Turn Your Stories Into Catalysts for Action
Today’s podcast focuses on the transformative power of storytelling in business and ministry. Pastor Bob Thibodeau emphasizes that every story shared should invite a response, with a clear and concise call to action that motivates listeners to take meaningful steps. He highlights the importance of engaging the audience through reflective questions and encouraging small actions that align with the story's message. The episode also stresses the need for a simple, non-threatening approach to calls to action, ensuring that they carry minimal risk for the audience. Concluding with an invitation for further connection, Pastor Bob aims to foster lasting relationships and continued growth through authentic storytelling.
Takeaways:
- Storytelling in business and ministry should be purposeful and drive the listener to action.
- Every story shared should invite a response, ideally through a single call to action.
- Engaging the audience with reflective questions can spark personal growth and connection.
- A simple, non-threatening call to action is more effective than multiple options or high-pressure tactics.
- Follow-up emails should introduce future calls to action without overwhelming the audience.
- Make the call to action comfortable and beneficial to encourage immediate engagement.
Links referenced in this episode:
Mentioned in this episode:
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Transcript
Hello, everyone, everywhere.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Pastor Bob Thibodeau here.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Welcome to the Faith Based Business Podcast.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Today, we're so blessed you're joining us.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We're concluding our week that we've been talking about storytelling and understanding the power of purposeful storytelling in your business, in your ministry, whatever it is you're doing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And we've had a great time.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:As a matter of fact, let me go ahead and share this screen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We'll go ahead and jump into today's conclusion.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You know, last time we covered how to engage emotions in your storytelling, you know, and that'll provide a lasting impact.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It really will, long after the presentation is over.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Today, I just want to share a few ideas on how to turn your stories into catalysts for action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:After all this, this entire purpose in sharing the story is to do that.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Am I right?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I mean, we want to share the story in a way that will drive the listener to some sort of action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Whether you're doing a live training, you know, on stage, in front of a crowd, or on a zoom call like this, you know, that's the whole purpose to get your listener to take some kind of action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You know, they need to purchase a training, they sign up for coaching.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Just join an email list or sign up for a newsletter.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Whatever, whatever the end result is, you need to share your story in a way that makes them take action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And, and that's the whole thing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Now, every story, every single story you share should invite a response.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Whether you are, you know, whether you want your audience to take a reflection and on what you talked about, or take action to deepen their faith.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Create a specific call to action that helps move the story from passive listening to a meaningful response.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Only offer one call of action, not two or three or four.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:One and only one call of action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Make it clear, make it concise, you know.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Sign up for our newsletter, Join our coaching program.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Email me your questions.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Just one call to action and only one call to action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Engage your audience by asking reflective questions related to the story.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Like, how would this help you to overcome the challenges you're facing right now with.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And whatever it is you're talking about.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This type of question will invite them to consider their own experiences, making the story basically a shared journey and sparking their personal growth.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Encourage your audience to take a small action that aligns with the story's message.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I mean, it could be clicking a link to receive a free PDF or ebook.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It could be sharing a situation they're facing via, you know, the.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:They're sharing A situation that they're facing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Sharing it with you via, you know, sending you an email and asking your opinion or just sharing it with you.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This type of call to action will turn your story into a motivating force.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It moves them closer to their spiritual goals.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Do not offer two or three calls to action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This will often result in no action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And you don't want that either.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Use your follow up emails or or other follow up systems to introduce future calls to action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You know, it could be just right now.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Send me an email with what you thought about this presentation today.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And then via your follow up email you hey, sign up for my newsletter.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Not sign up for the newsletter and look at the coaching program.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:No, sign up for the newsletter.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Then use the newsletter to introduce them to the coaching program.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Okay, Stuff like that.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:One call to action and only one call to action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Explain how taking action can lead to growth.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Explain how you know following through on the single call to action will benefit them right now.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:When they see how simple the call to action is, they're more likely to act.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This helps turn inspiration into transformation.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It'll help make your story's impact less long beyond the moment that you're telling it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Again, it needs to be a simple call to action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Something with almost zero risk on their part.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Click the link to download my free ebook Type of Action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Don't get going on a full blown sales presentation as a call to action that just turns people off.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:They know your presentation's done now.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:They know you're trying to sell them something and they're just going to click off, right now.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I know.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I see this happening all the time and guess what I do.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I click off.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I'm done.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I just spent 45 minutes on there to learn something and now they're going to go into a 20 minute sales call and I'm not.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I don't have time for that.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We've all seen it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I mean, I'm not the only one who does this.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We've all experienced in some form or fashion.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I make it a point of never, never doing that type of presentation.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It just.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:All right, think about it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You want to have happy clients, right?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Not clients who are angry because they feel they've been pressured into buying or signing up for something that they really did not want or need in the first place.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:That's where your presentation comes in.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Keep it upbeat.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Keep it friendly, relevant.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Again, with one simple no threat call to action for them to take.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Then Wrap up your story with an invitation for further connection.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Whether it's engaging with your ministry or your business, or joining a program that you're offering.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This extends your story's impact and opens the door for continued growth and support.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And it just, it just fosters a lasting relationship with your audience.