When John Hughes passed away a few years ago, I watched an interview with several members of the “brat pack.” They were gathered together to celebrate John Hughes, his life and to share stories about what it was like to work with the director. A reporter asked Molly Ringwald how she was cast as Samantha in Sixteen Candles. She said she never auditioned for the role. Instead, John Hughes had pulled her photo from a stack of casting head shots. He posted her photo above his desk and began to write the script. He wrote the story for the girl in the photo – this teenage girl. She became his muse. He began to imagine what life was like for her. He thought about her daily routine, her friends, her interests and concerns. So began the story of Samantha Baker.

Finding a muse, and getting to know your audience, is the key to powerful storytelling. Like John Hughes, you have to get inside the character, or your potential client. Find out their top concerns, what keeps them up at night, how they spend their time and what solutions would put them at ease.

There are several ways you can gather this research. Send out a survey to your current and past clients. Review your frequently asked questions or customer service requests. Post a question to your followers on Facebook or Twitter.

Once you have this information, you can then create your own muse. Give her a name, write a brief profile of her, print out a picture and hang it in front of your computer. The next time you write a blog post, craft a marketing email or draft a speech, you’ll know exactly who you are writing to. Tailoring your message to your muse will resonate and create a big impact.

Now it’s your turn…..Have you created a muse? How has this helped you connect with your audience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.