Become Inspired Over & Over AgainWhile the digital free version of Believe Me is a nice way to start, this Manifesto is meant to inspire you over and over again. The hardback version can travel with you places that your computer can’t. For instance, when you need some inspiration on a long flight during a business trip. Or on the subway on your way to work for an important meeting. Not to mention it’s a great gift for a friend or colleague that just needs some inspiration! Need more convincing? Check out what people are saying about Believe Me. |
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Everyone Needs A Little Help From Their Friends
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Believe Me will help you become the leader you need to be. As futurist Rolf Jensen says, ‘Storytellers will be the heroes of the 21st century.’ This manifesto makes an inspired case for the future beyond just branding and the role of storytelling in the business equation.
Kevin Roberts, Worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, Author of The Lovemarks Effect: Winning in the Consumer Revolution
Michael Margolis said it right: ‘Only when people can locate themselves inside the story will they belong and participate in your narrative’. Right on cue, from the moment I started to read Believe Me, I found myself following Michael’s words and realized how much this short but powerful book was going to influence me, my organization and all our partners involved in social entrepreneurship. Margolis’ bottom of page advice gave me plenty of practical ways to re-evaluate the power of my professional and personal narratives. I can’t wait to re-read this manifesto and begin developing new and more effective stories.
Beverly Schwartz, Vice President, Global Marketing of Ashoka
In Believe Me, Margolis describes the many factors reshaping the rules of business. If you want to excel as a leader of tomorrow, storytelling is a core thinking skill you can’t afford to miss. This short little manifesto is an awesome and provocative addition to any business school curriculum.
Paul Dillon, Learning Strategies Manager of Schulich Executive Education Centre, York University (Toronto, Canada)
Stories drive innovation much better than spreadsheets or powerpoint ever will. Believe Me provides a kaleidoscope view of storytelling and presents many possibilities for the crafting of future stories. Success has always been defined by how we weave stories into our brands and products.
Randy Voss, Senior Manager of Global Strategy & Business Development at Whirlpool Corp
For anyone committed to reshaping his or her own community, the starting place must be your own narrative. Believe Me is an indispensable resource to start you on the journey.
Michael H. Shuman, Author of The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition
If you’re selling a product — you’re a salesman, which is perfectly fine. But, if you’re selling an idea — there is usually something larger at stake. Believe Me will elevate your vision and idea into action, especially for the social entrepreneur with a story to tell. This book will take you there — believe me.
Robert Egger, Cofounder of Nonprofit Congress, President of DC Central Kitchen and Author of Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient, and Rewarding for All
For anyone trying to get their audience to own the story, read this book! Believe Me reminds us that real lasting engagement requires a much, much bigger story. Margolis re-frames the conversation of social transformation in a very refreshing manner that will be useful to any leader doing something meaningful to create change in their organizations or communities.
Judy Braus, SVP of Education and Centers, National Audubon Society
Michael Margolis is a master of application. In this book he distills the richness of story as heritage and applies it to the heart of best business practices. May this handy guide open possibilities for more effective and memorable leadership in all who read it.
Christina Baldwin, Author of Storycatcher: Making Sense of our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story and The Circle Way: A Leader in Every Chair
Powerful and easy to read. Margolis follows his own advice. He has told us the beginning of the story, led us into the middle, and entices us to write the ending. His provocative questions appear regularly throughout the book and serve as the light switch to turn on our storytelling.
Madelyn Blair, Founder & President of Pelerei, Inc.
Michael Margolis has done it again! Like a business storyteller’s devotional, this concise and accessible work refreshed my understanding and commitment to better storytelling practice. It’s authoritative, yet humble, paying due homage to others in the storytelling pantheon. It further comes with a great collection of resources and free bonuses – so the book easily pay for itself. If you liked Godin’s Tribes, Zander’s The Art of Possibility or Denning’s The Springboard, you will enjoy this book.
Craig A. DeLarge, Associate Director, eMarketing & Relationship Marketing of Novo Nordisk Inc. and Business Storytelling Strategist
Reading the book Believe Me offers you a guided tour through the world of your business, customers, or personal life in a way that makes existing stories pop out for you to see. Once you map the stories that exist, then your talent for storytelling, our ‘most basic technology’ will be spirited along with Margolis’ guidance and suggestions.
Annette Simmons, Author of The Story Factor and Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins
I love this book. Not only are the quotations profound, the axioms that follow them make you stop and think—about the stories you choose to tell and how you frame and craft them to achieve impact. I truly believe it’ll shift the way you work with story in all aspects of your life.
Lori Silverman, Editor & Author of Wake Me Up When the Data Is Over: How Organizations Use Stories to Drive Results and Stories Trainers Tell
Believe Me teaches a whole new mind-set for how new ideas can find their sea legs. Nonprofits need better approaches to describe their work, especially when it they’re pushing innovation of any sort. For those looking to capture the real story at the heart of their work, this is a manifesto sure to provoke some fresh thinking.
Josh Levinson, President & CEO of Community Links Hawai’i
This book really whet my appetite, but then I realized that was the intent of Believe Me: to see the omnipotence of storytelling and its relevance across my business. Whether it’s branding, innovation, or culture change, now I understand why a narrative lens is so powerful. This manifesto will inspire you to capitalize on a world of possibilities.
Jeff Manson, President of Western Psychological Services and President of The Creative Therapy Store
This is such a timely book. Humanity is now more than ever yearning to be a part of a whole new story. Believe Me reminds us that we are all co-authors of that new story. I believe this book not only convinces us of the power of story but challenges us to be mindful of how we tell our respective stories.