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Again, make it an invitation, not a high pressure sales call.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It needs to have one thing and it need that.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:One thing needs to be non threatening, like almost zero risk on their part.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It only needs to be one simple thing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I can't overemphasize this enough.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:How many, how many calls to action should you offer?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Yeah, you got it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:1.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And it needs to be what?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Simple one simple thing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Not threatening.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Not threatening to, you know, you can't say, give me your credit card number and then when we get done talking, I'll just charge you for whatever we agree on.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Sign up for it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Click this link to download my free ebook.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Boom, that's it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Then use a follow up email.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:As I said.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Hey, you know, thanks for downloading the ebook.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We also have a monthly newsletter.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's free.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Put your email in here and we'll send it to you.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You know, it has to be zero risk on their part.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It cannot be something that they think will carry some type of risk to them.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I mean, you know, hey, you know, thank you for watching the presentation today.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Join my ten thousand dollar coaching program right now or you're forever gonna miss out and you'll end up rummaging through trash to find your next dinner.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I mean, that type of clothes, definitely.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's so threatening on so many fronts, but yet we've all experienced it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Hey man, for some reason, I don't know why I keep.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Yeah, it's not as blatant as it was in the past.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Let's put it like that.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I've, I've still experienced it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I've seen some of them recently.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:That's why I put it in this presentation for you today.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You know, the cost, the do it now or lose it forever opportunity, you know, the extreme case of what happens if they don't act right now, all of that just screams run, right?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Run, get out of here, click off before it's too late type of thing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And so don't, don't do that type of presentation.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It needs to be, as I said, non threatening.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It cannot involve an unmanageable risk to the client.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I mean, you know, join my $10,000 coaching program right now or you'll ride up rummaging through the trash by dinner time tonight.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:That that type of best threatening, it's just so bad.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It only needs to have one clear stated benefit.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:One simple thing non threatening as to their being able to fulfill it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And it must, it must provide a clear benefit to them when they do take the action you requested.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Things like go to this link, download the free PDF, things like that, or even click this link and check out the benefits of joining our coaching program.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's not a sales call, it's just these are the benefits.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And then at the end of that page you can say like more information, click here.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Right.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:But you know, if you're telling them download the PDF, give them the PDF, don't make them click through or watch six videos where you're trying to upsell them something.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Well, okay, well since, since you made it to this page, I guess you're not interested in a coaching program.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:So here's the, the free PDF.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Good luck, you know, no, it's like click this link, download the PDF when they click it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Yeah, you know, they, they expect, in this day and time now they expect you're going to ask for their email.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Then you tell them, you know, fill in your email address and we'll email you the PDF or fill in his email address and you'll receive a direct link to the PDF, you know, something like that and do it, just give it to them whether you ever hear from them again or not.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You fulfilled your part of the bargain.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:All right.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And then make it comfortable for them, make it comfortable for them to get the information promised again.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Don't make them go through, you know, six pages of you trying to sell them on a coaching program or tell them about all the benefits of your coaching program and little inserts every.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Now don't worry, at the end of this presentation you're going to receive the PDF.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Now you've lied to them.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You said click this link to download the free PDF and now you're making them go through another presentation before they receive the PDF.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Do not do that.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Okay?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Simple, non threatening, a clear benefit.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Folks.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This week we've shared techniques to help you become a better storyteller.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You're able to expand your outreach and help you to make a lasting impact in your faith driven work.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Sharing your faith as part of your storytelling.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Building authentic connections, not high pressure tactics.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Using descriptive language to engage emotions and always, always, always, always conclude with what?
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:A simple call to action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Now it's time for you to take action.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Go to our website@faithcaster academy.com faithcaster academy.com.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:look at all the benefits you'll receive by becoming.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's easy.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:You get access to all of the trainings, all of the future live trainings I'll be doing.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And just check your inbox because I'm going to do another live training in just a few days.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:All right.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's about ready to be announced at the time you watch this.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It may be passed already, but that's okay.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I do these live trainings every couple of weeks.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:People who are not members of the academy, if they decide they want to attend the CAT, the training is $27 for them to jump in.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:But members of the academy get in absolutely free.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's part of their benefits.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:All future live trainings, it's all part of their benefits.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:So check it out.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:And I'll be back again next week with another great faith based series that will just bless your socks off.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:As we say down south and help you to build your business, grow your list of clients, grow your ministry.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Whatever it is you're trying to do.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:This type of training will do it.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Praise the Lord.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Ah, it's been a great week.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I just enjoyed teaching on this topic.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We may expand it again next week or maybe.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We'll see.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:We'll see what the Lord has planned.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:I just know that I just enjoy sharing this stuff with you.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Amen.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:Till next time.
Pastor Bob Thibodeau:It's Pastor Bob reminded you to be blessed in all that you do.