? And then what will happen? o

If they continue to keep it legal to discriminate against a specific group of people, then that group of people will

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leave the state and others will not consider moving to our state. They will prove to that group of people that law makers in Missouri do not have their best interest at heart and they will not feel safe living and investing in Missouri. We will lose talent, tax dollars and a large group of people who would love to be in our state. If you have proof of this, then tell the stories of the people who decided not to bring their businesses here – you just need one BIG example. And/or the business that left. Put a human face on it. Show them through story the impact that it is already happening. If it isn’t happening and you’re thinking it might, then find a story of where it happened in another state. Find stories of groups of people who acted on their belief in a big way.

Now more than ever, we don’t just buy products for what they are, we buy for what their brand stands for – what their company believes. Share a story of how a business’s income was impacted because of their beliefs, and show that no matter what the belief, it affects the

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bottom line, and the entire community. This is a good argument, because maybe the pocketbook matters more to the legislators and their voters.

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What happens if they do? And then what happens? And then what will happen? o

If they take a stand and pass MONA then it will make the LGBT community feel safer being here. I have had many friends move away from our state and others refuse to even visit here (much less move here) because of the way Missouri is perceived by their peers. If this issue is tackled, we could recruit people here with good salaries who will invest in our communities.

o

BINGO!!!! Tell me the story of one of your friends who didn’t feel safe here, was treated poorly in many ways, and negative impact had on them and their family.

SHOW me through their story what it feels like to not be safe in your own city. Give it a face. Make me care about this person emotionally. Then weave yourself into it, by saying you care about your state – and this is

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NOT your state – and you do not want this to happen where people continue to leave, or refuse to move here. Tell us the story that the rest of the world (your friends who don’t live here) are saying about your story. Tell us it’s time to change this story. That we can still hold on to what we believe, by honoring what others believe. And that one day it might be them – but tomorrow it could be us. Encourage us to get involved because change can only happen one person at a time.

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Tell me why this message/project matters so much to you personally? Why do you care? o

It matters to me because I am a gay man living in Missouri. I have been successful here and I have many friends who will never come here. These are people that I know would enjoy what Missouri has to offer but they will never be here because of our policy and the treatment they legally receive here. These are educated people with high paying jobs that would invest in our areas and pay taxes here. They chose to live else wear

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and invest in other areas because they do not feel safe or wanted here. o

Every time I visit another area that is friendly to my community I strongly consider leaving Missouri. But then I think “If everyone like me leaves, who will be here to fight for the future of people like me? Who will young people like me look up to, will they even make it to adulthood?”

o

YES YES YES – THIS is the story you need to tell. Make me fall in love with you. See you as you are my kid. Have my heart break when I think you want to leave. THIS is the story.

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Tell me a little bit about why you chose to be in this role standing here today? What reward do you feel from doing this work? What challenges do you face? o

Quite honestly, I didn’t sign up for this. As I learned more and saw how it affected other people and myself I had no choice but to be in this role. I am not privileged enough to sit back and stay quiet.

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o

I grew up in a very conservative very very religious household and I always felt different and wrong. I never saw anyone speaking up for people like me and if I had seen someone doing that, it would have greatly changed my life as a very impressionable child.

o

My reward is hearing people say things like “Brent, you have changed me. You didn’t even know that I was against LGBT rights before meeting you. You have shown me that “being gay” isn’t what I thought it is. You’ve shown me that we are all people and deserve happiness.”

o

Some challenges I face are closed minded people who don’t even want to hear anything about something that they think may go against their belief system.

o

Again…this is the story to tell. All of us have been impacted by suicide. You are the voice for those who aren’t here today. Show their faces on the screen. Give them names. Tell me what their dreams were. And now tell me that they aren’t here to finish that dream.

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Because life just got too hard. Then tell me you understand what that felt like. Because it could have been you. But you got out. Or at least you chose to fight.

You’re still here. Still not feeling safe. Wanting to live somewhere else, but desperately wanting to fight for your state. To make it a place where you can be proud to walk the streets. A place where you can raise your family.

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Is there anything else you want to tell me or think I should know about this? o

I think this issue goes so much deeper than just housing and jobs.

LGBT youth are 5X more likely to attempt suicide as compared to heterosexual youth.

