Essential Tips for Using the Genie

Get the most out of your StoryCycle Genie™ experience with these proven best practices.

1. Don't Skip the Foundation

While you can run brand story analysis and brand intelligence before creating your brand story, it's important that you don't skip the first three steps in the process:

1. Create your brand story
2. Create at least one audience story
3. Create your content playbook

After this, your content will write itself with far less handholding than you're used to with AI.

Why this matters: Your foundation creates the "brand brain" that all other Genies reference. This ensures consistency and quality across all content.

2. Ask When You're Confused

If you're confused about anything, just ask the Genie to explain!

The StoryCycle Genie™ is designed for natural conversation. You don't need to know prompt engineering or technical jargon.

Example questions:

• "What do you mean by ABT structure?"
• "Can you explain why this element matters?"
• "How should I use this in my marketing?"

3. Recovery Is Easy

If you run into an issue, tell the Genie to try again or ask what happened. You'll be surprised how easy it can be to get back on track.

Recovery strategies:

• "Let's try that again with a different approach"
• "Can you explain what just happened?"
• "I don't think that's quite right. Can we revise it?"

4. Save Anytime

Save your work at any point by telling the Genie to "save a record in the system."

Best practice: Save regularly throughout your work, especially after completing major sections or when you're happy with specific elements.

5. Use Your Assets

Once assets are saved, they become a part of your brand intelligence. Tell the Genie to use them for context when needed!

Example: "Use my brand story as context for this blog post" or "Reference my audience story for B2B founders"

6. Be Specific in Your Requests

The more specific you are, the better the output.

Generic request: "Write a blog post"

Specific request: "Create a 1200-word thought leadership blog post for B2B software founders about overcoming scaling challenges. Use our Hero archetype voice and include practical examples."

Specificity in input creates excellence in output.

7. Iterate and Refine

Don't expect perfection on the first try. The Genie works best through collaborative refinement.

Iteration process:

1. Review the initial output
2. Identify what works and what doesn't
3. Request specific changes
4. Continue until you're satisfied

8. Leverage Chat History

Use the Chat History button to continue previous conversations and build on existing work.

This is especially valuable for:

• Updating your brand story as your business evolves
• Creating multiple pieces of related content
• Iterating on saved work

9. Include Team Members Early

If you have a team, consider adding colleagues/stakeholders as an audience in your Brand Story Genie™ work.

Internal buy-in often determines external success. Your team needs to understand and embrace your brand story before sharing it with the world.

10. Monitor Your Usage

Keep track of your credit usage through the Usage button in the left menu. This helps with planning and budget management.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Rushing the foundation: Taking time to get your brand story right saves countless hours in content creation.

Being too vague: Generic requests produce generic content. Specificity drives quality.

Skipping iterations: First drafts are starting points. The magic happens in refinement.

Working in isolation: If you have a team, involve them in the foundation phase.

Your Path Forward

With these essential tips in mind, you're ready to start your StoryCycle journey:

1. Begin with the Brand Story Genie™
2. Follow the guided three-step process
3. Use these tips to maximize your results

Remember: You're not just using a tool—you're collaborating with 40 years of proven storytelling expertise that adapts to your unique brand vision.