Lynn Tranchell - The Importance of Storytelling - Episode 43

We kick off 'Storytelling' month with this livestream version of the June 1st episode of the Smarter Business Podcast, featuring Lynn Tranchell of Clear Ahead Consulting.

http://clearahead.com/

Catch every episode - http://smarterbusinesspodcast.com/

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Storytelling - is it important in your video content? In short:

Yes!

Lynn Tranchell of Clear Ahead Consulting and I talk about it on this episode of the Smarter Business Podcast.

Find out more about Lynn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynntranchell/
Find out more about Clear Ahead Consulting - http://clearahead.com/

Smarter Business Podcast - https://smarterbusinesspodcast.com

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Transcript

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- Welcome to everyone who is joining us on this live stream. This is our June episode of the Smarter Business Podcast where we talk to business professionals who are using video in interesting ways. Please subscribe, share, review wherever you're taking this episode in. And today we're trying something a little bit different. This is a live stream version that we're going to use of the podcast. We're live streaming this episode today on the 31st of May and then we're gonna distribute it to our podcast channels on the regular schedule. First of the month, it'll be up on our YouTube playlist and wherever you listen to your audio podcasts. Part of the reason I feel comfortable doing this is I have a very adventurous guest with me, Lynn Tranchell of Clear Ahead Consulting. Lynn and I have been working on getting her live streams off the ground as part of her membership within the vidwheel Creator Network. So thought it was a good fit. Hello, Lynn, I'd I say hi to you and we'll give you a chance to introduce yourself. - Yeah, so I'm Lynn Tranchell and I have four coaching certifications so I'm a lifelong learner. I keep learning and growing and I share what I learn with the community, especially my clients. Every time I coach I add a little bit, I love adding content. I love doing new things. I'm a much more of a success coach results expert. I understand the science of success so I can help you achieve success in all areas of your life and your business. So you have a business you love and a life you love without sacrificing a thing. - Excellent. Something I think everybody can strive toward, right? Something everybody appreciates that as a good goal to have within business and life overall. So what brought you to that type of work? How did... I know that that you've got an interesting kind of career path, so do you wanna quickly kinda go through that? - Yeah, well, I have a Bachelor's in Psychology and a Master's in Computer Science. My master's project was in artificial intelligence so it's all related. And I started taking classes at my church and then I started teaching classes and I really loved it when people got it. When the light bulb goes off and people start seeing things differently. So that's when I got my first coaching certification and I just keep adding to it. And it's really being a coach is similar to being in computer, a computer consultant because the process is kind of the same. The only difference is in the end if I'm working with you on a computer basis you get a program that makes your life easier. And as a coach, you get that life. So it's still going through the same process of having you decide what you would love and then helping you get there, it's just a different end result. And I really love working with people and helping people create that vision of the life and the business they would love and then helping them get there. - Excellent. And I think that last sentence might qualify but I always ask people to boil what you do down to one sentence to kind of close out this section, the intro portion. - So I help entrepreneurs achieve success. So they have a business they love and a life they love without sacrificing a thing. - Excellent. Again, a great goal for us all to have, I like it. And part of the reason that you're on this episode our June 1st episode of the Smarter Business Podcast is we are kicking off storytelling month on the vidwheel Creator Network. I know that you use storytelling quite a bit within your own marketing and some of your teaching and so on. So how are you using storytelling within your video and then maybe your business in general? - Stories really enhance the content, enhance people remember stories when they might not remember other things. For example, my lives last week were on compassion. So if I was just spewing off statistics on why compassion is important and techniques to become more compassionate, people would get these glassy eyes and probably click next and shoot right by. But by telling a story about how I moved from judgment to compassion, people can identify it. And when people identify it that's where they have that personal connection. And they remember things better. So it's that no like and trust that she's like me. So she likes me. She does things like me so I like her. And it's just creating a connection at a little bit of a different level so that people can hear things in a way that they might not have heard it before. - Excellent. And I think with some of the topics that you speak on too, that can be even more important. So you use compassion as an example. I feel like that can mean different things to a lot of different people. So if you can put it in your own context or a context that relates to your audience you probably have an even more powerful message than if you just came in and gave us the, what was the old trick back in all the high school speeches Webster's dictionary defines. Like that kind of thing kind of defining it by what's in the dictionary versus people's actual experiences. So- - Yeah, definitely. - Excellent, you've already kind of hit on some of the benefits, more you can relate more to your audience. Do you think there are other benefits of utilizing storytelling within your content? - I think it gives people a different dimension to me and also to the content. For example, if you wanna share content and then you share a story relating to the content, it hits more than one learning modality also. So it allows people to learn at multiple levels by adding stories to whatever you're doing so that they can visualize it. It allows you to have all five senses as you are sharing information and helping people. So when you can hit all five senses people 'cause some people are more visual some people are more auditory. So if you can engage all of the senses then