1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Business owners, especially those with small businesses that offer professional services, often get advised to, &quot;Make your mess your message.&quot;&amp;nbsp; This is awful advice for marketing. In this packed-tight-with-information episode, I show how sharing your mess can actually harm your business. You will learn: 1 - Where “Your mess is your message” really comes from (and how TV anchor Robin Roberts used that expression) 2 - How my early message was seriously misunderstood: they read my story as a “mess.” It wasn’t. 3 - How another story was misunderstood: a woman who turned down a scholarship to Juilliard and whose career is just about gone. 4 - The importance of audience reaction to your story: when you put your story out there, they will judge you. 5 - Why the advice to “be vulnerable” can lead to unexpected reactions (and sharing your mess can turn away your ideal clients) 6 - Why anticipating your mess can become a self-fulfilling prophecy 7 - How sharing your mess can lead to an energy drain among your followers (and why I decided NOT to share my cat story) 8 - How sharing your mess can make you seem less likeable&amp;nbsp; 9 - When it’s time to share your messy life (with a good example from Angela Duckworth) 10 - How a marketing coach (Connie Ragen Green) turned a mess into a triumph (read her book about her cross-country trip) 11 - How to recognize examples of good stories, with examples.&amp;nbsp; 12 -What lessons I've learned from stories where people absolutely did not connect (and what really works) References:&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;The Road Trip, by Connie Ragen Green&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; My ebook on Amazon - Grow Your Business One Story At A Time.&amp;nbsp; Free with Kindle Unlimited. My consultation, the Strategic Intensive, which will help you identify a good story. How to tell a story that sells: a DIY home study course. Strategic Storytelling http://CathyGoodwin.com <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/20769611/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/item/20769611