We all love a great story. If you want to successfully sell yourself, your vision, your ideas, and your products, you must recognize the power of storytelling.
You must become proficient in telling your own story! You do have a story and I’m here to say, it must be told.
How well do you know your own story?
How well are you sharing your story?
Reflect upon this for a moment: Many of you tell stories just to tell them. However, when you start asking people why they listen to and then share, there’s always a reason. It might be to encourage, inspire or sway you into thinking differently.
Humans are empathic in nature. And as such, we respond to stories because they cultivate emotion, a sense of togetherness, and a connection.
If we agree stories help you to sell, then what makes up your sales story? Sit for a moment and self-reflect upon your sales story.
Why must you become a story collector?
- People retain more through stories
- Stories appeal to our emotional side
- Stories create visualization
- Stories encourage action and inspire
People Buy Stories
Stories are all about people, relationships and the connections between them. Can your story influence your clients or your prospects in some way? Can it inspire them on a journey to business betterment?
Telling your story and the stories of others changes everything.
I encourage you to move your focus away from B2C or B2B. In fact, every business interaction is H2H, Human to Human and Heart to Heart.
Imagine for a moment…what would happen if people heard your story within seconds of landing on your LinkedIn profile? Would it change the course of conversations? Would it change their opinions or perception of you?
Why become a story collector and storyteller?
- Stories create an emotional bond
- Stories motivate us
- Stories teach and prepare us
Stop with product-centric conversations. Stop with the data dumps. Stop with the sales spew and corporate crapola!
Products and features don’t communicate feelings and meanings, your story does.
You can overcomplicate this all you want. But, your clients, your prospects and YOU, all buy stories.
- Are you collecting stories?
- Are you collecting what motivates your clients into taking action?
- Are you collecting their stories that tug on their heartstrings?
Collect Client Stories
If we all can agree that stories sell, then let’s think what would happen if you collected, bottled up and repurposed your client stories? Would you open up more genuine and authentic conversations?
Sales professionals are relationship connectors. They connect to the hearts and minds of their clients through stories.
Imagine for a moment that you’re having a conversation with a prospect that sparks a client story. How many of you right now can pull from your client library a story that will tug on the hearts and minds of your prospects?
I encourage you to uncover your client stories.
Here are a few questions to help you capture your client stories:
- What challenges or obstacles have we helped you to overcome?
- What do you appreciate the most about our partnership?
- What was the reason you decided to do business with me?
Bringing it Home
A true sales professional understands the story they tell is not about their personal greatness.
They get to the core of what matters. They involve the heart. The stories they share are sincere, heartfelt and not canned.
Sales is all about the art of the help. Art rhymes with heart. Get your clients and prospects to hear with their heart.
I will leave you all to reflect upon the following:
- Is your story relevant to your clients and prospects?
- Is there a point to your story?
- Is there a message behind your story or is it self-serving?
We all have a story to tell. How well do you know your story?
