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How to Use Storytelling to Build Trust and Connect with Your Dream Clients
Have you ever wanted to use more storytelling in your business and marketing, but weren’t sure where to start.
Or perhaps you struggled to strike the right balance between compelling stories and oversharing?
For many business owners, storytelling feels like a mystery. You know it can help you connect more deeply with your audience, but how do you do it well? And how do you find the right stories?
The truth is, stories don’t just explain what you do. They show people why you do it — and that’s what builds trust, relatability, and resonance.
So this week in The Brilliant Business Book Festival, I was delighted to speak with Susan Payton, author of The Business of Stories.
Her approach is refreshingly simple: storytelling doesn’t mean baring your soul or making yourself the hero. It means finding the gift in your experiences and sharing it in a way that helps others.
Susan shows us that stories aren’t about performance. They’re about connection — letting your audience see your motivation, your values, and the heart behind your work. And she shared exactly how to get started.
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“One story, one message, one call to action — that’s what people connect with.” – Susan Payton, The Business of Stories
Why Stories Build Trust
When you share a story, people don’t just learn what you do, they understand why you do it. That sense of motivation builds trust in a way that polished marketing copy never can.
Susan has seen this first-hand: when she shared her story with a group of 1,500 women, she gained more paying clients in six weeks than in the entire year before. The difference? She let people see the passion behind her work.
Keeping Stories Simple and Relatable
Susan warns that many people try to tell too much at once. The secret is to keep it simple: one story, one message, one call to action.
Relatability doesn’t come from endless details. It comes from clarity around how you were thinking and feeling in the moment. That’s what your audience connects with, as they can relate that to their own experiences.
“Stories don’t need to be dramatic to make an impact. Instead of asking: ‘Do I have a story?’, the better question is: ‘Which story will serve my audience today?’” – Susan Payton, The Business of Stories
Finding Stories Everywhere
One of Susan’s favourite reminders is that stories are all around us. And they don’t need to be dramatic to make an impact. In fact, often it’s the simple tales of our everyday life that are the most relatable.
You could share a story that relates to:
- A moment from your childhood
- A client’s journey
- Something you saw on TV
- Or even a lesson from everyday family life
The question is not “do I have a story?” but “which story will serve my audience today?”
A Favourite Story: The Gift Box Stall
Susan shared the story of a small craft stall she came across in Salisbury. Their sign read: “It only takes a moment to create a moment.”
The couple explained how small acts of kindness: cups of tea, hugs and kind words, had carried them through tough times. And how that prompted them to create their gift box business, making it easy for more people to share a moment of kindness.
Their story touched Susan, and she still remembers it - and shares it with others - to this day. Her example highlights how we don’t remember polished pitches. We remember stories that move us and we pass them on for years.
Rewriting the Stories in Your Head
The biggest barrier to storytelling often isn’t finding stories or deciding which ones to share and when. It’s the unhelpful stories we tell ourselves:
- “What if people judge me?”
- “What if they think I’m attention-seeking?”
- “What if I say the wrong thing?”
Susan shared how she overcame a crippling fear of public speaking by reframing it: it wasn’t about her. It was about the people who might need her message.
“Your story isn’t about you. It’s for the people you’re here to help.” – Susan Payton, The Business of Stories
Making Your Story Work for Your Audience
Susan also reminds us that stories have to be purposeful. Whether you’re writing an “About Me” page, crafting a keynote talk or simply posting on LinkedIn, your story needs to point back to the audience.
It’s not about being the hero. It’s about positioning yourself as the guide, the right person to help your dream client take the next step.
Final Thought to Reflect On
You don’t need a dramatic backstory to make an impact. Often, it’s the everyday stories — the small lessons, the simple shifts — that resonate the most.
So, what ordinary story could you share today that might spark connection, trust or action in your audience?
Want to explore what this could look like for you?
Learn more about the ways you can work with Melitta Campbell to uncover your Value Sweet Spot to market, sell and grow your business confidently, and always on your terms.
About Susan
When Susan told her ‘ordinary’ story to 1,500 business owners, back in 2015, the response
from people who resonated with it and felt connected to her as a result of hearing it, blew her away!
In fact, that moment completely changed her business - and her life.
Susan has since worked with entrepreneurs all over the world, written the international
bestselling book, The Business of Stories, hosts the podcast of the same name, and become a leading authority on how to use storytelling to stand out in your industry.
Thousands have used her simple framework to share their message with impact, attract ideal clients and grow their business.
Susan has also spoken on stages from Brighton to Barcelona, guested on panels and podcasts and run numerous masterclasses, guest expert sessions and workshops, both online and in person.
In a world where it’s getting harder and harder to be heard above the noise, Susan is
passionate about showing business owners how to clearly articulate their value and speak to the right people, at the right time, with a simple message and a great story.
Read Susan's Book: The Business of Stories
Connect with Susan
About Your Host, Melitta Campbell
Melitta Campbell is an award-winning business coach, TEDx speaker, author of A Shy Girl’s Guide to Networking and founder of the Dream Clients Club.
Through her Value WhisperingTM Blueprint, she helps introverted female entrepreneurs build quietly impactful businesses that grow through clarity, trust, and alignment.
Learn more about working with Melitta here
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6 Steps to More Dream Clients
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6 Steps to More Dream Clients
Get the exact steps to building a PROFITABLE and MEANINGFUL business that lasts!
Get your playbook Now!