40% of LGBT people have considered suicide 40% of Transgender adults have made at least one suicide attempt

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Each episode of LGBT victimization (physical or verbal) increases the likelihood of self-harm by 2.5% o

I think if Missouri law makers took a stand to show LGBT people that they are wanted and safe in Missouri that it would dramatically help the numbers listed above. I know as a child I felt many times that no one wanted me around. If I saw people standing up and protecting people like me it would have made a huge difference in my life. Luckily I was strong enough to get through those difficult times in my life unlike so many others. It is all of our responsibility to stand up and let people know that they are wanted in our state.

Brent’s Story as Told By Kelly

Please note that this is a story Kelly has written based on the answers Brent gave to the questions she sent. This story is just an example.

And may not be written in the same way that Brent would have 85

chosen. So please excuse these creative liberties she has taken. She just wants to show you how a story can be an emotionally powerful way to change someone’s mind about a bill. But at the end of the day, it’s Brent’s story to tell, not Kelly’s. And he deserves to be the one to write and tell it.

Have you ever lived somewhere you didn’t feel safe? Where being called names was a normal part of your life? Did you have people in your world who always pointed out everything that was wrong with you? Made you feel worthless? Have you ever been told you don’t belong here? That we don’t serve your kind? Or that everything about you is wrong, bad? Have you had an up close look at the hate in someone’s eyes?

Have you ever been part of a sports game where the ref made a totally bogus call, that cost your team the game, and you were furious about the unfairness of how your team was treated? Have you been on the playground as a child, or even as an adult, and cringed at the cowardly acts of bullies as they beat up on the smaller 86

one? Have you ever walked into a store and been ignored, because you had mud on your boots and couldn’t possibly afford the things in here? Have you ever fought down the fury when your child comes home from school and says they made fun of him - again.

If you said yes to any of these, then you have just spent a moment in the life of someone in LGBT community. Or someone in the black culture. Or Asian. Or the guy at the airport who gets patted down and put on a no fly list because someone was suspicious of his name or the way he looked. Or someone in a Maga hat walking down the streets of Portland. Or the little girl who can’t go to her best friend’s birthday party, because it’s against her family’s religion to participate. Or the boy who is on the spectrum and doesn’t get invited to any birthday parties at all. Or the mother who watches her daughter cry herself to sleep, with cuts hidden on her arms, because she doesn’t understand why she was born into the wrong body.

I think all of us knows on some level what it feels like to be shunned.

To be bullied. To be treated unfairly. And I think most of us don’t 87

want this to be our world. I think most of us want to live in a state where people feel loved, and safe – treated with equality and respect. But sometimes it’s the few who write a different story – a louder story. And it’s time to take away their pen.

I’m not here to tell you what to believe. I think there are way too many people doing that already. I’m just here to fight for your right to believe it. And not be shunned for it, or treated differently for it.

I’m here because above all else, I believe in freedom. And that when the freedom of one is taken away, it diminishes the freedom of us all.

Today it might be that group who is censored, silenced, ostracized.

Don’t think that tomorrow it won’t be your turn.

I am here because my heart believes in compassion and kindness and treating others as if they are angels unaware. I find it ironic that the faith one lives by, can sometimes be used to justify the hate one lives by.

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I am not here to tell you what your story should be. I am here to tell you mine. In the hopes that you will see the world a little differently.

And that you will see why I am fighting so hard for this bill we call MONA.

And I don’t think I’m just sharing my story today. I think I am speaking for the ones who are no longer here to tell theirs. Friends of mine whose dreams died too young. Because life just got too hard.

The suicide (and attempted suicide) rate in the LGBT community is staggering. Today it’s someone else’s child. Tomorrow it might be yours. It’s not okay.

Those are the ones who left this earth. But there are also those who moved away. Who went to find a safer place to live. Where they are treated more fairly. Where they can live where they want. Eat where they want. And have a meal in a restaurant without being told to leave.

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I have met and had friends who won’t move here – won’t bring businesses here – because of the stories they hear about our state.

And this breaks my heart. Because again I know it isn’t the many, but often the few who write this story.

And it breaks my heart because I know there is one way to fix it. At least one way to right a wrong. To simply pass a bill that gives all us the same rights and freedoms.

Yeah. I know what it’s like to be LGBT. I’ve lived the unfairness myself. Life was hard for me too. I just decided to stay in the fight. I have had a front row seat to the stories that you don’t hear enough.

The one who wasn’t hired.

Kicked out of a restaurant.

Not allowed in a school.

The one who was evicted from their home.

Because of what they believe.

