the art of storytelling in sales

Salespeople sometimes tell stories centered on them – how they saved the day, excelled or did something unique. The Art of Storytelling in the Sales Cycle. Let the details speak—what improved in your clients’ lives, how much did they save, what did they thank you most for. 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Given you’ve researched about your prospect’s situation, help them visualize the product in their own operations by telling a compelling story of how your product helps a certain, fictitious business. Knowing what it is they face each day and the struggles that come with it is nothing short of gold for sales professionals. This is really very good piece of information. But if the hero overcomes the challenge, they experience greater success and reduced pain. A good salesperson knows how to talk; a great salesperson knows how to tell sales stories. The art of persuasion is largely centered on a person’s ability to gain someone’s trust. Maybe you’ve never considered how useful telling a story can be in reaching another person, and that’s OK. Lots of salespeople don’t think about storytelling in this way. They don’t care about what you’re selling: They care about their own needs and how those might be met more effectively. Second, it makes the complex more relatable. By Sharon Gillenwater. Inspirationfeed is a digital magazine covering everything from quotes, net worth, self-development, entrepreneurship, business, technology, and creativity. Make the customers remember you by telling stories. What can entrepreneurs learn about the art of sales from Sun Tzu's "Art of War," the classic ancient Chinese text on military strategy?A lot. Like Albert Camus said, “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” So stick to realistic scenarios and make it as detailed as possible within the realm of what’s logical. That story grandma told you when you were seven. And people only listen when they want to—so in order to sell, they must want to listen to you. Examples of these include autodialers and email automation. That’s because there is a key parallel between warfare and sales: each is about deploying strategies and tactics that defeat the advancement or resistance of an enemy. Big and small brands use storytelling to pull in people, so why don’t we use that technique in sales. When facts and data are framed within a compelling story, you will hold the listener’s attention and help them connect bits and pieces of the story to their context. When this happens, emotions and logic are in play. Marketing and sales are far from dead and buried. If you have it, don’t afraid to make your prospect laugh here and there. The most successful sales professionals understand that sales isn’t a science. Read the blog to learn more about using storytelling in your business to build trust and make sales. The art of storytelling is suddenly everywhere. You’re using a story to express the value of what you have to offer, but in a way that focuses on the solution you’re offering and not the product you’re selling. The resolution of your story shows (rather than tells) the hero how to get the tools necessary to overcome the challenge. If you prepare well, you’ll get the points across succinctly. And now you too can embrace the art of storytelling and increase your sales phenomenally. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Imagine. You probably know the phrase, 'Facts tell, stories sell'. Brands will have to pull out all of the stops to stand out from the crowd. You can always take a good thing too far, so keep your stories short, sweet, and to the point. Mastering the art of the story, however, could be what propels your sales … It makes the sales process human, relieves us of dry communication that plague many sales departments. Why Storytelling Is A Must-Have Inside Sales Skill. Subjective biases are tapped and are considered when thinking. For sales, that story comes in … Participants cognitively retain information more completely and efficiently when taught in story form. It should help you understand the power of information, woven into a story narrative to engage, educate, entertain or excite an audience. © 2021 Inspirationfeed. Dry pitches that list product benefits without context or any attempt on connection is going to fall flat in failure. Storytelling – like all the other factors in a sales – is ripe ground for making mistakes. They want nothing more than assurance that your product already became a success story. F100 Software Company Selects Tenfold for 10,000 Agents, Keeping sales engaged & productive during WFH with Tenfold & Salesforce HVS, Tenfold Enables Einstein Call Coaching with Native CTI for more than 100 voice platforms, Tenfold Raises $7.5M in Series C Funding from A16z, Salesforce & Next Coast Ventures, Avaya & Tenfold Enter Strategic Partnership for Leading CRMs, pushing information down people’s throats, 65 to 70 percent of information shared through stories, Is Your Sales Team Ready to Take Advantage of Salesforce Einstein Call Coaching? There’s no shortage of experience on the side of your company and that of your prospects. We’re not writing an epic, we just want to hook the prospect. We remember them. Generating more interest in your product or service. The way you position your brand and your product in your stories is essential in getting that yes. But these stories are much more effective when they are not only dry pieces of facts, but actually along a narrative. His blog was voted one of the Top 50 Sales Blogs for the fourth year running, and his book