Victoria Wilding, CEO of SHIFT Foundation (Australia)
At first glance, brand storytelling sounds so obvious. And yet, after a closer look, you realize you’re not telling anywhere near the best story — and that’s the reason why your efforts are falling flat. This makes Believe Me a very timely book – it’s an easy read that gets you thinking about stories with the proper frame of mind.
Aria Finger, Chief Marketing Officer of DoSomething.org
Believe Me lights a blazing torch into new terrain of sense-making. Michael Margolis is a passionate and nimble guide. His manifesto serves as a map that every leader with a story will want as a companion. You will find nothing less than new sparks of innovation and organizational renewal in the process.
Terrence L. Gargiulo, President of makingstories.net and Author of The Strategic Use of Stories in Organizational Communication and Learning
For any change agent looking to get more people behind big and scary cultural change, pay attention to Believe Me’s axiom Number Seven: ‘If you want to change a culture, change the stories.’ Powerpoint is not going to drive important change, but the right stories will. I hope many leaders read this book and follow the straight-forward advice that makes the case for deliberate storytelling as a core element of social change.
Kristen Grimm, Founder of Spitfire Strategies and Author of SmartChart 3.0 and Activation Point
Are you facing skeptical consumers or constituents? If so, read this book. Michael Margolis is part of a new generation that understands the profound connection between inspired communication and social change. Believe Me is a small book that packs a big punch and, in the process, challenges lots of conventional thinking. It offers practical advice for calling upon the ‘better angels’ within your audience’s true nature.
John Marshall Roberts, Applied Research Psychologist and Author of Igniting Inspiration: A Persuasion Manual for Visionaries
‘How do you tell a story that others can find themselves a part of?’ Believe Me is a place to start and come back to in search of the answers within. Thank you, Michael, for preparing us so well for the journey!
Cheryl Ka’uhane Lupenui, President & CEO of YWCA of O`ahu
In today’s complex world, we desperately search for new ways to improve business results, change processes, sell more, create bigger, transform our lives…yet we seem to abandon the tool that has been with us since our beginning – stories. It simply and elegantly illustrates why storytelling is the means to achieve our goals. We are reminded with compelling examples, strong axioms and vivid stories. I’ve been influenced and want more. A must read for anyone wanting to achieve, or to help others achieve success!
Barbara Dammann, Executive Consultant, Enterprise Transformation of IBM Corporation
If you’ve read as many books about storytelling as I have, you’ll still find new insights in Believe Me. And if you’re just getting started exploring the world of narrative, Margolis has given you a terrific launching pad.
Andy Goodman, Author of Storytelling as Best Practice and Why Bad Ads Happen to Good Causes
Reading this book fed my soul as a leader. I see it as an aid for our clients to re-story their careers, especially their resumes. A story mindset is a new way to capture uniqueness and speak to the strategic needs of the right employer. Believe Me is written in a creative structure with quotes and axioms that truly empower the reader.
Caela Farren, Ph.D., President of MasteryWorks, Inc.
Believe Me breathes new life into the ideas we’ve heard before, brings them back into focus and re-purposes them to create a new and compelling expression of the core stories that give meaning to our work. It is a fast-paced, thoughtful read that is particularly useful to organizational leaders who are reframing and re-energizing their message and brand. Margolis effectively reminds us that behind any elevator speech or bullet points is a whole story of inspiration, passion and opportunity worth telling and hearing.
Lisa T. Maruyama, President & CEO of Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations
As a global health leader, I visit many countries, on many continents, each year. Believe Me delivers a refreshing perspective on how international cooperation is defined by the stories we tell. The manifesto’s anthropological slant delivers a modern remedy to the many cultural and economic divides that otherwise separate.
John P. Howe, III, M.D., President & CEO of Project HOPE
This book highlights the secret ingredient to success: developing and communicating your company’s story. This book will inspire you to develop the right story and an abundant set of tools with which to share it. Reading Believe Me will help you close deals, build your brand, and establish deeper connections with established and new customers.
Dina Kaplan, Cofounder & COO of Blip.tv
Believe Me provides a road map for leaders to craft the most inspiring and memorable story for their organization and its services or product. Incorporating the past, present and future is critical in developing this authentic story.
Beth Houle, Chief of Staff, Global Planning and Marketing of Opportunity International
Two things stand out about Believe Me. First, it is succinct, easy to read, and enjoyable. Second – and of greater consequence – is the premise is sound. We all have a natural appreciation of storytelling as a lever for driving emotional connections, shaping cultures, developing brands, keeping the audience engaged, and transcending boundaries of time, demography, and geography. Believe Me tells you why, and provides fuel for you to want to go out there and test these ideas in your personal and professional lives.
Nigel Smith, Strategy & Innovation Director, National Membership Association
We all love a good story. Here’s how to tell them. Convincingly. Effectively. Believe Me will challenge you to think differently about what makes a story work.
John Elkington, Cofounder of SustainAbility of Volans Ventures and Environmental Data Services and Co-author of The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World
Believe Me equips you to put your brand under a spotlight and unearth its relevance through storytelling. Margolis walks the walk, creating a sharp yet compelling story about how to create a sharp yet compelling story, and he never loses sight of the purpose in all of it — connecting with people and motivating them to believe in what you’re doing.
Todd M Denis, Founder of Jawbone.tv
Stories must be compelling, truthful, beautiful, believable, and inspirational if they are to have an impact on the lives of others. Believe Me will remind you, as is it did me, how important these principles are in the stories we read and share. Outstanding!
Bonnie Thorne, Senior Director of Development and Outreach of Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison
