Storytelling That Sells: 3 Keys to a Website That Wins Clients

The Healthy Hustle Podcast with Rachel Feldman

Rachel: [00:00:00] Hey guys, I'm so excited. I'm actually having Kris Jones back on the podcast. She had such a compelling episode before. We'll definitely put that in the show notes, but I wanted you to hear why story is so important to set yourself apart. And to really be able to have your ideal client view you as this unique personality showing up and stand out from the crowd.

So Kris, can you tell everyone a little about you before we dive into this conversation? Yes. 

Kris: Yes. I'd love to. Um, my name is Kris, as you know, and I am passionate about story. I work with tons of coaches and really help them. Understand on a deep level how powerful their work is. Um, you're great at what you do now, really the, the ticket to more clients is really communicating that in an authentic way, in a way that [00:01:00] feels really aligned with you and in a way that really, truly connects with your ideal clients and.

Um, once you do that, um, I think a lot of, a lot of coaches understand the power of story, but it can be a bit mysterious. Like what is it? Do I have a story? Is that compelling? Um, how do I have 

Rachel: a lot? And it's, I love that you just said that. I hear like, I don't have a story. And then you ask them like five high value questions and all of a sudden unfolds this like many stories.

These migrants within a bigger story and I'm always saying to that coach, you have such a compelling story. 

Kris: I have yet to meet anybody who doesn't. Everybody has a compelling story, period. Um, but the challenge is as coaches, we're just so close to our own business and we're, we're also so close to our own brilliance and our own genius that we can't really articulate it that well.

We kind [00:02:00] of, the things that we think are. just normal or given really aren't. Um, and so often I liken this to being kind of trapped inside of a bottle, trying to read the label that you can only read from outside the bottle. Right. And as business owners. We're all there like it's true for everybody and a lot of the coaches that I work with think like, Oh, if I just work harder at this story or keep working on at it, I'll have a breakthrough and Yes, writing is a huge component of this, but it's, it's less of a writing problem and more of a perspective problem.

What you need is somebody to come in and with perspective, look at the brilliance of your bottle label and read it for you and really read it for you. You have this awareness of how important the work you [00:03:00] do is. And the byproduct that my clients experience time and time and time again is really this deep knowing, um, internally on a cellular level, like, The power of the work that you do and what happens, what happens is more confidence.

So you, you have your story, you have the right words, you know, the, you know, the story that's going to really resonate with your clients. And then you get to reuse that story in every area of your marketing. I'm. A big believer in let's do less, but more effective. Yeah. And I believe. All any business owner really needs is one really powerful story.

And you can use that on your website. You can use it on your social media. You can use that same story. And I show my clients how to do [00:04:00] this. You use that same story on your sales calls. Every coach I work with dreads sales 

Rachel: calls because Before we go on, I just want to piggyback to even some fundamental basics, because I feel like somebody saying they're like, I do have a story, but it's not getting them client.

So how do you find what story is going to be appealing to your clients? How do you discover that within all the stories that you have? 

Kris: Yes. Well, there's typically one core, what I call signature story that every coach needs. And that signature story is once you have it, you can tell it again and again and again, the fundamentals of every story ever, ever told, whether it's a movie.

you went to watch over the weekend or a book you're reading always begins with a hero that has a problem they don't know how to solve and they're looking [00:05:00] for a guide. And so your story is less about like your background or how you got into this. business or your childhood. It's not about that. The story that I would encourage your listeners to tell is really a narrative that invites your potential clients into a story with you.

A story where they are the hero and you play the guide. The guide is more of a secondary character in this. story, which is kind of a relief to most coaches, you're, you're not the central character in your story. Your clients are, you are the guide, which is the, like the Yoda or the Mr. Miyagi. You are actually the strongest character in the story.

Right. Um, so you're, you're very, very important, but you're not the hero. And I think most coaches default to making themselves the hero of their own story. And this [00:06:00] is just, this is just like. It's so normal, right? And this is what most websites are doing out there. Most coaching websites, they're making themselves the hero of their own story.

They're making their website all about them. And they're forgetting to really take the time to make their clients that central. character of the story, taking the time to really connect with them. Like just like if you'd meet somebody new for coffee, you would sit down and you'd really connect with them before you started coaching them or telling them about how you could solve their problem.

