Hey there, Reader!

Last Thursday, I was walking Colby — my 17-month-old black Labrador Retriever — around the neighborhood.

It was yet another muggy summer evening in NC, I was ready to be inside in the AC, and — most importantly — I was STARVING and wanted to eat.

So, Colby and I made our way back home.

When we reached the front door of my house, I put my hand into the front right pocket of my shorts to get the key and...nothing.

The key wasn't there.

I checked every single one of my pockets — front and back. Again, nothing.

I retraced our steps thinking I must have accidentally pulled the key out of my pocket during our walk and didn't hear it drop on the ground.

But the search came up empty.

So, I called a locksmith.

Within 20 minutes, my door had been unlocked, Colby and I were inside the house, and there was a $262.50 debit in my checking account that I hadn't planned on when we started out on our walk that night.

Worth. Every. Penny.

I wasn't buying the key. I was buying what the key unlocked: the comfort of being inside my house and having access to things I needed for myself and for Colby.

Here's what this story has to do with how we approach content creation as solopreneurs:

• Don't put the focus on your product or service. Instead, put it on the problem your offering solves for your customers.

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• If you're going to charge a premium price, the problem you're solving for customers needs to be one that causes them extreme discomfort and that they can't solve for themselves. (I don't know how to pick locks. So, the skills of the locksmith were worth a LOT to me as I sat outside on my front steps waiting to get into my house.)

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• Great storytelling can increase the perceived value of a product by 2706%. Seriously. By using storytelling skills to describe your product or service — as well as the problem it's solving, value perception can skyrocket. (Check out my post about this: "What a PB&J Sandwich Can Teach You About Marketing Your Business.")

While getting locked out of my house wasn't boatloads of fun, it did serve as a reminder about why and when we're willing to pay a premium price. To be fair, it was an expensive reminder. But, worth it.

I'm Curious:

Is there a product or service you paid a premium price for because it solved a specific problem for you? If so, what was it?

If you charge a premium price for a product or service you offer, how are you conveying its value to potential customers?

What do you want to learn about how to use storytelling to increase the perceived value of your offerings?

Hit "reply" to this email and let me know!

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The Storycraft Lab: What I've Been Experimenting With This Week

• I'm looking for beta testers for my new one-on-one coaching program called The Content Spark Sessions! You can learn more about it here. If you're interested in being a beta tester for me at a SIGNIFICANTLY reduced fee, reply to this email and we can schedule a call to discuss the details.

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• I'm still trying to master using quizzes as lead magnets. The jury is still out on this list-building tactic. I know some people swear by using quizzes as lead magnets. But, so far, I haven't hit on the right approach. I might be making the quizzes too specific — such as the one I have about determining your brand's visual storytelling style. So, I'm going to play around with putting together a quiz that has more general interest among solopreneurs. (If you have any ideas, PLEASE send them my way!)

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• I rearranged the home page for The Story Sandbox. Why? Because I'm always tweaking the user experience so that I can optimize results for my site. The home page for any website has to do quite a bit of heavy lifting. It should serve as a traffic director for those who land on the home page, making it easy for them to find the information they're looking for. This is where Google Analytics can play a HUGE role. The data this free tool provides allows me to see where visitors are going within the site and how much time they're spending on specific pages. This helps me determine what information should be on my home page and where it should be placed.

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Share Some Storycraft Love!

Know of other fellow solopreneurs who might find value in this newsletter? If so, please forward it to them! Or just send them this sign-up link: https://bit.ly/45n2FtR​

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As always, thanks for hanging out with me! Have a great week and I'll see you again next Monday!

Michele (and, of course, Colby!)