everybody is able to hear it. - I like that. That's an excellent point. And it becomes even more memorable. So you've hit on the... Yeah, you can say whatever you want. People have to remember it on some level. The other thing that I would like to get your feedback on is do you feel like it's even maybe easier to create content when you're drawing on your own life experience and you can be like this story, could be related to this subject versus trying to create storylines out of thin air or just through someone's own creativity, I guess. - Yeah, I find that relating it to my own stories or stories I've heard from other people or even things you hear in the Starbucks line makes it more relatable because it's something that actually happened. So you can provide more depth and more details than just creating things. And especially for me, I tend to be a word minimalist. So for me to create the same scenario just from my own words, as opposed to experiencing it it's much easier for me to take one of my stories or story that I've heard and be able to relate that to the content than to make up a story or make up a scenario. - Yeah, absolutely. Now we've gone over some of the benefits of utilizing storytelling within your content. Do you think there are any challenges in particular? - Yeah, sometimes it's just a challenge. It could be a challenge of what to share, how much to share at times it's hard being vulnerable. So I think getting past that fear of vulnerability can hold people back from telling their stories. On the other hand, I think that by showing your vulnerability, people relate more. So if you could get past that concern about being vulnerable or feeling vulnerable, I think people can relate to you even better. - And there's a certain balance that comes there as well. Like some people are willing to share a whole lot more and some people a lot less, and there's probably a sweet spot in there that's not oversharing, but still enough. So people can share your experience within the story itself. - Yeah, exactly. - Yeah. And I can see finding that line being difficult. I also, for my part on the challenges, sometimes you have a great story and you're like this story's fantastic. And then connecting it to a spot in your business where it makes sense can sometimes be a hard connection to make. And I don't know if you've experienced that. That's one of my big challenges with any of this stuff. And then thinking that your stories are kind of worth retelling, I think is sometimes an issue with folks. - Yeah, I actually have a word document with stories in it and I write down things as they come to me 'cause as we're living day-to-day just walking out your house or even watching something on TV or just sitting in your living room thinking about things, stories come to you. So to me it's important to write them down. And then as I'm creating the content I can sort of scan through those stories that I thought about and see which one works best. So it's kind of a multifaceted process is to just get to the point where you think about writing them down and then actually think about looking for the perfect story for your content also. - I think that's a great tip, a great way to kind of frees them in time, even if they're not fully figured out at that point to put them aside and have a chance to revisit them later. And that's also a great practice for any other content that people are creating. Something comes to mind, just jot it down. It doesn't have to be figured out, but you're gonna like when you're scrambling to put a post together having a list of good ideas to go down. - Yeah, I actually put it in my calendar when I'm starting to work on the content. I just put it in my calendar for the day. And when I think things, I just add to it and then I move it to the next day and I add to it and then I grab the content out of the calendar entry and I put it in a word document. So I'm constantly, when things come to me saving those tidbits of information so that I can add them to the content of whatever I'm creating. - That's a great process. How often do you offload your notes from the calendar to the work- - On a daily basis, 'cause I have it in the calendar for today. So at either something time during the day I take the content out and then move it to the next day. So I always know where it is. If I know if the content is still there then it's in today's calendar entry. If I know that I took the information out then I know it's in tomorrow. So it's always within reach. I always know where that is and I can easily grab it and add to it. - And when you take it out and put it on that word document not to dig too far into your processes here but when you do that, are you at that point categorizing it at all? Like this story may work with this or is it still very raw? - Well, actually it's for the current, like I do a weekly I started doing a weekly blog seven years ago. So it's for this week's content, if it is for, that would be a different calendar entry for futures. - Okay. - So I have two different calendar entries one for this week and one for futures and they would go into two different word documents too. - Very well organized. Barb would be proud. So she'll be happy to get a mention. Maybe she's watching now. And I guess, because you kind of brought it up I'd be interested to chat a little bit. This is a little off topic from storytelling but you've made some changes your blog post every week for years, like you just mentioned you recently made some changes to move some of that content over to video, I believe. - Yeah, it was a little bit over two years ago that I started working with you for videos and I was supposed to come into the studio to do my first recording on I think it was Monday or Tuesday and Friday. I think it was Thursday or Friday. I got an email saying we're shut down. - Yep, yep. Yeah, it was right about then. - Yeah, then a couple weeks later I get this package on my doorstep with a camera, a microphone and all kinds of things. And it's like, oh, I'm doing this myself now. - Yep, part of the pivot and yeah Lynn's been a great client through all that. We did that early on where we created the content that you kinda shot it. And we tried to coach you through that. Then we would edit and create it. And since then Lynn joined the vCN and she now has the kit, the set we're both on the same kit part of the vCN membership kit. And Lynn's now making all of her own video content and it's as easy as pushing a couple of buttons and using Nobias. And as I mentioned earlier, now getting in more into the live stream space too to kind of do some multi streaming and so on. - Yeah, so six months ago I went to video and then