You would connect first. And that is such an essential part of telling a story. Um, So you don't want to make yourself the hero of your own story, but the, the, the thing that happens a lot is a coach goes into business and they're like, okay, I need a website. I got to [00:07:00] crank this out. I got to get on Wix or Squarespace, and I'm going to follow the templates that they give me.

Okay, they're In this section, they're telling me to talk, to introduce myself and talk about myself. And so you kind of follow the lead of the templates that are given to you. So it's nobody's fault. Um, but this is why it's so common. We're like, it's my website. I should talk about myself. And yes, you should talk about yourself, but there's a time and a place for it.

We really want to. First, the priority is really, really to make our heroes, our clients, that central character. So just to kind of give people a quick overview of the fundamentals of every good, compelling story begins with a hero that has a problem they don't know how to solve. If they could solve their problem on their own.

They would, you know, this is why you have a job because you know how to solve an [00:08:00] important problem that your hero can't solve all by themselves. They're out and about, they're asking their network, they're on the internet, they're looking for a guide who can help them solve this problem. But what happens so much is Um, they come to your website and they're like, huh, she seems wonderful, like a very lovely person, but I'm just not feeling connected or for whatever gut reason I have, this person doesn't feel quite like the right fit.

And so they bounce to another website and they continue their search and they, they think it's because, you know, They just don't click with you for whatever reason they don't don't don't feel like you're the right one for them But the truth is you probably are the right one for them. They're just not You're not telling your story in a way that really builds the connect and builds 

Rachel: [00:09:00] that builds 

Kris: the trust 

Rachel: nurturing and trust and then less trust factor 

Kris: People want to work with people they feel connected to, they want to work with people that they trust, and so the fundamentals of story really prioritize that trust building and that connection and that resonance, and then you can step in as the guide, you can give them a very clear and simple plan, uh, the plan is an important part of the story because Um, nobody wants to jump off a cliff blindly.

No one wants to click on your call to action if they don't know where it's gonna lead them. So we want to give them a plan and show them what's this going to look like. And also the plan is an important part of the story because it shows their brain like where the finish line is. They're like, okay, if I, if I go through this plan, the finish line is not far off.[00:10:00] 

And then they have this internal. Um, which is I can do this. And when they have that internal thought, they're really inspired to click on that call to action. And everything that we do in your signature story is to really, it's really in service of them clicking on the call to action. That's how we know your website's working.

That's how we know your social media is working. People are clicking on the call to action. And then we pull them through the story and keep them engaged through what I call stakes and stakes just mean success is to be had, but failure is also possible. And stakes are really the reason we go to a movie.

We sit down and the movie turns on we don't look at our phone for 90 minutes We don't get up to go to the bathroom. We don't get up to get more popcorn Because we need to know what's gonna [00:11:00] happen. And so we use those same fundamentals of story in your website and in your marketing to keep people in It engaged in that level and honestly, nothing has the power to capture our attention the way that story does.

And that's half the battle as a coach is just capturing people's attention, but also becoming memorable. Like, how are people gonna know you and what you do on such a clear and in such a clear and simple way that you're the one that comes. It's first to their mind when they have the problem that you solve.

Rachel: Yeah. Tell me when you're creating the flow of a story. Let's just say for your about me page, because I think from about me page you can use it in so many other ways on social media. What is the flow of story? I mean there has to be something of course of your own journey, but to [00:12:00] what extent do you share that?

Kris: Yeah. I mean your your website is definitely not your resume. Um, it is. It is really about the hero and I'm glad you brought this up because, um, I really believe the way that people are engaging with your website now are on your phone. Mostly they're typically on their phone. They come to your website and this motion, if, if you're listening or if you're, um, if you're on video, you can see me, but if you're listening, I'm holding my phone and I'm doing this scrolling motion.

This is very intuitive. It's very easy to scroll through a page. And in a perfect world, they don't have to navigate to secondary pages. To gather the information they need in order to confidently take that next step with you, right? So number one, you're [00:13:00] about page. I integrate that into the home page Yeah, and so it's really it's really seamless to scroll through a maybe it might be a longer page but it's much more effortless to move through that page and Allow this story to unfold and Intentionally and sequentially as they move down the page.

