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Make your Idea Matter

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Make Your Idea Matter is a call to action for entrepreneurs, emerging brands and anyone with a great idea, who knows that to stand out in today's noisy world they need to tell a better story.

It is full of bite-sized business and brand storytelling ideas originally sparked on Bernadette Jiwa's award-winning business blog TheStoryofTelling.com.

Use this book as both inspiration and guide to help you tell the best stories you can tell about your business, your ideas and the work that matters to you.

You don't have to start on page one and work your way through, or even read it from front to back. Each topic stands on its own so dip in and out. Reawaken a thought or an idea you've already had. Spark new ones. Discover different ways of thinking about your business, what you do and how you tell your story. Then go make your idea matter.

141 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2012

191 people are currently reading
647 people want to read

About the author

Bernadette Jiwa

17 books219 followers
Bernadette Jiwa is an Irish Australian writer and story skills teacher. For ten years, she successfully published award-winning non-fiction books before embracing the freedom of fiction.

Her Dublin novels, THE MAKING OF HER and EVERY SHADE OF LOVE, were published in 2022 and 2025.

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5 stars
186 (36%)
4 stars
161 (31%)
3 stars
127 (24%)
2 stars
27 (5%)
1 star
12 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
Profile Image for Wissal H.
1,089 reviews461 followers
June 24, 2023
اجمل كتب التشجيع على التفكير خارج الصندوق !

التركيز على طريقة تفكيرك الخاصة و تحسينها أحسن ما يمكن أن يقدمه المرء لنفسه وعمله
كتاب جيد و به عدد من الأفكار المفيدة و استدلال بمكانة و نجاح أهم الشركات في العالم.
Profile Image for Mick Bordet.
Author 9 books4 followers
March 26, 2015
As many marketing books are, 90% common sense, 5% inspiration and 5% business-talk-bullshit. Definitely some good ideas in here, though. Some of the suggestions openly contradict each other, but usually in those cases where you need to apply the most appropriate option to the situation at hand. I also found a couple of statements that I would say are at worst misleading and at best ill-considered, but like anything of this nature you need to take it with a pinch or eight of salt.
Profile Image for Tony Rogers Jr..
Author 2 books116 followers
July 30, 2015
Awesome book! Inspiring, informative and well priced...3bucks well spent for any entrepreneur or person with an idea they want to get out to the world. I have the paperback and audio versions of this book as well, it has really been helpful to me.

Tony Rogers Jr
Author of Visionary: Making a difference in a world that needs YOU
Profile Image for Sue Cartwright.
122 reviews22 followers
June 12, 2016
This book is based on the concept that logic is not what convinces people to rally to your cause or click your 'Buy Now' button, it's about making your idea matter to your audience by making it about them.

Each idea provides potential for enhancing your brand and your message such as creating something that people can't live without, making your message stick, changing how people feel rather than what they do, what to leave out, how to be compelling, not singing to everyone and the power of one.

Packed with tips, quotes, checklists, questions to answer and case studies, Bernadette asks us all: 'are we doing what feels safe or what matters? Same amount of effort, big difference.'
131 reviews4 followers
January 7, 2019
Always an inspiring read

Bernadette Jiwa always makes an interesting and fun read. She makes some good points, gets the mental processes going and keeps the feeling light. I usually read through once and then double back to imbed some key ideas.
Profile Image for Diego Parada Herrera.
62 reviews8 followers
June 11, 2014
Very few content. Very obvious. Not at all relevant. Can be read by high school students as introduction to marketing...
Profile Image for Jason Machinski.
36 reviews2 followers
June 26, 2017
Nice quick inspirational read, each page is a stand alone point easily digestible. Yes some points you might already know but if you are a entrepreneur, which can be lonely at times, some reassurance is nice to hear. My favourite quote:

"The bad news is, it’s all been done before. The good news is, it doesn’t matter, because it hasn’t been done by you..... What makes anything you do unique is your voice. The story that only you can tell, from a perspective that nobody else can have."