three weeks ago I went to live. - Nice. And we talked a little bit about that with the blog posts and the video, you can couple them very effectively whether you take video content and turn it into a blog post or take a popular blog post and create a video component to it, they often go together really well. - Yeah, definitely. And it's really been a big help having the vCN because when I wanna do something new, I just hop on with you and either you show me right on the spot or you create a video for me to watch. And so I could keep it forever and know how to do things. And I don't have to be doing the videos and all of the research myself. So that's a really big help for me. - Yeah, well thank you. And was gonna touch on some of what we've done in the vCN a little more and stuff but that's good. And that's part of what we try to do is make it easier for folks to kind of explore what's next within video and how they can continue to use it to expand their footprint and do more with their business and everything like that. So yeah, glad to hear it's working out and Lynn's one of our star members of the vCN always looking for the next thing to create which is what we love to see. And I think with that, I'm just checking my notes. It's live so sorry, like gotta make sure I haven't missed anything here. We've gone through the benefits and the challenges. Here we go. I got one last thing on storytelling. Do you feel like it's a success the strategy of some storytelling? Is it a success or is it getting there? Are you starting more conversations with that type of content or what's happening with the- - Yeah, I think it's a real success. I was on a call. I have calls with partner what I call Partners in Believing every week. And I was talking to them about doing videos and adding stories. And I shared the story that I was working on. And Judy, one of my Partners in Believing said, "Wow I really needed to hear that today." So by putting in a story format again it's like it reaches people at a different level and they're able to really incorporate it and to see things different for themselves. And it touches people in a different way too. - That's excellent. I like that. And success. Love to hear that too. So that's great. So we'll move off of the storytelling unless you have any last thoughts on that. And we will look at there's one question that's been a constant throughout this podcast and all our episodes which it's called the Smarter Business Podcast. So I ask every guest that I have on what's one thing that you've done to make your business smarter? Doesn't have to be video. It's not a trick. - Yeah, no, I think that for me, I'm a lifelong learner. So for me, it's just learning new things all the time and incorporating those new things and then sharing those new things. So video is one of the things stories is one of the things, hearing about other people and how other people do things is another thing. So I think it's just being a lifelong learner and incorporating what I'm learning into my business and into what I'm doing for all of my clients too. 'Cause every time I coach a program, I have programs, I don't really do one offs. I have six weeks to a year long program that you can do. And every time I do it I add something new because I keep learning. And as I learn, I add to what I'm doing. So I think that's what I'm doing to help my business be smarter, help me be smarter, help my clients be smarter help anybody that talks to me be smarter even. So even just in conversations, I share that information. - That's excellent. The lifelong learning is one of those underrated skills. But one of the ones that keep you moving forward all the time, you don't end up in a stagnant state and that's right in the demographic profile of people we look for to bring in the vCN, we love that's what it's all about. Like we're always kinda learning something new. We get done with one project or master one skill and it's what's next or how can I improve instead of feeling like you're done. So that always- - I don't think you're ever done. I think that is, I feel as though as long as I'm alive, I'll be learning. - Yeah. And that's a good way to go, right? Keeps you moving forward. I ask one last question at the end of oral interviews this goes outside of podcasts and everything but I often find, if you ask an open-ended question at the end of an interview you can end up with a really interesting answer. So Lynn, did I miss anything? Is there something you wanna talk about? Sometimes people recommend a book or software. Some people just have a few words of wisdom. Did I knock anything loose when we were talking about storytelling? - Yeah, I don't know when you're talking about books I think finding new books and then rereading new books. Like I was teaching, I taught from this one book for years and I would reread it every single time I taught the class and every single time I reread it I saw something new and the book didn't change at all. It didn't change but I changed. So I saw something new. So I think that even if you have your favorite books rereading them can also help you as you go along. If you have your favorite professional or fun movies to watch redoing that adds to it because you see something different every single time. And even just sharing those books and movies with people or information with people helps too. Because as you're talking, like you said or having an open ended question, things just pop into your mind as you're talking that you had no idea would've popped into your mind. In fact, sometimes I'm talking to people and they say, "Can you repeat that?" And it's like, "No, no, I can't, it just came to me. It came to me, I said it it's gone once I say it it's gone." - It's gone. - Yeah. - Well, but that is, and that goes back to the lifelong learner continuously kind of improving and changing. So when you read the same book, when you have a similar conversation, when you watch the same movie it can be a different experience. I like it very nice Lynn. And I think with that, we are going to close down our conversation today on the Smarter Business Podcast. And I'd like to thank you Lynn for taking the time to come talk to us. I'd like to thank you for being the Guinea pig on the livestream version. - Yeah- - And thank you. - And I love being a Guinea pig. - And thank you for being a part of the vCN your great addition to the group. And I always like to see what you're working on. And thank you to all of you who are listening to us or viewing us via livestream or recorded video, please subscribe, share and review wherever you're taking in this video. So I'll give you one more wave Lynn and we'll bring up our closed graphic here.