How to Craft a Vision Story
Note: The following content was first delivered as an asynchronous audio teaching in the first iteration of The Vision Society, recorded and delivered by Daje Aloh in 2024. Enjoy.
This training is specific to service-based entrepreneurs who are serving clients in a one-to-one, group format, or offering info products online. This training can be translated to both online offerings and in-person training and utilizes the base-structure and narrative arc introduced inside of the Subtle Sales training.
The Importance of Story
The power of story goes beyond the intrigue of sharing cute anecdotes or telling tales. Stories are what code culture. Stories shape the way we breathe, think, feel, love, and relate. And when those stories are deeply embedded within our bodies on a somatic level, they become the myths, (the constructs) that shape our politics, our education, the structure of our systems, and, in turn, the realities we live.
When crafting the Story of your Vision, you are essentially mapping a worldbuilding process. You are imagining, drafting, and crafting all of the pieces, characters, plot lines, and inputs required to bring your vision into reality in real time.
Crafting a Vision Story is one of the most important and practical ways to start materializing your vision. It will support you to get to the core of your messaging, gather a sense for the potential of your vision, and support you to structure how you will serve and share your work with others.
Your Vision Story is..
The world you want to see come alive through your vision.
How you see your vision animating that world to life.
An exploration of who is benefited from that vision coming to life.
Core Questions for Your Vision Story:
What is your vision? Your vision story is meant to help you to clearly articulate what your vision is. What do you see when you imagine your vision happening in real time?
What do you seek to accomplish through your business? Your vision story will help you to outline the goals and objectives of your business. This is your mission. How are you hoping to impact others through the building of your vision?
What values are fueling your vision? Your vision story is here to help you define core values that drive your vision forward. What principles, manifestos, and beliefs about the world are anchoring your vision?
What is the story behind your vision? What is your why behind your why? Your vision story is here to help you to touch into the humanity of your vision. What is the true and real story behind why you must bring your vision to life? What happened? Was it grief, delight, disappointment, desire, joy? Share the background and the deeper story behind your vision–your why behind your why.
Who are the real people you seek to support through your vision? Why? Your vision story is here to help you to go beyond conventional definitions of niche and ICA (Ideal Customer Avatars) and to develop a real and embodied understanding of who your people are. Who are the people you feel driven to support / liberate / bless through your work? What is your prayer for them? Can you identity real people in your world or those who you’ve met in the wild that demonstrate the kinds of people you’re here to bless / uplift / support through your vision? Describe them. Go deeper. Get into the prayer of your process. Get clear. Why are these people important? What about their need / desire complex is your vision here to support?
How to Get Started:
Set a timer and freewrite for 10 minutes. Try to answer the following questions:
What is the world I want to see come to life?
How does my business contribute to that world?
Who will be impacted by it?
Applying Your Vision Story:
Your Vision Story is more than just a narrative; it’s a strategic tool for developing the bones of your vision, powerfully positioning your brand, and structuring your marketing and sales process so that you feel clear about who you are working with and why.
Your Vision Story shapes your messaging.
Your Vision Story guides your marketing.
Your Vision Story clarifies your sales process.
Your Vision Story anchors your offering development.
Your Vision Story engages your audience.
Your Vision Story grows the impact of your brand.
