How do you develop your own unique style and brand as a comedian or storyteller?

Some people may think differently from my POV, but I believe the first step to building your brand is to "know yourself." Make an honest audit of your strengths, weaknesses, personality / tone of voice, skill set, and goals, etc. Based on this, you'll have a better understanding of how to communicate and share your expertise, as well as define your target audience.

In my experience, having a narrow niche is key to effective storytelling. When I narrowed our company's focus to health insurance marketing, over a very short period of months we became known as experts in the field. Our content became more relevant, our stories more engaging, and our credibility in the category surged. That led to more business and, therefore, more experiences from which to tell stories. It also made working in a challenging category much more fun and interesting to me, our team, and our clients.

Keeping an open mind is essential; you never know where the material or your audience will take you. You may take the stage thinking your focus is on doing emotionally driven poetry only to discover you have a hidden talent for telling jokes and making people laugh. Embrace the unknown and lean into change if and when you face it.

In my experience, media forms change, but you can survive evolutions if you have your voice and something to offer people. Rather than relying on simple formulas, I quickly embrace new media forms and experiment. Sometimes this means changing expression lengths (tweets or 1500 words), media forms (video or podcasts), and even moving to new platforms (from WordPress to Medium, for example). Let your audience tell you what is working via your analytics. The data does not lie. Understand your value proposition, what content you are good at creating, and again, the audience. Media forms may be popular, but it's not a match. TikTok is a great example. Super popular, but not a match for me or the company I represent. Can't be at every party.

There are two things that I have found helpful in developing my skill and style of comedy. One is to study the old vaudeville, movie, radio, and television comics. They were masters of comedic timing, and budding comedians, humorists, and storytellers can learn a lot from them. Second is to seek out and develop an appreciation for the funny side of life. If you look hard enough, you can find humor in just about any situation in life. Then incorporate this into your presentations.

You also need to be open to criticism and feedback, ready to listen closely to what your audience, whether it’s readers or listeners, are telling you. This doesn't mean changing every word or recasting your delivery, but it does mean considering what you hear--and considering whether what you say is what you mean, or whether you need to rewrite, revise, and present in a different manner. Sometimes I read my work out loud to myself to listen for clunkers--so much better to hear it from myself than from a reader.

When you are having fun, others see it, too. They want to participate. There is a love for your storytelling that is undeniable. And frankly, fun fuels a desire to create more. Have fun. In fact, insist on it!

All of us want to feel inspired, whether connecting with products, brands, or the person sitting across from us. Often this happens when we are courageous and vulnerable, and this is what makes storytelling so moving. It’s my favorite part of my work in marketing/comms/creative strategy! Equally, when I coach & mentor others in job searching, we talk about resumes, LinkedIn profiles, & interviews as a way to tell their stories - with authenticity, pride, and fresh energy. Instead of it being a way to self-promote (uncomfortable!), the process becomes liberating & fun as a way to connect with a future team. Organizations can also use storytelling to create a value proposition to attract top talent. Our stories are what make us human :)

It is also important to engage and cross-promote other storytellers who you find inspirational and are like-minded or share a similar audience. Some more established or followed peers may engage back and promote "the newcomer" to the scene. It can also build partnerships that boost both brands or individuals and create a place where the type and tone of the storytelling is celebrated among a wider community and more diverse audience.