So your about me section, the way I do them anyway, there it's new, it's nuanced. It looks like an about you section, but it's really about you as it relates to your client. I saw as the guide. As the guide. Yeah, you step in as the guide and you remind them, like, what's possible. Number one, who do they want to be?

Like, I know you want to be a, like, what, how would people want to, how would your clients want people to describe them as, like, [00:14:00] confident? a confident leader in your community or an incredible, incredibly, um, a parent that's like incredibly connected with their children. Um, so we want to begin your about section with really who they want to become.

And then we move into, we really just move into the story flow. So your about section. in many ways, is like a mini story within a larger story. And you kind of repeat, you repeat the flow. Um, and so you start with their aspirational identity, and then you move into like, The problem is, you know, you can't do, you can't be that because of this problem, right?

And then you move into what you believe. And this is what I call a philosophical statement. What you believe is just plain wrong or what you believe is true. I believe, [00:15:00] you know, you deserve a simple path to feeling your best. You deserve a, uh, the support that's needed in order to whatever it is, right?

And then you move into, that's why I've made it my mission to solve this problem. And, and, and then you kind of, you can build some authority there, but it's, it's briefly, you don't need to like brag or boast or list all of your accomplishments. You just need to show that you solve this problem. That's, that's why I've, I've made it my mission to help.

You know, clients like you solve this problem. I've done, you know, I've, that's why for the past 15 years, I've worked with 350 clients solving this particular problem. And then in the about section. Um, I always like to, to answer the question, how are you different from the rest? [00:16:00] And whether you know it or not, you are different from the rest.

Again, I have yet to meet a coach that doesn't have their own unique imprint or their own unique kind of special sauce of how they solve this problem. Here's how I'm different from the rest. And then I do a few bullets of really what, what makes you unique. We call them to action. Um, 

Rachel: yeah, I love that. And where on the homepage do you have that integrated like kind of flow of problems?

And then you get to kind of high, this is, this is me, meet me or meet your coach. 

Kris: Yeah. Yeah. So when, when somebody lands on your page, you have about five seconds to communicate what you do, how it's going to make their life better and what you want them to do next. So I call that the hero section. We're just identifying who that hero is and letting their brain know, like, Are they in the right [00:17:00] place or not?

That's what they want to know. Am I in the right place or not? If they are, if that's resonating with them, they're going to engage in your stories. So you're going to start with the problem and the overarching problem that's going on for them. And then I like to follow that with a few bullets. Um, that get into the nuances of their struggle and this really helps them feel seen.

They feel heard. They feel not alone in their struggle. And they feel like, Oh my gosh, she's in my head. And when you can really articulate their problem in their words, they automatically think you're the best one to solve it. So we want to, there's a lot of, um, there's a lot of layers that happen in that first problem section that are really, really essential to, to telling the story.

And then the other thing that they're asking is, you [00:18:00] know, I, I kind of joke that when someone comes to your website, they've got three questions. What's in it for me? What's in it for me? What's in it for me? So after the problem section, they're nodding their head. Yep. This is, this is where I am. This is just the way it is.

It's, you know, it's never going to change. And then I like to follow that section with just showing them what's possible. Sometimes our clients get so stuck in their problem. Um, they've forgotten what it's. They've forgotten what's possible for them. So it's your job as the guide to really remind them of what's possible.

And the way a lot of coaches get this wrong is they get excited about what they do and how they solve their problem and they get right into features that features working with them rather than the end benefit of working with them. So a different way to frame this. section is to say what's their life going to look [00:19:00] like after they've worked with you.

What's, what's possible for them. And at that point, they're resonating with us because we've articulated their problem. We've shown them very clearly. We've. Spoon fed them early. What's in it for them, right? Their brains fully engaged. And at that point in the story, they're like, okay, okay, this feels really good.

Um, I'm engaged. Who's behind all this? And that's when we move into the guide section where you can step in as the guide guides. True guides don't need to brag or boast. You just need to show up with empathy. You have so much heart and so much empathy for your clients because you maybe have gone through a similar struggle.

And so we want, really want to lead that guide section with just oodles of empathy and some [00:20:00] authority and, um, really helping them understand that you know how to solve this problem. 

