To the Core
Clarify your professional essence in a clear, four step program.
‘To the Core’ is a no-nonsense trajectory of focused flow, to give high achievers a powerful start in their communication in a short time.
As entrepreneurial people, we are often quick to jump into marketing, sales and advertising, while not always considering if we have a strong ‘core story’ in place, which could feed and inspire everything you communicate. Your core story is about your deep drives, and the meaning and value you ascribe to the things around you. It’s also that unique feeling you and your business exude. All of those things together are the key attractors for new and returning clients.
If you know who you are and you roughly know what you aim to achieve, then you already have most of the ingredients for your core story ready. Your core story just needs to be unveiled, unravelled and sharpened so it's understandable, credible and visible to the outside world.
Finding your core story is what we can do together as we develop your story in real time into directly usable media products such as a website, presentation, video, social media content, pitch. There are many possibilities.
The benefits, at a glance.
Currently, you can expect the following from the programme:
Your core story will be sharply crafted in four steps and immediately applied to the visual media most suitable for you.
You will see the firsts drafts of your media emerge shortly after the first session and rapidly continue to develop until they’re ready to be launched.
After the programme, you can easily continue on your own and you won't become dependent on anyone to update or expand your website, nor are you bound by any restrictions on what you do with your story or media. They are yours.
As someone who is rather critical of AI, I can promise you that your story will be 100% human-written and your website 100% human-designed. AI like ChatGPT can sometimes assist us by testing or brainstorming certain thoughts, but as humans we will remain fully in the lead and, if all goes well, that will be felt in the end result.
About me
As a writer, designer, director and producer, I have been researching and developing core stories for all kinds of organisations, from the Dutch Research Council to the Rainforest Alliance and from the Harvard Kennedy School of Governance to the United Nations and many others, for more than 20 years.
Having worked for a long time in the Netherland and abroad, in English and Dutch, with a wide variety of experts, boards and communication managers on the stories that were really important to them, I have a lot to offer in terms of story strategy, development, artistry, tools, technique and process.
I’m looking forward to putting my knowledge to work on your story!
Who's the programme for?
‘To the Core’ is for high achievers who could use support in developing their story so others can easily understand and connect to it.
You already have a collection of valuable ideas, that you need to bring together into a cohesive whole, yet you might be unsure of the right direction, shape, approach, tone-of-voice or something else regarding your core narrative.
To make best use of the process, it's ok if you haven't got ‘the core’ of your story yet, but it is important that you already know where you are headed and what you aim to achieve and that you are willing and able to surrender to the process.
All kinds of entrepreneurial initiators are welcome in the programme, as long as they offer something of value, and do not engage in harmful businesses.
What do I ask of you?
You make yourself available to fill in questionnaires, be interviewed and do some focused assignments. In total, you will invest between 6 and 12 hours.
You are willing to approach 2 - 3 people you might not know that well, that can offer you candid feedback as your ‘braintrust’, to test your story in development.
What does the process look like?
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Based on a short questionnaire, we see if the programme is for you and if so, we schedule a half-hour video call.
If we feel a mutual click, we will conclude an agreement and officially get started!
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When we start working together, you fill in a more extensive questionnaire so that I am well informed about where you currently stand in your thinking and which parts of your story need the most attention.
You'll also send me anything you think could go on your website as content, such as photos, your CV and descriptions of assignments you've done.
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We start with an interview in which, in response to the completed questionnaire, I ask all sorts of questions about your mission, your ambitions, your intended target groups, your overview of services and/or products: anything that helps me to properly understand your company and your offering.
Shortly after the interview, you will receive the first ‘text only’ version of your website with an initial overview of the elements of your story and a number of questions and assignments.
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This week, we will identify and deepen the core elements of your story at the meaning level through a number of different exercises.
Shortly afterwards, you will receive an update on your story and website and we will start thinking about what we would like your website design to convey.
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In this week, we sharpen your story further and start working on the ‘look and feel’ of your business by thinking about what colours, fonts, images are befitting of your core story. We work on designing every page of your site in a clear, logical and appealing way, all focused on the ‘call-to-action’ to your visitors.
During this week, we ask your 'brain trust' for a reaction to the story. What works well? What raises questions? What is unclear and what is still missing?
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This week is all about finalising the first complete version of your story and website, including your first newsletter, social media posts and business card.
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As soon as you are ready, let all your friends, peers, network know that your new website is online and ask people to share it with others.
Interested?
Share your details below and
I’ll get in touch with you soon.
Questions? Feel free to contact me.