Story Telling Can Increase Sales
Story Telling Can Increase Sales
Years ago I read a quotation by Hannah Arendt.
“Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it.”
With the buying/selling process especially at the beginning, sales people do not necessarily have enough information to be able to determine how their products or services could meet the needs of the prospect. However the use of stories works very well with brain research that individuals hear words, but think in pictures.
If you as a salesman, saleswoman or salesperson, can craft vivid stories that help the listener (A.K.A. buyer) relate to what you do even before they share what their issues are, have you not strengthened the relationship? For at this point, you are not selling what you do, but you are truly building an authentic relationship.
Simply speaking the sources for the stories are:
Testimonials from past and existing clients
Your own experiences
Within the storytelling process, you can illustrate your points simply and make them personal for your prospect. One of my favorite stories is about going to the grocery store. As someone who works in the field of human capital with the goal of improving performance and creating transformational change, I developed this story many years ago.
The Story follows:
How many times have you visited the grocery store? If you have, do you usually take a written grocery list with you so that you can get in and out because your time is important? Have you ever left that written grocery list at the office, home on the counter, the desk or the refrigerator? If so, then you probably:
Forgot some things?
Bought things that you didn’t need?
Wasted time thinking about what was on that list you left at home?
Spent more money, possibly exceeded your budget?
Expended a lot more energy and emotions than you wanted?
Returned home and felt stupid when you saw the list on the table?
So can we have agreement that a written grocery list has value? Good, then may we go a step further and reach agreement that a written grocery list has significant value because of the wasted resources of time, money, energy and emotions? Great, so if a written grocery list has significant value by your own admission, then where is the written action plan for the rest of your life? For if you do not have a written action plan for your future, what you are telling yourself is that written grocery list has far more value than your destiny.
I tell this story one on one and in large groups because most people do not have a written action plan for their lives. And because what I do is to help people develop a balanced written action plan for themselves and their businesses based upon WAY SMART goals.
Take the time to begin to develop your own stories that can be easily shared with potential customers or clients. You may be surprised by the results including an:
Increase in relationships
Increase in referrals
Increase in revenues
P.S. If you do use this story, please give credit to me as the author of this story. By doing such, you maintain your own high values and you demonstrate that you are actively seeking ongoing opportunities to develop yourself.
Story Telling Can Increase Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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Finding new selling skills to increase sales are always good things especially when it actually works with your sales style. One skill or strategy that I have found to be highly effective is story telling if you truly want embrace relationship selling.
Years ago I read a quotation by Hannah Arendt.
“Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it.”
With the buying/selling process especially at the beginning, sales people do not necessarily have enough information to be able to determine how their products or services could meet the needs of the prospect. However the use of stories works very well with brain research that individuals hear words, but think in pictures.
If you as a salesman, saleswoman or salesperson, can craft vivid stories that help the listener (A.K.A. buyer) relate to what you do even before they share what their issues are, have you not strengthened the relationship? For at this point, you are not selling what you do, but you are truly building an authentic relationship.
Simply speaking the sources for the stories are:
Testimonials from past and existing clients
Your own experiences
Within the storytelling process, you can illustrate your points simply and make them personal for your prospect. One of my favorite stories is about going to the grocery store. As someone who works in the field of human capital with the goal of improving performance and creating transformational change, I developed this story many years ago.
The Story follows:
How many times have you visited the grocery store? If you have, do you usually take a written grocery list with you so that you can get in and out because your time is important? Have you ever left that written grocery list at the office, home on the counter, the desk or the refrigerator? If so, then you probably:
Forgot some things?
Bought things that you didn’t need?
Wasted time thinking about what was on that list you left at home?
Spent more money, possibly exceeded your budget?
Expended a lot more energy and emotions than you wanted?
Returned home and felt stupid when you saw the list on the table?
So can we have agreement that a written grocery list has value? Good, then may we go a step further and reach agreement that a written grocery list has significant value because of the wasted resources of time, money, energy and emotions? Great, so if a written grocery list has significant value by your own admission, then where is the written action plan for the rest of your life? For if you do not have a written action plan for your future, what you are telling yourself is that written grocery list has far more value than your destiny.
I tell this story one on one and in large groups because most people do not have a written action plan for their lives. And because what I do is to help people develop a balanced written action plan for themselves and their businesses based upon WAY SMART goals.
Take the time to begin to develop your own stories that can be easily shared with potential customers or clients. You may be surprised by the results including an:
Increase in relationships
Increase in referrals
Increase in revenues
P.S. If you do use this story, please give credit to me as the author of this story. By doing such, you maintain your own high values and you demonstrate that you are actively seeking ongoing opportunities to develop yourself.
Story Telling Can Increase Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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