Rachel: And when you're extracting that main signature core story to your social media, how many stories would you say that you need to rotate?

Kris: One. 

Rachel: One 

Kris: rotation story? No, I mean, I think everybody needs one story. When you've taken the time to do the heavy lifting of crafting your signature story, you anytime you need to write for social media, you go back to that story and you pick one thing in there. You might pick one problem. You might pick one part of the plan, but you've basically got content forever.

I wrote my Signature story years ago, and anytime I need content, I just go back to my signature story, and I pick one thing, and I write about it. It really depends, too, on [00:21:00] how much you want to post, you know? I personally I don't want to spend my time posting on social media. So I have crafted like 15 very strategic posts.

If you go to my Instagram, there are 15 posts. I've turned my Instagram grid into a really powerful sales page. So you can see on that page, every comp. component of story broken down into a different post, but when they all work together, it allows people to very quickly understand what I do, how I can help them, um, how my process works and what I want them to do next.

So I have taken the entire year off of Instagram posting because I know it's set up to sell for me. That being said, I do do, I do post in reels. Um, periodically based on like if I have something that I [00:22:00] want to share, like a new podcast or something that's going on. So the idea in, in my perspective, the idea is really again, like how can you do less on how can you, um, not have to do the things that you constantly feel like you should be doing.

And social media is a big one because. It's very time consuming. It's not always very effective, but yet as a coach, we really just want to be doing the work that we're on the planet to do. We don't want to be a part time marketer. We don't want to feel like this constant, um, homework is hanging over our head all the time that never ends.

Rachel: Yeah, I love when you said earlier in this interview how you want to work smarter. It's like you want your website, you want your stories to really work for you. Would you say that, um, how vulnerable [00:23:00] do you need to be in a story? Mm. 

Kris: I mean, I, I'm a big fan of vulnerability. Um, 

Rachel: but the client identifies with you and really says this person's in my head.

Kris: Yeah. Uh, I don't think that that requires a lot of vulnerability. What it requires is you really knowing the nuances of what your clients are struggling with. 

Rachel: Yeah. 

Kris: Um, I mean you can, there's a time and a place to say, you know, listen, I. I, I struggled with this my, myself and I overcame it and here's how I did it and now I want to help you do the same thing.

Rachel: This is my mission. Yeah. But you don't think in like the frame, that frame of the about me story, if you do the hard work, you hire somebody like yourself, you're really then getting long term. Marketing strategy forever more. Yeah, 

Kris: [00:24:00] forever more in every area of your business on your social media. If you choose.

If you want to do social media, networking events in person, if you're speaking on a podcast, um, you can, you, you just always go back to that story. It's the fundamental part of your business and it's the most compelling way to help people understand how wonderful you are and what you can do for them and how you're different from the rest.

Um, so yeah, it's, it's really. The ticket to freedom, in my opinion. 

Rachel: So if, if, what are the places that you build, uh, visibility since you didn't do social media? I know the social media works like a sales page, but what are you seeing that some ways to really show up in social media these days? 

Kris: I mean, I, I set up my set my, um, Instagram as a sales [00:25:00] page, but I really think of your website as the center of your marketing universe.

So it's like, it's like the sun and then there are planets that orbit around the sun and there are a million ways to get visibility. Um, and a lot of coaches feel like they need to be doing everything and be everywhere. My philosophy is. Pick two things that you really enjoy. Do you love do you want your own podcast or do you?

Don't know if you don't have time for that. Do you enjoy podcast? Guesting that's a really great way to meet new people and point people back to your website Whatever you do It feels so much easier because you don't have to do this selling, you know your website site's going to do that for you. So it's just, you, you point everybody to the center of your marketing universe.

So for, for my own business, I don't really want [00:26:00] to spend my time posting. So I did some, some deeper work, got my, got my Instagram dialed in. So I have a presence there, but where I really enjoy spending my time is having conversations with people. So my two, I say pick two planets. You do not have to pick more than two planets.

My two planets are podcast guesting and email marketing. Yeah, those are the two. I pay attention to my list. I pay attention to my people. I'm in touch with them regularly on my email list. So that's my one planet. And then the podcast guesting is my other planet. 

