Right from the start of your reuse journey, it’s a good idea to track your experiences. In this article, we’re going to tell you why, and help you explore your story in a way that doesn’t take up too much of your valuable time.

Why track and share your story? 

By checking in with yourself and reviewing your story, you’re creating a good habit that allows you to review your performance and behaviour and correct the course for the future.

That’s why many people keep a journal or create a storyboard.

You can track what went well, what didn’t go so well, and report all of it. This is a great way to learn about your progressive decisions and avoid repeating mistakes.

You’re keeping a record for motivation. On days when everything seems difficult and you’re struggling to get through it, you can go back and say "look how far I’ve come. This week might be tough but look where I was a few months ago!"

As you tell your story, you’re telling the world what your plans are, sharing your struggles and, critically, keeping yourself accountable. If you say you’re going to do something and everybody knows about it, you’re much more likely to do it. This is a great method for kicking procrastination’s butt.

Legacy, legacy, legacy. If it all works out, or even it doesn’t, it’s great to have the story so that your friends, family, children, and colleagues can all see what you went through when pursuing your ideas. You took action; nobody can fault you for that. You took action when others sat by in silence. You can put yourself on the right side of history.
You’re inspiring other people! Some people will see your obstacles and how you overcame them, they’ll see how you were inspired to act, and they’ll think ‘I can do it too’. People who see your success and think that you got a leg-up can see that in fact, you had to struggle and persevere, and that success was your own doing.

You want involvement 

This is a major reason why people need to see your story. Somewhere down the line, your readers might become involved with your reuse project. By that point they already know you, what you went through, what motivates you, and what you’ve had to overcome to realise your idea. They’re going to see your WHY, and it’s going to inspire them to reuse. They can see what you do and how you do it, by WHY you’re doing it is vastly more appealing.

They’re going to relate to you because they’ve seen how persistent and consistent you are, and so they will have trust and put faith in you. They’re a warm lead, they’re already interested in what you have to offer.

Hacks to track and share your story

You’re busy with work. You might have a family to take care of. Between work and family, you need a social life. Where, amidst all that, can you find time to launch a reuse project and track the story? As difficult as it may seem before you start, we know it’s totally possible and actually quite easy. Don't forget, Warp It is here for you at every step of your reuse journey.

You’ll need to decide whether to vlog or blog. Do you want to make videos, or do you prefer to write? There are pros and cons to both.

Vlog like a pro!
Pros: easy to share, show your character, wide reach, no reading involved. YouTube is a popular social media site and potential income stream.
Cons: require charisma, get quite personal, not good for perfectionists, not so good for search engines.

Top tips
1. Get a decent camera. Your phone might not be good enough. You’ll have to decide for yourself.
2. Start a YouTube channel. This is the best place to store your videos.
3. The first take might be the worst take. Do a few versions and make sure that you’re happy with the outcome.
4. Edit your vlog. If you need to add logos, subtitles, or other media, it can really help the viewer.
5. Promote your videos. Share the links on your social media and with key members of your audience.
6. Don’t be disheartened by a lack of views. Persevere! One view from the right person is more valuable than a million from the wrong ones.

Blog like a pro!
Pros: you can write your thoughts coherently, can share links, resources, pictures, and video inside the articles
Cons: it takes time to read, people might not be interested, you might not be a naturally gifted writer

Top tips
1. Find your niche. Your project is your niche, make yourself an expert on it.
2. Define your ideal readers. Some bloggers write as if they’re talking to their perfect audience member and find that this helps.
3. Add value. How can you be different to other similar blogs?
4. Be original. Nobody wants to read something they’ve read before, just repackaged.
5. Be interesting. This can be tricky, but if you write with passion, it will come across as interesting.
6. Be yourself. Your readers are there to hear your thoughts, nobody else's.
7. Be honest. This helps to build trust.
8. Transparency. Let people into the inside of your project, it can’t hurt.

Don't forget we're on hand if you want to tell your Warp It reuse story. Let us help you increase your impact and repeat your project in other organisations by writing a case study and sharing it on our website, in our newsletter, and on our social media channels. Get in touch to get it sorted!

Further reading

• Our tools and tips for practical support and advice to start promoting your reuse project.
• Why we love shouting about reuse progress and success.
• Our advice to help you tell stories that motivate others. 
  Our storytelling tools and tips.
• The case for case studies. 
• Tips and tools to supercharge your stories.