What makes a story resonate?
Tim Kalinowski, founder of Lore Creative, joins Mike Montague to unpack the storytelling strategies that actually connect with real people and how SMBs can use AI to amplify them without losing the human heartbeat of their brand. From five-star reviews as a narrative starting point to the “aha moments” that trigger buyer action, this episode explores how modern tools like AI can help you find your story, but not tell it for you.
You’ll hear how to test story arcs with AI, the psychology behind memorable content, and why Tim believes brand storytelling still drives the best results in a world obsessed with quick content and clickbait. If you're a small business owner or marketing director trying to make your content feel more authentic, more scalable, and more effective, this conversation will change how you see both AI and storytelling.
CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro & Guest Welcome
Mike introduces Tim Kalinowski, founder of Lore Creative, and sets the stage for the AI + storytelling conversation.
01:00 – The Truth About AI and Storytelling
Tim explains why AI can help tell a story, but it can’t create the experience that makes it human.
02:00 – The “Five-Star Review” Method
How asking clients to describe a five-star review reveals your real brand narrative.
03:30 – Testing Stories with AI
Tim shares how Lore uses AI to test story resonance, ad performance, and audience fit—without losing authenticity.
04:45 – Creating “Aha” and “Hell Yes” Moments
The psychology behind stories that instantly make customers want to act.
06:00 – Finding Your Brand’s Core Experience
Why your story needs to be rooted in lived moments to feel real—and how to capture them.
07:00 – The Evolution of Storytelling Formats
From TikTok to long-form podcasts: how the medium is shifting, but the fundamentals stay the same.
08:30 – Scaling Creative Output with AI Tools
The difference between using AI as a crutch vs. a force multiplier for creative teams.
10:00 – The Power of Personalization in Modern Storytelling
How AI allows brands to tell many versions of the same story—to the right person, at the right time.
12:00 – The Future of Story-Driven Marketing
Tim and Mike explore where AI-driven creative is heading, and why human-first brands will win the long game.
14:00 – Building Content Ecosystems Around Stories
How one great conversation or customer quote can generate weeks of content across formats and platforms.
15:30 – Final Thoughts: Creativity, Connection & Clarity
Why marketers need to think like mentors, not machines—and how to turn experience into engagement.
The Human-First AI Marketing Podcast is brought to you by Avenue9. We use artificial intelligence to amplify your unique voice, empower your marketing team, and enable your scaling business to achieve big-brand success.
Explore new avenues available with AI marketing at Avenue9.com.
We’re not just another AI company trying to build robots to replace you. We will help make you the hero. We’re marketers, too, and we get how important creativity, empathy, and human insight are when connecting with your ideal clients.
No matter where you’re starting from or how big your goals are, we turn modern marketing challenges into exciting opportunities. Let's get started with a discovery consultation!
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