Escaping commoditization: why everyone should embrace storytelling to break free from the race to the bottom

And a story about a 14-year old girl who learned about narrative and differentiation through her life's passion.

I watch everything that The Futur posts.

Consistently so.

They gave me confidence in myself and are the reason why I dared to start my journey as a solopreneur instead of following the more conventional path after I graduated from graphic design school.

Not that there’s anything wrong with it. It all comes down to knowing yourself and walking the path that works best for you.

Anyway.

With every video or podcast they post, I feel like I automatically gain 5+ years of experience.

No joke.

If you somehow, haven’t heard of them yet: they are master storytellers.

And they know very well that story or narrative is a key part, if not the foundation of brand positioning.

Yet, whenever I write that I can help clients with their storytelling, sometimes it feels like it’s not self-explanatory.

Telling my story…

Why should we put money into that?

…

I understand why people would ask that question. Fortunately, explaining it comes naturally to me, as I've been aware of the power of narrative from a young age.

Before I tie this story together, here's a quick background: I got captivated by the world of high-end dog competitions when I was 12 years old.

Watching Animal Planet, I was struck by the sight of a handler and their dog at a dog show, a duo epitomizing the essence of 'man’s best friend'.

Their performance was a dance of understanding and precision, captivating the audience with their unity.

Often these handlers are much more than guides in the ring; they're also the trainers and, in many cases, their first companions, having bred them.

This multiplicity of roles adds depth to their connection, making their synchronized display not just a showcase of skill, but a testament to a deep, multifaceted bond.

I could see it perfectly: a puppy being born in the heart of the breeder's home, being chosen, trained, and nurtured, then embarking on adventures together, from one dog show to another, making new friends, and encountering lots of new people and places.

Yeah, I was quite the romantic kid.

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I would visit webpage after webpage from world-known breeders. The quality of the websites would often times be very bad, but that never mattered.

I would read and fall in love with their unique stories—stories of how they got started, their vision, their mission to do better with each litter,…

And those who failed to convey their story failed in turn to win me over and earn my trust.

…

When it was time for me to have my puppies, I took the time to take separate pictures of every puppy, and write about each one of them individually.

You think people ever questioned my prices?

I was, and still looked like a kid, yet people would pay very high prices for the puppy that they had chosen.

Yes, it’s easy to fall for puppies. They are the cutest thing that ever existed, with those puppy eyes and floppy ears.

But there’s a lot of puppy listings on the internet, at prices considerably lower than mine.

So why did they decide to buy my puppy specifically?

Because they had a story to attach to the puppy and fall in love with it, making the significant decision of choosing a companion for the next 15 years or more so much easier.

And it also made them trust me.

I know it doesn’t sound very romantic at this point, but this phenomenon is rooted in our psychology.

It serves as a testament to the inherent human inclination to create and engage with narratives, which has evolved as a vital mechanism for our survival and self-guidance.

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Fast-forward 15 years later, I apply what I learned in those early years and I know how to transform attention into connection.

I recently listened to a podcast featuring Jasmin Alić, a prominent figure who has been making waves in the realms of copywriting and LinkedIn.

The podcast was full of valuable insights.

At a certain point, he shared a series of insightful revelations, one of which revolved around the concept of "authenticity." He elaborated on the importance of being genuine and highlighted the challenges that many people face when trying to express their true selves online.

According to him, although I'm not quoting directly, the reason is that people feel vulnerable when they try to be authentic.

But that’s kind of the point.

That’s exactly how humans connect.

Lack of authenticity is probably one of the reasons why most websites look the same across the internet nowadays. Apart from reasons such as the prioritization of accessibility, which is a very good thing, there is also the industry's tendency toward standardization through templates.

However, breaking through the barrier of vulnerability can yield substantial rewards.

Gary Vaynerchuck is the perfect example of someone who is constantly and consistently out there sharing his story as it unfolds, yet manages to keep his personal life private.

There are many ways to do this, and I could go on for days talking about this topic, so I’ll wrap it up for now.

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If you don't want to keep lowering your prices just to win a client, a great way to stop this downward spiral is by sharing your own story.

And to be as genuine as you can be.

It’s very simple, but it’s not easy.

And that's where I come in! I can assist you in telling your story.

I understand this topic deeply.

Did I mention that I wrote my first e-book when I was fourteen back in 2004?

Yes, I saw a gap in the market and I took the opportunity.

And that was even before Amazon had a dedicated sub-category for it - they first added e-books as a sub-category in its online bookstore in November 2007 with the launch of the Amazon Kindle e-reader and the Kindle Store.

And my e-book sold well.

It sold so well that, as a 14-year-old, I could afford to pay for some of the vet bills and buy dog food for my dogs. And I'm grateful that my mom allowed me to manage things this way because it taught me invaluable lessons about business and entrepreneurship.

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I hope I could encourage you to take a look at what stories you’re telling your audience.

I just told you a little bit about my story.

Now, I’d love to hear yours.

Please feel free to share it with me in the comments.

That’s it for now!

Best,
Beatriz.