2. AN EXCERPT FROM:
H O W S TO R I E S C A N A D VA N C E YO U R B U S I N E S S , C A U S E A N D C A R E E R .
SHARLENE SONES
W W W. B R A N D S TO R I A .CO M
COPYRIGHT 2012 BY SHARLENE SONES/BRANDSTORIA PRESS
3. AS BRAND CHEF WEâRE CALLED
TO S E T T H E TA B L E &
SERVE A Feast
T H I S R E Q U I R E S A D I F F E R E N T T W I S T O N S O M E FA M I L I A R
INGREDIENTS & METHODS OF âCOOKINGâ
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5. GUIDING PREMISE:
PEOPLE,
E S P E C I A L LY M I L L E N I A L S ,
D O N â T WA N T TO :
âlike youâ
FRIEND OR TWEET
ABOUT YOU...
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6. T H E Y WA N T A S P OT L I G H T
O N T H E M S E LV E S
THEIR OWN LIVES AND
THOSE AROUND THEM.
NOT SOME
BRAND TRYING
TO SELL THEM
SOMETHING.
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7. NEW RECIPE:
FOR BRAND SUCCESS
F I R ST I N G R E D I E N T:
Find the joy
IN SHOWCASING
other peopleâs story
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8. YO U WO U L D N â T H O S T A D I N N E R PA RT Y A N D M O N O P O L I Z E
T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N , W O U L D YO U ?
Give your âguestsâ
C E N T E R S TA G E ,
HIGHLIGHTING AN OPPORTUNITY
to talk about themselves
A ITâS NOT ABOUT YOU, ITâS ABOUT THEM B REQUIRES
MOVING FROM BRAND-CENTRIC STORYTELLER TO A ROLE
A S â E N A B L E R â O F C O N V E R S AT I O N C G I V I N G P E O P L E A
P L AT F O R M TO S H A R E T H E I R S TO R Y
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9. HOW IT IS:
TRADITIONAL âPUSHâ
M A R K E T I N G M I N D S E T.
M E - F O C U S E D . B R O A D C A S T.
INTRUSIVE. BRAND-FOCUSED.
TA L K I N G AT: C O N F I R M I N G
AN IDEA OR AGENDA.
S O L I T A R Y/ I N D I V I D U A L .
T H I N LY V E I L E D S E L L I N G .
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10. W H AT
COULD BE:
LEARNING & DEEP MEANING.
â G I F T.â C O L L A B O R AT I O N ,
C R E AT I O N , â S PA R K â O F N E W I D E A S .
R E L AT I O N S H I P. S H A R I N G .
R E L AT I N G . R E A L LY H E A R I N G .
S P E A K I N G W I T H , N OT AT.
C O N N E C T I O N & E N G A G E M E N T.
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12. FINDING & EMPOWERING
C O N V E R S AT I O N I S :
A PRECURSOR TO
R E L AT I O N S H I P B U I L D I N G
A N D A N I M P O R TA N T
INGREDIENT FOR
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY
A S A R E A L-T I M E
B R A N D I N G P L AT F O R M
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13. BUT DONâT CONFUSE
THE MEDIUM WITH THE
MESSENGER
MARKETING
IS ABOUT
Relationships
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14. MEET YOUR NEW HEAD
OF SOCIAL MEDIA:
YOUR
CUSTOMER
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15. â C O N V E R S AT I O N S A M O N G T H E
MEMBERS OF YOUR MARKETPLACE
happen whether you like it or not.
GOOD MARKETING ENCOURAGES THE
R I G H T S O R T O F C O N V E R S AT I O N S .â
- SETH GODIN
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16. BRAND STORIES ARE
C O N V E R SAT I O N
S TA RT E R S
T H AT FA C I L I TAT E S H A R I N G A N D C O N N E C T I O N
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17. GIVING PEOPLE
S O M E T H I N G TO TA L K A B O U T
successful brands:
A H E L P FA C I L I TAT E S H A R I N G O F I D E A S
B B U I L D C A PA B I L I T I E S I N L I S T E N I N G
C A C T I V E LY G E N E R AT E C O N V E R S AT I O N
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18. SKITTLES: MOB THE RAINBOW
As part of their âExperience the Rainbowâ campaign, Skittles brings people
together to create flash mobs that deliver kindness and love, aka the ârainbow
experience,â to those who donât ordinarily receive it.
Their first effort: an outpouring of valentines to a parking enforcement officer.
Encouraged by Skittles, fans sent over 40,000 valentines to the officer through
the mail on their own or via the Skittles site.
A great conversation starter with the focus on Skittles as enabler for random
acts of kindness.
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19. S TA R T L E V E R A G I N G YO U R S TO R Y
Give
PEOPLE ANOTHER
REASON TO
Care.
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20. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sharlene Sones is a brand-building and marketing specialist that understands the power of a story
to sell your product, advance an idea, communicate your value and point the way toward potential.
As Founder of Brandstoria, Sharlene helps entrepreneurs and organizations tap into the heart of
their brand. Her approach is rooted in experience launching hundreds of products in sports and
entertainment, when sheâd think about the strategy for a new product based on its fit with the
larger story people held about the brand. Today, she connects this storytelling perspective with
traditional branding practices that can surprise and delight in ways that matter.
Over the past decade, Sharleneâs worked with and consulted to a wide range of agencies,
organizations and global brands including Benetton Sportsystem, Spalding Sports Worldwide,
LPGA, Tiffany & Co, University of Pennsylvania, Sigma Designs, IMS Health, Forefront Records,
Barnes & Noble Collegiate, Womens Sports Foundation and more.
Sheâs a frequent presenter of workshops and keynotes at conferences including Jeff Pulverâs
BrandsConf, Reinvention Summit, and The Babson Forum on Entrepreneurship.
When sheâs not working on someone elseâs story â sheâs living out her own in Pennsylvaniaâs
beautiful Lehigh Valley, or, as she refers to it, âthe deep, deep, deep suburbs of NYC.â And while
sheâs put aside a single-engine airplane in favor of a bicycle, you can find Sharlene using power
tools: creating something on a wood lathe (Bowl? Pen? Art?) or tackling a DIY home project.
Sharlene earned her graduate degree in organizational dynamics from the University of
Pennsylvania and holds a B.S. in management from Babson College, where she serves on the board
of the Babson Alumni Association.
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