Why Good Marketing (and Leadership) Comes Down to Strong Relationships
In this episode of the Followell Leadership Series, I interview Kyle Porter.
Kyle is the founder of GuidePost Marketing, a firm that helps businesses and organizations find clarity in their marketing through the power of storytelling. He develops simple, effective marketing plans that are designed to reach your organization's perfect customers and communicate clearly to them why they should do business with you.
Listen below, and keep reading for highlights from this episode.
Once you've listened to the episode, you can reach out to Kyle via his website at www.guidepostmarketing.com if you need support in your own marketing efforts.
When Kyle first opened his business, a martial arts gym, he didn't know what he didn't know.
It took some hard lessons to understand leadership, clear communication, and effective marketing.
He says the purpose of each business he operates is to help people build a stronger future. No matter what he's doing on a day to day basis, whether it's teaching kids on the martial arts mat or giving entrepreneurs a path to living their dream, that's the driving factor.
He's not motivated by the day to day actions he takes, but by the possibilities that he's able to open for the people he works with.
Kyle's strength is in relationship-building. He builds it all on a foundation of empathy and believes that in order to really help someone, you have to make an effort to understand them. Only then can you help guide them from the challenges they're facing to the results they want.
KEY LEADERSHIP LESSON
In order to really serve someone, you have to understand their needs and their goals, not push your own goals onto the people you lead. What they want might not be what you want!
From a marketing standpoint, everything he does revolves around the powerful concept of storytelling. It's a way to communicate in a way people naturally understand and gravitate to. When it comes to stories, there are a few important takeaways:
- People don't step into confusion. If you want to invite someone into a story and get them to take action, you have to give them clarity. Show them exactly how you're going to improve their lives.
- Heroes need guides. They need someone who's been there before, who can act with empathy and authority, to show them how to reach their goals. Your customer is the hero in their own story, and your job is to be their trusted guide.
- Stories are about transformation, not results. The story isn't about the hero slaying the dragon. It's about the hero becoming the kind of person who can slay dragons.
The biggest question Kyle asks when it comes to really making a difference is, "what does love require of me right now?" It's a guiding question that leads him in every interaction he has with his clients, whether he's creating effective marketing collateral or just coming alongside them to support them in times of challenge.
No matter what kind of organization you're leading, you're going to struggle if you don't clearly communicate what you do and where you're going.
Just like Kyle says, when it comes to leading the people in your organization, getting aligned, and moving everyone towards a common goal, there's nothing like having someone you trust right beside you - someone who's been there before.
That's why, here at The Followell Company, we come alongside you as a leader in the way that will benefit your organization most. For some leaders, that's an organization-wide training program that ends in an effective playbook you can use for daily guidance. For others, it's leaning on my decades of experience in hospital leadership and creating a relationship of coaching or mentorship.
If your organization needs a guide to help get you where you're going, book a call with me. In just 30 minutes, you'll walk away with actionable insights - things you can do right away to move your organization in the right direction.
You've got nothing to lose, so book some time today.