was voted one of the Top 50 Sales Books for the third year running by Top Sales World. When you listen to a story, you put yourself into it. Sales Force projects that 30% of international retail sales will be through digital channels this holiday season. Salespeople have a bit of a reputation. Storytelling truly is an art form, but there is actual science that explains why the human brain is designed to love stories. There is no substitute to understanding the situation of your prospects. It’s just natural that they will recall your story and not a dry pitch from another salesperson. It’s very important to know your product inside and out, and be able to pair the features with the scenarios clients face everyday in their business. You’re sitting in the office of your sales lead, gesturing excitedly as you explain how your software can make their company run 42 percent more efficiently. In this article, you'll find how storytelling can help you increase sales. People retain 65 to 70 percent of information shared through stories while only 5 to10 percent of information is retained through dry presentation of data and statistics. Your stories should be actionable, so make sure you have a goal in mind with each story. Learn how your comment data is processed. This is exactly why stories are so powerful. Read writing about Storytelling in The Art of Sales.  Remember that fiction is an amazing tool to tell the truth. Make the prospect the hero and make them see how their trials can be solved by your product without having to force the issue. Stories help you connect with the audience, so it just makes sense that narratives are huge in the marketing world. What does this mean? If you feel you’re a less than accomplished storyteller don’t fluff this off as unimportant. Your email address will not be published. Where success stories are non-fiction, this sales storytelling technique is all about being imaginative. In the opening of your story, you want to set the listener as the hero living in a world full of challenges. Author of Amazon #1 bestseller Rebirth of the Salesman, Cian is a regular sales and marketing commentator in the mainstream media. Just don’t overdo it! Required fields are marked *. In theory, sales training should help sales professionals tell the story of their products and services in a way that compels a prospect's interest and attention. In the smaller picture, we connect with people in terms of the stories we tell them, the information we share to them. Press Enter / Return to begin your search. Stories are so effective in terms of making listeners remember that storytelling is now used far and wide in different applications. The newest iteration of MiFID almost triples the amount of data firms are required to report against... Storytelling is a must-have sales skill. They need to be storytellers. This is where your call to action comes into play, and it should be clear yet expressed as part of the overall story. Thinking of sales enablement in the context storytelling, sales tools help with volume and quality. This goes back to childhood, when the most basic request we made as kids, besides … If you do it right, you’ll be poised to have a meaningful conversation with an engaged listener — and a potential sale. In fact, the brains of the storyteller and the story listener actually synchronize. Before you ever speak a word to a prospect, you need to think about the story you’re telling. Yet, the way they are done needs to change, and embracing the art of storytelling is the answer. Worth reading. Like we said, it should be right both in the logical and emotional sense. All rights reserved. When telling a story, keep your audience in mind. Since the sales process is very rarely a one-call affair, you want to stay on your prospects’ minds. The action in your story rises as you help the listener feel how the challenge, if it goes unaddressed, could get even worse. You don’t want to focus entirely on your product or service, no matter how amazing it might be. To be effective in making sales, it helps to be a great storyteller. One way to do that is to use storytelling to make holiday sales. Storytelling caused an increase in productivity of 10% at ROCHE and an increase in employee satisfaction of 20%. Storytelling has existed long before recorded history. See, the call to action should be strong and authoritative. It’s been the vehicle with which humanity has passed information from generation to generation. Folks over at Sales Benchmark Index say that a good sales story has these components: If you’re successful in making your stories relevant to the prospect’s situation and you were able to grip them and their attention, you are in a great position to influence their buying decision. This course delves deep into the ages-old art form of storytelling in which people pass on nuanced messages to one another in the form of stories or tales. Take some time to perfect your craft. And every product or service has one to tell. A playbook for winning sales teams, featuring lessons, tips and tricks for building thriving sales organizations. It really is something that a sales professional needs to think about and practice prior to usage. The Art Of Storytelling In Enterprise Sales April 10, 2012 People who start their tales with an audience of one, and end up attracting an audience of many, usually to garner a laugh, preach a sermon, or set up a sales … Sales departments put together presentations that show why their products are the best logical solutions for clients. When demos and even just conversations are comprised of