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How to Use Storytelling to Grow Your Business (Without Sounding Salesy)
- Nick Hayes
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Recently, I finished reading the book “Stories Sell” by Matthew Dicks.
Two months ago, I finished reading “Storyworthy.”
And in a month or so, I plan to read his fiction books.
I’ve studied storytelling because it’s a versatile and valuable skill that anyone can use.
It can be used to:
• Get a job
• Ace an interview
• Land clients online
• Grow your business
• Teach a class as a teacher
• Find people for your team
• Earn more revenue
• Reach your goals
ANYONE CAN USE STORYTELLING IN THEIR LIFE
But what stood out to me most wasn’t how to write a good story…
It was how many stories already exist in our daily lives.
And how every one of us ignore them.
We’re Not Short on Stories. We’re Short on Paying Attention.
Matthew has this practice called Homework for Life.
It’s simple:
At the end of each day, you ask yourself –
“What’s the most storyworthy moment that happened today?”
Not the craziest, most dramatic moment.
Just a moment that meant something to you.
Even if no one else would understand why.
So I gave it a try.
And what I found was… even the smallest moments, like walking to the mailbox or cooking dinner, hold real emotion.
It’s what makes stories powerful.
And these are the same things people buy into when they hear a story.
In this article, I’m going to go over 7 powerful ways you can use storytelling in your business for revenue growth,
customer retention, and maximum referrals.
7 Ways To Use Storytelling In Your Marketing.
1. Start With a Real Moment
Don’t begin your story with, “Here’s what we learned.”
Start with a moment or a specific situation.
Begin in the story itself. Not with a thesis statement.
Why?
Because people don’t care about lessons until they’re emotionally invested.
And stories are how you get them there.
2. Find the 5-Second Moment
Every good story has a turning point — a 5-second moment where something transforms emotionally, spiritually, or literally.
That’s the moment people remember.
A frustrated client who suddenly feels hope.
A business owner who went from rags to riches.
A woman who finds a significant other in New York.
It’s the moment — the split second — that something flips from the beginning to the end of a story.
Without that moment, you don’t have a story. You have an essay.
3. Trim the Fluff
Most people ramble in stories and give too much backstory.
Cut that.
Get to the moment quickly, then zoom into the details. Use the five senses. Paint a picture for your audience.
4. Use Conflict
If there’s no tension, there’s no reason to keep reading.
You don’t need a massive crisis. But you do need something at stake.
A team almost misses a deadline
A client doubts your method
You hit a roadblock, then pivot
Even micro-conflict creates curiosity.
5. Make Yourself the Guide, Not the Hero
In business storytelling, your customer is the hero.
You’re the guide.
You’re trying to help your customer get from A –> B.
Frodo had Gandalf.
Luke had Yoda.
Your client has you.
The story can be about your company, but it needs to make the client feel like the main character, and like they’re the ones that matter most.
6. Practice “Homework for Life”
If you want better stories, start noticing them.
Every day, ask:
“What’s one moment from today I could turn into a story?”
That one habit will give you:
Better content
More insight
And a near-infinite well of relatable marketing stories
You won’t run out of things to say again.
7. Don’t Sell the Product, Sell the Transformation
People don’t care about your offer.
They care about what it does for them.
Your story should show a transformation:
From doubt → to confidence
From stuck → to clarity
From chaos → to results
If your product helps people transform… show them what that would look like and how it would change their lives.
Final Thought
Storytelling is your marketing.
It helps you become:
More relatable
More trustworthy
And way more memorable
Don’t just tell people what you do.
Show them why it matters.
Paint a picture and be their guide.
If you need help with your marketing and aren’t sure how to use the power of storytelling to market your product or service…
Book a free 60-minute strategy session with me here:
P.S. If you could fix this problem in 60 minutes, wouldn’t that be worth it?
Only 60 minutes to find clarity in where you’re at and know exactly what you need to change to grow your business.
It’s as simple as that.
I’ve personally helped over 20 businesses with their marketing and am currently helping a few others.
If you want to find clarity again, book your free 60-minute strategy session:
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