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Today it’s them. But tomorrow it could be you.

I believe those words that whispered to me as a child in school: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

And when I sing to my flag, I have the same tears for sweet liberty and pride in my country that you do.

I can’t fix all the wrongs in the world. But I can fight for this one bill.

And I will continue to fight for it. A bill that is commonly misunderstood. As more people write a story about it that is simply not true.

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Will you join me, in this one act of kindness and compassion? To protect the freedom we all love?

Because if we don’t write they story – THEY will. And it’s time we take back the pen.

Michelle Walker / City of St Peters Should Remove Their City Disclosure Form Requirement

Assignment Michelle Walker - pitch city council on why they should not pass an eviction moratorium or sign ordinance or other current issue… The City of St. Peters should remove their city disclosure form requirement.

Questions and Answers

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Note: Michelle said that if she made this into a pitch, this is pretty much what she would say, she would just arrange it in a logical fashion.

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What is the message you want to deliver from this assignment? The point you want to make? What does the person you’re trying to persuade really need to know?

The City of St. Peters has an ordinance that requires all home sellers to provide a formal written disclosure on a specific form. The disclosure is to ensure that the buyer is aware that the home is within the city limits and the occupants must follow city ordinances.

The form is burdensome, outdated, rarely properly executed, unenforced and as such it should be removed from the ordinance.

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Is there anything else they need to know about this? (Again, bullet points are fine)

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The form originated during the construction boom of the early 1990’s, prior to the internet and was to make sure everyone knew the city had additional rules besides the HOA regulations. People were upset about fencing permits and other issues and the form was a way to say that the homeowner in violation should have known the city had rules.

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What reason(s) will they have for saying no?

They want to make sure that everyone knows the property they are looking at is within the city limits.

It’s just one piece of paper.

Buyers should be notified in case they want to look at rules in their decision to purchase.

What’s the harm in the form?

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Who is the person (or persons) that you are trying to convince?

Tell me a little bit about their job, their life, and what motivates them.

The mayor is a full time, elected employee and the alderman are elected part time at a 1/4 of the salary. Some have day jobs, others are retired. They receive a small salary and benefits for serving.

Everything is political and rarely does anyone stick their neck out or make waves. Political egos abound. There are some people that serve with pure intentions, while others are in it for the power and notoriety.

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What happens if they don’t listen to you and act? And then what will happen? And then what will happen?

Saint Peters will continue to have an ordinance that is on the books, but not followed correctly or enforced. If they’re not enforcing that ordinance, does it set a precedence that could prevent the city from 95

enforcing other ordinances? Real estate agents and home sellers are not doing the real estate disclosure until closing at the title company, yet the ordinance clearly states that it is to happen much sooner. The ordinance does not state who is responsible to keep the required disclosure, nor does the city state a timeframe to keep it. By keeping this ordinance in place we are knowingly putting real estate professionals and home sellers at risk of violating the law. (And what affect could this have?) Having an ordinance on the books to require a disclosure of easily accessible information with today’s technology is negligent. The municipality is identified in every single real estate listing and public record report. Agents or title companies that are not located within the city limits are not even aware of this form and therefore violating the ordinance on every single transaction. There are over 100 municipalities in a two county area and the city of Saint Peters is the only one with this disclosure form and supporting ordinance. (? How does this hurt people in your community? If they found out about this risk, would they be upset?)

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What happens if they do? And then what happens? And then what will happen?

If they get rid of the form, real estate professionals and home sellers will not be violating city ordinances (helpful to show me what the big deal is about violating city ordinances) in nearly every single transaction that occurs. There would be one less ordinance that hasn’t been enforced, is outdated and hasn’t served a purpose in 20 years. They will be seen as hero’s by the real estate professionals and title companies that know about the ordinance. (show me how making heroes of the real estate professionals and title companies would matter to these people you’re trying to persuade.) We can get no clarification on who has to keep the forms and for how long, so it will be one less concern for the real estate professionals that sell in our community. So this is something that really eases a burden for YOU, yes? And, if so, I might change my angle to be less trying to convince them why this is a dumb rule, and more why they should be concerned about making this large group of their constituency (you) unhappy. You want to show them how valuable you are to the

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community, and how you need their support in this. Because when they have your support, it helps them in these ways….

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Tell me why this message/project matters so much to you personally? Why do you care?