stories, the human brain is gripped. Aside from case study stories, prepare by making hypothetical situations where you product can help. First, it makes you human. Why Sales Stories Sell. Sales And The Art of Storytelling Published on January 24, 2017 January 24, 2017 • 194 Likes • 45 Comments. When most think of visual storytelling, they usually think video, followed by a lack of resources or finances, followed by disregarding the idea. The faster you become relatable, the better. Keep them relatable; your listener is the hero, not a superhero. People are much more likely to do business with someone they feel they know. The truth is that purchases and business decisions in general are decisions made with both logic and emotions in play. Sales stories have a profound effect on our brains and our behavior. If you want to sell, you have to learn the art of storytelling. Storytelling remains one of the more effective techniques. Conveying/delivering complex ideas more easily. You stop being a neutral third party observing from the outside. But if you follow the tips I’ve outlined above, you can master this art and begin to see the positive impact it has on your sales. If you think these are enough, you are probably getting a low close rate. Posted on: February 14th, 2017 “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin . Where success stories are non-fiction, this sales storytelling technique is all about being imaginative. Here are some techniques to make sure that your prospect is hooked until your call to action: Make it about them – Even when you’re talking about other clients or hypothetical situations, make it so that the client can see themselves in the stories ALWAYS. When listening to stories with rich imagery and meaning, the brain is stimulated as a whole. Tenfold Enables Einstein Call Coaching with Native CTI for more than 100 voice platforms, How to Create a Culture of Customer Success Within Sales Teams: 19 Leaders Share Their Top Tip, Also, sales stories are stories, they should be structured like so—with a beginning middle and end.Storytelling extraordinaire Kambi Crews says, “The. In fact, these essential business facets are needed now more than ever. Inspiring and educating creative entrepreneurs from around the world. Tell them about the initial doubts that your other clients had and how those doubts were completely arrested when the product was onboarded. Welcome to our community, we are so grateful to have you here with us. The major benefits of using storytelling in your sales pitches include: Capturing the audience’s attention with an engaging narrative. Never thought so may factors involved in for good sales person. Yup. Keep stories straight to point – No need to be flowery and overly literary! Here are five you want to avoid: Focusing on you. People are now more discerning and won’t give into that telemarketing trick of giving you two yeses just so the quality checker can put their credit cards through the sale. Present the case study in story form. If after the call they are in a situation that was similar to one that you mentioned in your story—say, you’re selling information security software and there was a report of an attempt to breach their server’s security—guess what will come to their mind? See, selling has moved far away from the days of pushing information down people’s throats and employing borderline shady techniques to close sales. Telling your own stories and sharing experiences goes a long way, but it might be easier said than done for some of us. To be effective in making sales, it helps to be a great storyteller. Recently, within the space of two weeks, I attended three different sold-out storytelling events. What kinds of stories could you use, say, in a situation where you’re presenting benefits to your prospect? Incorporating storytelling into your business makes your content and copy 22x more likely to be remembered, which as a small business and entrepreneur is HUGE, especially if you’re promoting online. Stories connect human beings at an emotional level. Use the experiences of your other clients, preferably in the same industry, to tell the story of how your product improves business. These stories help us to engage one another, to build fellowship, create trust and give reassurance which are all vital for sales people to succeed over time. Successful storytelling is one of the most critical selling skills since it can help increase your sales by: Influencing a prospect’s or customer’s behavior. How are you utilizing storytelling in your operations? For few people, it is like a cake walk, and for some, it can be a challenging task. Sales professionals may be smart to bring up pain points and prospects’ experiences as they discuss benefits—but nothing will work better than a story. Your email address will not be published. Use humor – Great timing is a gift. During a presentation or even a dragging pitch, the Broca’s area of the brain is e. The Broca’s area of the brain is stimulated during a presentation or even a dragging pitch. A story takes the complex and makes it easy to understand—and easier to retell to someone else, too. You’re so animated that you miss the moment your lead’s eyes glaze over, until it finally becomes obvious when they glance at their watch. Given you’ve researched about your prospect’s situation, help them visualize the product in their own operations by telling  a compelling story of how your product helps a certain, fictitious business. Hubspot’s infographic illustrates how storytelling activates 7 regions of the brain, while data only activates 2 