by Duane Weber
Everyone loves a good story. People connect with good stories. Good stories are remembered. A client of mine was struggling to gain traction with his 30-second commercial. He tried the old-fashioned “We help…” He tried telling them about his incredible quality, service, and expertise. He couldn’t gain interest in his message. Then he started telling stories, interesting real-life stories about why his clients chose to work with him. Prospects became curious and began asking for more.
Storytelling is an effective tool in selling.
More memorable
The mind processes stories in such a manner that it causes association to personal experiences. If it resonates, there will be an emotional connection tied to your experiences. Stories paint vivid pictures that the prospect can see, hear, and feel. Scientifically, stories stimulate all parts of the brain whereas the traditional feature/benefit style only stimulates the language areas (Broca’s and Wernike’s) of the brain.
Social Proof
Describing a problem and a solution in a story clearly tells the prospect that 1) you have experience and 2) the prospect isn’t alone. Anyone can rattle off a list of bullet points but few can give a clear and compelling story of a problem and a solution. The story should communicate to the prospect that they’re not the only ones going through challenge. Misery loves company, right? Prospects are more apt to share more if they know the problem isn’t uniquely theirs.
A Way Out
The shotgun approach that most salespeople take is to throw out all of their features and benefits, then hope the prospect picks from the list. Some salespeople ‘assume’ they know the customer’s problems because they’ve helped companies in similar situations. They’re often put in a corner when the prospect responds with a terse “no.” Worse yet is the obligatory, but truly uninterested, “Tell me more,” which wastes more of your time. Open your story with “This probably isn’t the situation with you but…” If it’s not, you can back out by simply saying, “I didn’t think so.”
At Sandler Training, Trustpointe, we help you write your own happy ending. For more information about compelling stories that sell, 30-second commercials that dance, and emotionally-accessed brains contact Duane Weber at 317-845-0041 or dweber@sandler.com.
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