Rachel: I love that. What are you saying? Um, you know, I would love to talk about this cause I hear this all the time and I would love to hear your feedback, but a coach will say to me why I've been told I don't need a website.

Yeah, especially in the beginning of being a coach. Now, for me, I feel like I've [00:27:00] never hired somebody without a website unless they were less, maybe they were a referral. And still, I like to see a website. A hundred percent. 

Kris: Yeah. I mean, I think a lot of people are kind of, I don't know, taking that position.

If you want to do a lot more work and you have endless amounts of free time and you like hustling. Um, then don't have a website and do all that, all that heavy lifting yourself. 

Rachel: Fancy funnels. I mean, I think that's the thing when I hear somebody say, you don't need a website. I think you have to have very fancy funnels to be able to do all that communicating.

Kris: Yeah. And even then, I think. If, if somebody is wanting or considering working with you, the first place they're going to go is your website. How many times have you been on Instagram and you're like, Oh, okay, I like what, what she's saying. I'm going to go check out her website. Yeah. If the [00:28:00] website falls flat or there is no website, you're in, you're in a mystery, right?

You don't really know. Well, I know 

Rachel: I saw a lot of coaches shift to stand store and I would say, please don't do that because I don't feel like it nurtures enough. You're just leading somebody to an e commerce product 

Kris: completely. You're kind of going here, buy this. Before you've taken the time to really allow them to get to know you.

I mean, the beauty of a website is they get to spend time with you. They get to be with you. And when you're not even there, right, the website is working 24 seven for you. It's the most powerful way to get clients. If it's working for you, I feel like a lot of coaches have websites. They come to me and they're like, it's just sitting there like a bump on a log.

It's like, uh, it's an online brochure or business card, but it's not [00:29:00] a selling tool. It's not telling 

Rachel: this profound story to get people in to say, I have to speak with this person. 

Kris: Totally. And I think you hit the nail on the head. Like, you've really never hired somebody if they don't have a website, because it really tells you indirectly that they don't.

care enough to make an investment in their own business and to, they don't care enough to craft a clear and compelling story. Um, so yeah, I, I think if you, if you want to thrive as a business, um, You have to have a website. If you want to have a fancy funnel, then add that to your website. You know, you can really promote your lead magnet on your website and capture those emails and market to those people.

But it kind of, again, that website is the center of your marketing universe. And at this point in time, there is no shortcut or workaround. You just. [00:30:00] You need to get the website working for you if you want to grow your business. 

Rachel: I love that. I love that you just said that. I was like, okay, do you think in this conversation that we've had today that we missed anything on storytelling?

I know storytelling is such a vast, but really creating a story sets you apart. 

Kris: I don't think so. I mean, I think we've covered some really core fundamentals about the importance of a website, the importance of positioning yourself as the guide and not the hero. If you just do that, your website's going to become much more effective and you're going to get to attract the right kinds of clients.

I mean, the beauty of a, of a well told compelling story is that it attracts. Those right fit clients, but it repels the wrong fit one. So you, you don't have to be wasting your time on sales calls with people that aren't the right fit or people that don't have the budget or whatever it is. [00:31:00] Um, that, you know, it's about, again, it's the, it just always comes back to how can we be most efficient, efficient with your time?

How can we create a, a Business that's profitable and enjoyable and how can you set yourself up with tools that will work for you so you don't have to be doing the heavy lifting all the time. 

Rachel: I love that. Well, I just want to thank you for being here. Can you tell everyone where to find your Instagram, where to find you at your website?

Kris: Of course. Yeah. The, my website is the center of my marketing universe, so you can go there and like, check it out. It's red door stories. com R E D D O O R. S T O R I E S dot com. Everything about me, the work I do, how I help my clients can be found on my website. If you want to check out my Instagram and check out how like I'm leveraging Instagram to tell my story without posting [00:32:00] all the time, you can find me on Instagram at at red door design with no S.

Rachel: Awesome. Well, thank you for being here, God, make sure you follow this woman. She has a plethora of amazing information that I know will help. Kris and I were talking even before we were recording that so many coaches fall into the trap of needing, like thinking they need another qualification instead of really spending that time to work on your story and making that signature story profound.

You guys know what your work is now. All right, guys, it was great to be with you. Thanks, Kris. Thank you. Bye, guys.