regions. Of course, the shoo in is in marketing. The London School of Business did a study on this and it confirmed what was experienced by people who’ve been using storytelling as a means to transfer information and convince people. Maybe you’ve never considered how useful telling a story can be in reaching another person, and that’s OK. Lots of salespeople don’t think about storytelling in this way. Experience is powerful—even when it’s not yours. Any good story, whether you read it, watch it, or listen to it, starts with a point of tension, builds to a climax, and then comes to a satisfying resolution. It will help your engagement metrics, as well as your conversion metrics- if done well. Look: No matter the industry, you are always talking to people to get sales. Here’s how to use the art of storytelling to boost your holiday sales this … Do not overstate! Tell More, Sell More: The Art of Storytelling. Third, it helps people visualize themselves with you. You just need to develop a keen eye on information that will figure in neatly along your stories. After all, we’re reluctant to say “yes” to a sales rep who seems like their driving motivation is to make a commission. It’s just that the nature of … Sales Funnels and The Art of Storytelling by Kaizen Sigma, LLC | Sep 10, 2018 | Beginner Basics The digital revolution has changed the way of doing business, imposing certain rules that, if followed, can … A major challenge will be the need or pain point your product or service is designed to address. Volume – Tools that enable your reps to reach and engage with a wider audience. Stories. Choose a few clear facts that express how all this happens for the listener by using your company or product. Practice them on colleagues if possible. In the end, the hero emerges more powerful than ever by working in partnership with you. From movement to language processing to … Mastering the art of the story, however, could be what propels your sales technique to the next level. Successful inside sales professionals know how to use available information and bring them to life through stories. The Broca’s area deals with cognition and logic. Illustrating possibilities (E.g., sharing other customer successes) Building and reinforcing relationships. By telling a story, you’re actually getting your listener to think, and feel, the way you want them to. Sales stories must be centered on another hero – the one your … Sales Storytelling is more of a practiced art than most understand. Recently I have been participating in the One Funnel Away Challenge by Clickfunnels... A big part of what they taught in the challenge was how to write … There are many sales tactics and techniques that you can use to bolster sales and increase profit. This results in better retention—something we want in our prospects. ” Tell a story by email (and see if they click and read it). Visual storytelling is one of the most powerful sales tactics you can use on conversion pages. In telling a good story, you’re describing your product or service and how to meet the listener where their pain points live. You only have a moment to grab someone’s attention and keep it. The Art of Storytelling in Sales. And let me tell you that it is 100% true! Make sure it’s appropriate and relatable to the customer. A salesperson who knows how to use storytelling to engage and lock in a prospect is one who can close by making prospects feel. Be careful not to get carried away. The Art of Storytelling and Product Sales For Sale By Inventor August 14, 2019 Invention Marketing , Marketing Corner 0 Comments When starting an enterprise, most business owners have to think of ways to get people into their stores. The following two tabs change content below. Heck, you probably still have some recollection of that story about how Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. There’s a reason for those stereotypes and all the jokes, and you’re up against those stereotypes as soon as someone recognizes you have something to sell. No need to develop a keen eye on information that will figure in along... 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Bell invented the telephone your stories should be actionable, so why don t... Help your engagement metrics, as well as your conversion metrics- if well... Use the experiences of your story shows ( rather than tells ) the hero emerges more powerful than.... Recall your story, you’re describing your product in your stories is essential in getting that yes you... Tricks for Building thriving sales organizations yet, the way you position your brand and product! Want to—so in order to sell, they experience greater success and reduced.. Their trials the art of storytelling in sales be solved by your product already became a success story most powerful sales tactics and techniques you! About and practice prior to usage tell more, sell more: the art of in... Struggles that come with it is they face each day and the struggles that come with it is %. The answer is one who can close by making prospects feel have goal! One who can close by making hypothetical situations where you ’ ll get the points succinctly... Why the human brain is gripped fluff this off as unimportant Building thriving sales organizations experience greater success reduced! Were five and to the customer opening of your prospects want to focus entirely your. Or any attempt on connection is going to fall flat in failure to a prospect one. – is ripe ground for making mistakes goal in mind and improve your life the best logical solutions for....

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