So if you are looking for some insights into branding, marketing, how to pitch your business, the importance of a mission statement and more, have a read.
Profile Image for Christopher Babson.
1 review1 follower
December 30, 2018
Solid marketing wisdom, without the typical fluff

Great marketing wisdom. What I most like is that she presents it in micro-chapters one or two pages long. This makes the absolute best use of your time as a reader. I finished this in an hour. Any other author would have wasted 20 or more hours of my time presenting the same or similar information. Life is short. I don't like wasting it.
Profile Image for Helfren.
904 reviews10 followers
August 8, 2020
The story has integral part in the brand-building success that stands out in the rest of the world. What type of neglected voids from people you are trying to fill? The type of story made others care are the type that has potential to create success.

However, how do you tell the story for your brand and made them stick among your customers? This book explains the step by step progress to deliver the better story for your business.
Profile Image for Mckinley.
10k reviews83 followers
May 1, 2018
what niche/void does it fill?
Journal your idea all aspects, plan and map out ideas.
Story you tell is a choice. Figure out audience
How is special, unique, compelling, how does it make people feel? - matter more to few
give people what they really want/ know what desire
artists market everyday
personal brands
would someone want to wear your name/brand on a t-shirt someday?
2 reviews
September 3, 2018
Hit the Nail Smack-dab on the head; so helpful!

So insightful. The summary points sprinkled throughout the book must be highlighted for future review and application. Short poignant chapters. Bite size brilliance.
Profile Image for J.E. Williams.
Author 5 books8 followers
February 10, 2019
Simple and true.

The is no greater eloquence than simplicity. There is no greater truth than said in the fewest words based on experience, and on rare occasion laced with insight. If you have something to say, read this book.
Profile Image for Adam Ashton.
441 reviews39 followers
January 7, 2020
Some interesting ideas here. I think I’ve probably read a lot of them before and they’re more in the theoretical realm than the immediately actionable, but a great starting point for someone wanting a different real-world human-to-human perspective on marketing than the university textbooks
2 reviews
January 22, 2020
Valuable, quick insight

Useful and actionable insights in an entertaining writing style. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend for anyone trying to tell the story of their brand.
Profile Image for Andrae Palmer.
16 reviews
November 3, 2020
Focus on what's important

I love this book. If you are looking for a way to think differently about what you do then this book is for you. The main point of the author is simple focus on understanding your customers and serve them everyday. When you do that your idea will matter.
Profile Image for Sara.
44 reviews1 follower
January 1, 2022
Concise, motivational, and impactful. Takes lots of various lessons of entrepreneurship and is basically a summary of it all.
Keeping bookmarked forever, such a great reference to come back to over and over.
33 reviews
January 20, 2025
Nothing new

It was like a series of short blog posts and listicles, bundled together and called a book. I'm not even sure what the point was. I gave it two stars because it's slightly easier than reading a blog. Meh.
Profile Image for Craig Petinak.
9 reviews
July 17, 2017
Short, but sweet and chock full of wisdom. In the running for my top ten list of 2017.
Profile Image for Min Than htut.
4 reviews
August 2, 2018
One of my Favorite book

I love the way she present the ideas of story telling. Lots of thought and things to do for my business and personal life. Thank you so much.
Profile Image for A. Benitez.
Author 26 books22 followers
September 10, 2018
Great book. A quick and easy read with invaluable information. I plan to begin immediately to make changes to the way I present my business. The ideas just feel right.
Profile Image for Lee.
12 reviews
July 3, 2019
Really enjoyed this. Made me think a lot about how I approach the ideas that float through my head every day
Profile Image for Luis Guimaraes.
20 reviews
July 22, 2019
If you are creating something for the market, this book is really nice. Lots of insights.
2 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2020
One of my favourite books of 2019

Bernadette is clear, incredibly insightful and this book of gold every single page. So much so that I bought 10 hard copies to gift to my clients.
1 review
February 6, 2020
Short but powerful

I love how every page offers something to think about. I definitely will read this over again. Thank you Bernadette.
3 reviews
March 20, 2020
Always inspired

Love the quick read and short chapters - excellent message I’m here for my business to differentiate itself. Thanks Bernadette
Profile Image for Beth.
Author 5 books7 followers
September 14, 2022
Great questions for brand development

Each short chapter offers a lot to pause and think about when developing a marketing strategy and brand tone of voice.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews

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