As a real estate professional in this community and a person that tries to follow the laws and ordinances, it pains me to know that we have a requirement that is not clear, yet could put us in legal jeopardy (What would this mean? What would this look like? Give me an example) If they ever tried to enforce it. I don’t want people in our profession to break rules or violate laws, but if they aren’t clear, aren’t correctly followed, we work to fix the laws. I am a resident of the city and a real estate broker with 60 agents working in our city. So what is the danger to all of you, by breaking these laws?

What has happened? Or is this something you’re worried might happened? Tell me about specific times when this law caused harm to the buyer, seller, community, etc. You make a good case that it’s causing your industry grief. Now let’s power it up by showing exactly 98

how this impacts these people – with human faces and examples.

These are vague broad strokes reasons. I think your buyer will be more influenced and definitely emotionally impacted by a specific example with a face and a name, and a pain and an emotion attached. You go from telling me what I should are about, to showing me why it matters. More than just telling me it matters.

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Tell me a little bit about why you chose to be in this role standing here today? What reward do you feel from doing this work? What challenges do you face?

I believe in standing up for what is right. There are many people in the community that won’t speak up. As a real estate professional, business owner and elected school board member in our community, I am the voice for many. Beautiful. Let’s make sure it’s clear that you are standing here speaking for …..thousand realtors…..x percent of their constituency. My heart is full when I can have a positive impact on my fellow real estate professionals and others in the community.

My views might not always be popular, but they come from a good 99

place and I am always open to listening and learning from all viewpoints. The challenge with this particular ordinance is that because it is not even enforced, there is no sense of urgency or will to do anything about it. And I see why they don’t have the urgency. It doesn’t feel urgent. It feels like an outdated rule that you want taken off the books. I don’t feel like you have made me care about this over all the other things people are telling me needs to get fixed. It also sounds like a “we need to do this” without a strong why attached, or proof of what this ordinance is actually causing, other than a hassle and a worry for realtors.

So let’s change that.

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Is there anything else you want to tell me or think I should know about this?

I ran for alderman and lost in this city eight years ago. I am known to all of the alderman and the mayor, as I have been elected to the school board for the past six years. One of the alderman is an agent 100

in my office and when she has brought up the issues with the form in the past, there was no will from anyone there to do anything about it. There are several newer alderman that may not be aware of this at all. So you’re saying that you’ve already had opportunities to get this done, and they were always shot done. And so they might be rolling their eyes saying, “Oh here she goes again”. And yet there are new people who aren’t aware that you might be able to convince. Is that what you are saying?

I’m afraid that even with new people you are going to run up against the same problem.

I do think that it will help you to try using story to make your point instead of just making your point with emphasis.

Kelly’s Advice

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I think you can definitely use story over data to influence in a more emotionally compelling persuasive way. Any of you listening who feel like you’re exhausted from saying “we need to do this” over and over and not getting anywhere – this is for you too.

I think you have two stories to tell here – the story of how realtors all over the city are outraged at this useless requirement – and the story of how buyers/sellers are being put at legal risk. The thing is – you can’t just tell my it matters – you have to SHOW me.

So I think we have a little work to do first – gathering the data and creating the profiles of your buyer, seller, and message. My book has worksheets and questions to help you go deeper into creating a profile for each one. Today we’re going to look at a condensed version, just to show you what this involves.

This is my Story Formula – the You, It, Them – merged together in one story to have the most persuasion.

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Let’s look at each one for a moment – in the actual order that I would look at them to gather the data.

Message/Product – This is the thing that you are selling. The message you want to give them. Maybe it’s more than one. The solution(s) you have. The vision you are casting. We have seen through the different volunteer examples, how the “product” you pitch differs.

In your case, your message is the importance of taking this outdated burdensome requirement out of the process. That’s the why. Where I think you can dig deeper, is into the WHY and HOW. Why does this matter. And Why does THAT matter. And why does THAT matter?

How does this impact all the people involved on a PERSONAL level?

How is the community impacted as a result? If we can raise the level of urgency and importance, with real examples, not just a “shaking fist” or “more passion” it will have a better outcome. You want to really explore how to “sell” this thing like it’s the most important thing in the world!!! You want to really SHOW them why breaking 103

the laws already has created problems. You want to show them how this problem is impacting the realtor world – and how that’s impacting the community. When there are so many other issues to address, why should this one be on the table today? For every because (because if we don’t enforce this, what else will we not enforce?) you want to have a strong illustration of specifically how this is/will/could play out. And if we aren’t prepared, what could happen. Why is this worth someone sticking their neck out for? I don’t believe your answers convince me.

