Reader, as I mentioned in my last email, we send a success story to our database about once a month.

Every time we do, we see an increase in our pipeline (the people who want loans) of anywhere between 10 to 25%.

So if I have X number of people who want loans, I've got X + 25% after sending a Success Story out.

That's a big increase in exchange for not a whole lot of effort. Think of maybe an hour of effort total, once per month. (It may take you a little longer in the beginning, of course.)

What this does is...

1. Reminds people that you exist
2. Trains the people who know, like and trust you, how to refer you.

And the most awkward thing is going to be your personal development: Getting comfortable writing how you help people.

There's a formula to success stories.

Credit where credit is due... This is kind of a combination of Michael Maher (who originally introduced me to the Success Story concept), Donald Miller of StoryBrand, and Ray Edwards, a professional copywriter who developed the acronym for this copywriting formula.

Let's get right to it...

P - Person | Problem | Pain

Describe the situation your client was in.

So think about a person and the problem they had or pain they were in, and describe that situation.

Tom was the person.
What was the situation they were in? They were a first time home buyer.
What was their pain? They were having trouble finding a house.

A - Aspirations | Amplify

What was your client aspiring to accomplish and/or what would have happened had you not been involved?

So amplify Tom's situation. How did the customer feel?
They were getting frustrated.
They weren't going to be able to get their kid into the school district they wanted.

S - Story | Solution | System

What did you do to help? Was there a "System" you created that helped the client navigate to a successful conclusion.

So what story do you have to tell? What did you do to help? What solution or what system did you use that you can share?

(By the way, I would encourage you to give your system a name!)

T - Transformation | Testimony

As a result of your help, what happened? What did the client say about your help?

Explain the transformation that the client went to through with your help. What happened?

So you're telling what life was like before you, and you're telling what happened when you helped.

And this is where you insert the testimony. "Here's what Tom had to say about his experience with us."

O - Offer | Ask

Important to use this trigger: "Who do you know?"

"Who do you know who's in a situation like Tom, having trouble finding their ideal house?"

R - Response | Call to Action

If they have someone you should talk to (referral), what action do you want the reader to take to connect you?

So finally, you're asking them to respond if they know someone.

So what do you want them to do once they think of somebody? Do you want them to call you? Email you? Spell it out clearly.
... ...

I've already mentioned before that this is what I love about success stories:

"Let someone else praise you and not your own mouth, an outsider and not your own lips." - Proverbs 27:2

That's the testimonial piece that you're inserting into the "T" section, and the basis for your Success Story.

More on getting those next week.

Brian

Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1. Work with me to transform your referral relationships. (Booking into June - let's talk)
2. Get your own board of advisors with ACCELERATE Boardroom (See if it's a fit here)

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