Story-first marketing for businesses with substance that refuse to blend in.
YOUR STORY
is your
SUPERPOWER
YOUR STORY
is your SUPERPOWER
Most marketing makes you sound like everyone else in your industry.
We do the opposite.
We find what's actually true about your business... your story, your edge, the real reason people choose you...
and turn it into brand, messaging, and marketing systems that sound unmistakably like you and sell like nothing you've done before.
MEET THE FOUNDER & CEO
I'm Meredith Banka
For 25 years I've been building marketing that works.
From multi-million-dollar corporate campaigns, to start ups that scale to 6 and 7 figures, to the founders and operators I partner with now...
I've seen what makes a business forgettable, and I've seen what makes one impossible to ignore.
The difference is almost never budget or tactics.
It's whether the marketing tells the truth about what makes you different.
We find that truth, shape it, and put it in front of the people who need to hear it most.
Let's Tell Your Story
Work With Us
No templates. No "post and pray."
We work the way a serious partner should... get to the truth of your business first, tell you exactly what it needs, then build it.
There are three ways for us to work together, depending on where you are and how much you want to do on your own.
01. STRATEGY
FRACTIONAL CMO
Executive-level marketing strategy without the executive salary. For when you have the team or the resources to execute, but you need the senior brain that sets the direction, sharpens the message, and keeps every move aligned to your story. A single strategy day, or a 90-day engagement.
02. BUILD
STORY + BRAND + MESSAGE
The full foundation, built for you: brand strategy, messaging framework, guidelines, website, and funnel , plus your AI Brand Brain, a living home for your voice and story that keeps everything sounding like you, no matter who writes it. This is where most businesses start.
03. GROW
Once the foundation is set, we keep it working and keep it growing. Ongoing strategy and execution built on your Brand Brain, so your marketing stays consistent, current, and unmistakably yours while you stay focused on running the business. Three tiers, scaled to your goals.
HOW WE WORK
DIAGNOSE
We start by getting to the truth of your business.
Your story, your market, your message, and where your marketing is quietly leaking revenue.
You get a clear, honest read on what's working, what isn't, and why. No vague "brand audit." A real diagnosis
RECOMMEND
Then we tell you exactly what to do about it, and which path fits where you are. No upsell theater.
If the fix is simple, we'll say so. If it's a full rebuild, we'll show you why it pays for itself.
BUILD
Then we build it. The strategy, brand, message, and the systems to run your marketing machine.
Implemented by us, handed to your team, or a mix. You choose how much you carry and how much we do.
YOUR BRAND BRAIN
Every build includes something most agencies can't give you: a Brand Brain — a structured, private home for your voice, story, and best content that powers every tool you use.
So as AI flattens everyone else into the same generic voice, yours only gets sharper. You own it. It travels with you.
“
25 years in.
Here's what I'm certain of
Your story is the unfair advantage behind connection, conversion, and cashflow.
-Meredith Banka
true story marketing
HEAR IT FROM CLIENTS WHO STOPPED BLENDING IN
SOME kind
WORDS
“
MEREDITH'S HELP WITH MY MARKETING MESSAGE AND STRATEGIES IS WORKING SO WELL...
that when someone sets up a 20 minute introduction conversation, at least 50% of the time they hire me.
2024 exceeded my best previous year by 35%!
— Bill Tierney
“
MEREDITH AND TEAM ARE FABULOUS!
It is energizing to work with professionals who are passionate about what they do, ask great questions, provide solutions and most importantly execute.
It is refershing to work with someone who delivers timely, quality work.
— Maria Angelova
“
I wholeheartedly recommend Meredith for anyone considering building an online business.
Her industry insight, expertise, and genuine care make her an invaluable asset to building a successful online business.
— Peggy Popielarz.
stay close
marketing worth STEALING
No fluff, no daily noise. Occasional, genuinely useful notes on story-led marketing, positioning, and using AI without sounding like everyone else — written for people running real businesses.
See Some Examples of our work
before & AFTER
Established Personal Brand Transformation
The Before
Michele Laine had already built a real personal brand. People knew her name. But her website, message, and programs didn't feel like her anymore. They told a smaller story than the one she was actually living.
What We Found
Our full brand and systems audit showed the problem fast. Her ideal client profile, messaging, and programs were all built around one tool in her kit. Prospects saw a single technique and missed the transformation her clients actually walk away with.
The After
We rebuilt from the story out: a complete website redesign, a lead gen funnel, and a new offer suite that finally reflects the full depth of her work. For the first time, Michele has a real system behind her brand, and it's already doing its job. Her ads are bringing in leads, her funnel is catching them, and together we're working the system to turn that interest into her next wave of clients.
Shift in Brand Story and Message
The Before
All Needs Planning had a powerful story behind it, and they weren't telling it. The founders' personal experience was the heart of the business, but it was nowhere in their marketing. Without it, they sounded like every other firm in their space.
What We Did
We helped the founders find ways to share their personal experience that serve their audience instead of spotlighting themselves. Story with a purpose: honest, relatable, and always pointing back to the families they help. Once that foundation was working, we evolved the message to be more conversion-forward, without losing the story that made people pay attention in the first place.
The After
Within 90 days, their CEO saw a 4,500% increase in social engagement. As the messaging shifted toward conversion, that attention turned into booked calls and new clients. After one year with True Story, All Needs Planning grew overall revenue by 45%.
Expansion of Brand Umbrella
The Before
Brian Price had built a coaching business, but his programs no longer matched his mission or the story he was here to tell. Meanwhile, his speaking career was taking off and his first book was on the way, and his brand wasn't showing any of it. He'd outgrown the version of himself his marketing was selling.
What We Did
We realigned his programs with his mission so his offers reflected the work he's truly meant to do. Then we rebuilt his brand to bring all of Brian together: coach, speaker, and author. His emerging speaking career and forthcoming book now sit at the center of his story instead of on the sidelines.
The After
Brian is now positioned as the authority he already is. His brand is built to do three jobs at once: generate leads for his programs, sell books, and book speaking gigs. The foundation is in place, and he's ready for his next chapter.
Marketing True to You.
Let's find the true story in your business — AND MAKE IT CONVERT.
One call. We'll get honest about where your marketing is now, where the real opportunity is, and whether we're the right partner to build it.
No pressure, no pitch.
Just clarity, whether we work together or not.
You Asked. We Answered.
What is True Story Marketing?
True Story Marketing is a story-led marketing and brand strategy studio based in Spokane, WA. Founded by Meredith Banka, we help established businesses turn what's actually true about them into brand, messaging, and marketing systems that sound like them and sell.
What is story-led marketing?
Story-led marketing builds everything on the real story behind your business: how you got here, what you believe, and why clients choose you. Instead of copying industry templates, it uses the one thing competitors can't copy. That's what makes people trust you, and trust is what turns into revenue.
Who do you work with?
We work with established businesses that have real revenue and a team, run by owners who are past doing everything themselves and want a strategic partner.
How do we get started?
Every engagement starts with one call. We look honestly at where your marketing is now, find the real opportunity, and recommend the right next step, whether that's strategy, a full build, or an ongoing partnership.
Do you build websites and marketing systems, or just strategy?
We do both. True Story builds the systems that put your strategy to work, most often on GoHighLevel (we also build on Kajabi and Squarespace). That includes your website, funnels, CRM, email nurture sequences, automations, and booking and payment setup, all connected and built around your brand story. Every build is documented, handed over cleanly, and backed by optional ongoing support, so it keeps working long after launch.