Buyer -

You have already told me this about your buyer: The mayor is a full time, elected employee and the alderman are elected part time at a 1/4 of the salary. Some have day jobs, others are retired. They receive a small salary and benefits for serving.

Everything is political and rarely does anyone stick their neck out or make waves. Political egos abound. There are some people that serve

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with pure intentions, while others are in it for the power and notoriety.

So what we see here, is that they aren’t motivated by the same things you are. They don’t care about the same things you care about. You need to tap into what they care about. Going deeper (use profile in my book) will help you really tap into their secret desires and motivations, and tap into what drives them.

Once you determine what they care about most, it will be important that your story and words reflect that.

In the answers above, you are not connecting what you care about to what they care about. There is nothing in your language that shows me what’s in this for me, the buyer.

Remember that people buy the product not so much for what it does, or even why it matters – but for the transformation it brings

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into their own lives. They don’t buy your story – they buy theirs. Still important to tell your story. And the Message story. But you have to include theirs too.

Seller -

Being in sales you know that it’s all about creating relationships, and that people buy from people they like, trust, believe, and feel like they know.

Same goes for selling this idea to the mayor and aldermen. They buy you first. Your likeability factors into this as much as it does when you are selling as a realtor.

So if they buy you first, then creating rapport, and a connection with the buyer is critical before you start telling them what you think they need to do. There are many small subtle ways to do this. Even simply mentioning that you have a dog, or a son who goes to their school.

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But it gets even MORE powerful, when you can show me this issue matters to you personally. How your heart is breaking for the problems it is causing in the community, among buyers and sellers.

The pain you are feeling with you realtor peers all over the city, who are growing more and more outraged as this issue, like a pot bubbling over.

In your answers above (as with most of the answers I got, and that I get with people all over the country) there is a lot of information, but very little that helps me know you as a person. That is the part people leave out the most. The personal connection between buyer and seller. The moment we don’t just see you as another talking head, but as a person like us. A mom like me. A sports fan like me.

Etc.

The things you share with your buyer on a personal level, show them what you value. And you are showing them (strategically) that you value the things they value. That you’re in this together.

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Note: Data can’t show people who you are. Information doesn’t make someone like you. It can’t. But STORY can. The value of a story is transferred to its teller. Stories show us who you are without you having to tell us.

Finding the story to hold all this…

Once you’ve gathered all the data and the three perspectives you want to include, you will then be deciding what story to tell.

Note: A story is not a list of facts. It’s a story about something that happened to someone. An experience. Someone with a conflict and a pain and an emotion. It’s the human face put on your message.

Like I said, I think you have two stories to be told here – the realtors outrage, and the pain to the community put at risk of breaking the law. And I think you can tell both stories in the same story.

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But I think you need examples - proof. Specific proof. I can’t “see” the story of a bunch of people who are going to have a problem I can’t really see. I need to see the story of one person, or two, or a handful, who have a specific example of what happened because of this. I think you need stories of people who didn’t realize that there was a city ordinance, and this was a BIG DEAL and had a negative impact on you, them, and the community.

A story of what could happen (a vision story) if these realtors decide to vote for someone who will listen to them.

A petition couldn’t hurt either, to say something like, “Here are the names of the people willing to come here and tell their story.

Closing Thoughts

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I know that everything we have talked about can feel quite overwhelming. Story is not a quick band-aid solution. It’s something you are constantly working on. And there are many ways to get there. And there is no hard and fast right or wrong. It’s a creative process. But if you just let it be creative with no structure, you won’t be as powerful as you can be. So adding the structure that I am teaching you – You/It/Them – will make it more persuasive. Making sure your story has a character with a problem and emotions attached – will make it more emotionally compelling.

Even if you don’t have time to craft it. Aren’t sure if you have everything in there that should be. Not sure if you’re telling it right.

Or if it’s too long or too short. Know this: Speaking from the heart about personal experiences, will get you further than you have gotten before.

At the very least, whenever you have a point to make on a platform, ask yourself if you can drop in a quick story – a real life example of

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your message. That’s all story is. A real life illustration of the point you want to make.

Your free gift (www.KellysFreeGift.com) has everything you need to master this skill. And I’m always waiting if you have a story you need to make better. It’s kind of my thing.

I hope you had fun joining me in that magical place where the art of story meets the business of persuasion.

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