There’s a proven way to increase the odds your story actually lands. And it works in every industry. It’s the Before and After.
When people can see change, belief follows faster and resistance drops. That’s why this approach shows up everywhere from fitness and beauty to tech, retail, and services. It replaces guesswork with proof.
In today’s issue, I’ll share
Why Before and After works so well and how to use it in your own story
3 ways to leverage Before and After assets
A video that explains why this format is the eye candy of great entrepreneur stories
Enjoy learning how to transform your audience…LG
‘Wilson the Great’ Before and After his haircut by Nedda Galvan. #suchagooddog
Founder Story Tip: Before & After – The Ultimate Transformation Tool
One of the most important elements of business storytelling is transformation.
You show people where they are. You show them where they could be. You explain how they get there.
And the fastest way to showcase transformation is Before and After. No lengthy explanations. No abstract promises. Just proof.
This works because you are not asking for belief up front. You are letting the evidence do the work.
PEOPLE WANT PROOF, NOT PROMISES
Here is the uncomfortable truth. No one believes you at first. They do not believe your claims. They do not believe you will change their life. And they definitely do not believe that what worked for someone else will work for them.
Before and After removes imagination from the equation.
You are no longer asking people to trust your words.
You are showing them a visible shift from one state to another.
That proof creates confidence.
Confidence lowers resistance.
And lower resistance makes action feel safer and easier.
You don’t persuade with Before and After. You let the result do the work.
THE BRAIN IS WIRED FOR CONTRAST
The human brain is built to notice change. When something shifts from one state to another, attention spikes automatically.
Before and After creates instant contrast. It reduces cognitive load by giving the brain a clear reference point instead of forcing it to imagine outcomes.
You scroll past hundreds of posts every day without stopping. But a weight loss photo. A home renovation reveal. Someone’s financial state change in just 3 months. You pause.
Your brain noticed the gap. Gaps signal importance. And the bigger the gap, the stronger the impact.
YOU CONTROL THE STORY
Without clear examples, audiences fill in the blanks themselves. They imagine outcomes based on their own assumptions, doubts, and past experiences.
Albuquerque’s RealTek transforming neglected places into memorable homes
Before and After gives you control over what they see and what they remember.
You decide which problems matter. You decide which results stand out.
That control matters because it guides interpretation.
And guided interpretation increases the likelihood of action.
IT CREATES CONNECTION
When people see someone move from struggle to success, they see themselves in the story.
Many people believe change is not possible for them. Transformation stories challenge that belief by showing that progress is real and attainable.
You are not just sharing information. You are connecting to them by offering hope. And people remember the ones who helped them believe change was possible.
70 YEARS OF INFOMERCIALS PROVE IT
Infomercials have survived nearly seventy years using the same simple pattern. Show the struggle. Show the result. Let the audience connect the dots.
Frozen fries that come out limp from the oven, then crisp and golden from an air fryer. A cluttered workout space with half-used equipment, then one all-in-one machine that actually gets used.
Heavy use of Before and After visuals delivers immediate proof that change is possible without explanation.
As Billy Mays said, “The best things in life are free. And $19.95.”
THE FRAMEWORK: BEFORE – AFTER – BRIDGE
Before
Describe the problem state your audience recognizes. Frustration. Waste. Pain. Make it specific and visceral so it feels familiar.
After
Show what life looks like when the problem is solved. Clear results. Relief. Time saved. Confidence gained. Let them see the payoff.
Bridge
Explain how the change happened. This is where your product, service, or decision comes in. Notice it comes last, after the contrast has already done the heavy lifting.
FOUNDERS WHO BUILT EMPIRES ON BEFORE AND AFTER
Tony Horton: Turning Bodies Into Billboards
Tony Horton ruled the before and after body transformations for decades
Before: Busy professionals who felt stuck, tired, and out of shape, unsure if real fitness change was even possible.
After: P90X. Visible body transformations in a defined time window. Stronger bodies. More energy. Clear progress anyone could see.
Tony Horton built a $500 million fitness empire by turning customer transformations into repeatable stories. Real people. Real results. Side by side proof.
Each transformation became a story customers were proud to share, compounding belief far beyond paid ads.
Austin Ligon: Transforming Pain Into Delight
Before: High pressure sales. Hidden pricing. Endless negotiation. Fear of getting ripped off. Hours wasted driving dealer to dealer.
After: CarMax. No haggle pricing. Online browsing. Five day money back guarantee. Same experience nationwide. Predictable and calm.
Austin Ligon did not slightly improve used car buying. He reversed it. He took every pain point people hated and flipped it into a benefit.
The Before and After contrast made the value obvious. Buying a used car no longer felt icky or risky. It felt normal.
Whitney Wolfe Herd: Rewriting The Rules
Before: Dating apps where women received constant unwanted messages and had little control over the experience.
After: Bumble. Women make the first move and set the tone. Matches expire. Clear boundaries and agency.
Whitney Wolfe Herd lived the broken system and then built the alternative. She communicated the shift through a simple contrast. Old rules versus new rules.
Control taken. Control given back. The story spread because the difference was easy to see.
BEFORE AND AFTER IS YOUR SHORTCUT TO BELIEF
Storytelling is about transformation. To showcase that change and get people onboard, you need clearer contrast.
Before and After is a shortcut to belief because it removes debate. When people can see the difference, they stop arguing with you in their head.
If your story requires explanation, it’s doing too much work. Show the change and let the brain finish the sentence.
Storytelling Lessons: Making Before & After Work For You
Before and After only works if you execute it well. Here are three ways to make it hit harder and convert faster.
1. Make The Contrast Extreme
The bigger the gap between before and after, the more attention you capture. Do not be subtle. Show the mess before the miracle.
Use side by side comparisons when possible. Put the before right next to the after. Highlight time saved, effort reduced, or stress removed. Photos, charts, or vivid descriptions help the audience see the outcome without effort.Lead With The Problem They Recognize
Your Before must feel personal. Start with the frustration or inefficiency your audience already knows.
Do not lead with your solution. Lead with their problem. The more visceral the Before, the more powerful the After becomes.
Specific beats generic every time.
Let The Bridge Be Simple
Once you show the problem and the solution, stop explaining.
Your bridge should be clean and direct. One or two sentences that explain what changed and how.
Complexity kills conversion. Clarity creates action.
Video to Watch: The Eye Candy of Storytelling
To this video “Before and After Examples: Why they are the Eye Candy of Compelling Entrepreneur Stories” I break down why they are one of the fastest, most effective storytelling tools for founders. From fitness and beauty to home makeovers and business results, Before and After visuals help audiences see change, believe it is possible, and take action. Watch it here.
Before and After Example: Why they are the Eye Candy of Compelling Entrepreneur Stories-004
Need help with your story? I got you.
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