Finding The Story (Put This In Your Marketing "Recipe", Solopreneur):

“These are delicious! Can I have your cookie recipe?”

“Over my dead body.”

Well, she wasn't wrong…

Naomi Miller-Dawson's children decided to engrave her famous (and closely-guarded) Spritz Cookie recipe atop her gravestone, because “It's a favorite memory of our mother; it's a tribute to her.” You can see it here.

In short, it was the simplest way to capture her warm, loving personality, their lifetime of memories with her, of course, her passion for baking.

“It's more than just a recipe; it's an acknowledgment of the love that went into her baking,” said her son Richard. Now:

Would you rather have plate of Mrs. Miller-Dawson's legacy Spritz Cookies, or a box of similar cookies from the local grocery?

(And wouldn't you be willing to pay more for the legacy cookies?!)

The marketing lesson:

Find the story. Accentuate what's special about what you offer.

(And there's always something special).

Aside from the Curse of Knowledge, one of the downsides of being “in your own head” with your work is that everything can feel so… normal.

You're constantly immersed in your business, so you forget what is interesting or cool about it (or the meaningful “Why” story that got you started in the first place).

It's the special details or story that help people connect to the value of what you're offering.

Can't think of anything special? Try harder. Here's Mike Rowe selling a pencil in less than one minute, and finding the special/story. ("It's the tool Einstein figured out the Theory of Relativity with!").

What's something special about what you do/offer? Really brainstorm and have fun with this one.

Don't take it to the grave-- comment below and tell me about it ;)