Plenty of people can teach you how to use storytelling in marketing to create clients. You can follow the formula to tell your origin story in a way that connects with people and influences them to buy. Blah, blah, blah.

But can you make money simply by telling a STORY? One that has nothing to do with your business or your clients?

It happened for me last week.

Here’s the story:

I’d been attending a 3 week course called “Fearless Living” with Michael Neill, an exploration in fear and living beyond it.

A few weeks earlier, I’d written a story called “Tea With Demons,” a short piece about inviting in our most ugly thoughts and the peace that comes from letting them move through us. It came to me that it might be helpful for the group, so I shared it in the forum.

The next day, Michael read that story to the 200+ people on our zoom call. He didn’t even give my last name, but within two hours people were sharing my story on social media. Twenty-four hours later, I had three new client inquiries from it.

The story wasn’t about (un)marketing, playing in business or coaching. There wasn’t a single reference to an offer or how I helped people.

So what the heck happened?

Before I tell you, let me make something clear:

This isn’t a new, better formula for storytelling or a fancy strategy for stealth selling.

This is a description of the principles behind how you can create clients without “marketing” in the way it’s usually taught. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking that if you follow my recipe you’ll get the same results; the magic is in discovering your own formula, as you’ll see in a minute.

Here’s how you can make money with a story — or a work of art or a video — that has nothing to do with your business.

#1 – Follow the aliveness.

The Flow of Life is happening in every moment, and it’s moving through you. That’s what I call “aliveness.” It’s what’s happening now.

Much of the time, in the areas of life we take “seriously” like money and business, we’re thinking too much to notice. But…

When that aliveness moves through you, you’ll be inspired to create cool shit and share it.

There are no rules in aliveness or how it shows up. For me, this time, it was a story. For you, it might be making an apple pie or sharing a video of yourself dancing.

Aliveness moves you to creation and share. That’s the first principle at play, and following it trumps any strategy or “proven” formula when it comes to getting results in business.

#2 –  Take actions with focused intention.

My sharing that story? There was no intention or agenda; I barely thought about it at all.

But many of the actions I take, like writing this article, have a clear intention to communicate information that’s useful for coaches and healers who’d like to make money and do business in a way that’s fun, aligned and impactful.

I know they often feel inauthentic when it comes to marketing; they love what they do, but they don’t know how to communicate the value of it to attract clients.

So I deliberately talk about the shifts that will help them get the results they desire. I create offers clearly describing how I can help with these things.

A few of the people who heard my story followed it back to me, and because I’ve been sharing practical content designed to help my ideal clients, and offers describing what I do, they understood how I can help them.

If these things hadn’t also been in place, it’s doubtful that my story would have led to client inquiries.

There’s an element of intentional action and common sense happening here. If you want a particular type of client, be clear about the problem you solve, how you do it, who it’s for, and the results they can expect.

#3 – Make it easy for potential clients to find and discover you.

Find communities where your people are present and hang out, share your content, interact and help. Leave a trail of breadcrumbs people can follow back through your social media profiles and website.

Make it easy for people to stumble upon you when they’re searching for answers, and connect it back to the offer you have to help people.

There’s no magic formula here; it’s simply how it works. But when you have these elements in play, it IS absolutely magical.

Following your aliveness doesn’t make sense, but people FEEL it.

And then, clarity about what’s on offer and practical actions to make yourself discoverable carry your intention forward so people can respond to it.

What does this mean to you, my friend?

Notice what’s alive in you. What’s asking to be created through you?

Trust it. Create what delights you.

Allow it to come through you, and share it where you’re moved to share.

And take actions with intention. What’s on offer? How can you describe it clearly? 

Make offers. Try shit. Learn from the feedback you get.

Most of the time, when I create with a client and they aren’t getting results, the reason why is obvious. Either they haven’t been clear in their intention or they haven’t taken enough focused actions over a long enough period of time.

If you’re not making offers or your goodness isn’t discoverable, it’s not likely people will find you.

There’s no deficiency and nothing missing. 

In fact, aliveness is ALWAYS ready to create through you. It’s stirring right now, if you take the time to feel it.

The aliveness in you is something that’s obvious to me within minutes of meeting you, and I can help you find the flow of creation that’s waiting to be expressed through you. You could say I have a knack for it, and it’s so much fun! 

Right now, I’m hosting a free series of presentations to help you create clients naturally and ethically, without the hustle and hype. I hope to see you there!

In any case, I invite you to notice what’s alive in you today. Wouldn’t you like to see what emerges?

Yours in creative play,

Steph