Successful salespeople know stories sell. When a sales rep uses a convincing story at the right time to engage with their prospects and customers during the sales process, they instantly connect, and build trust and credibility.
In fact, people have been telling stories to effectively communicate information for over 27,000 years! According to Uri Hasson, a psychology professor from Princeton, the brains of a person telling a story and the person listening to it can synchronize. This means that when a person tells a story, they can effectively plant ideas, thoughts, and emotions into their listeners’ brains.
“It has been said that next to hunger and thirst, our most basic human need is for storytelling.”
– Khalil Gibran
For this reason, selling with story is a powerful and incredibly effective way for sales professionals to connect with buyers and deliver a “sticky” and persuasive message that is on point, memorable and meaningful.
To help you master this powerful and often underrated skill, you’ll want to take advantage of these storytelling sales training tips.
RBDs Top 3 Storytelling Sales Training tips
Draw on story selling when the time is right. In discussions, use stories to plant ideas instead of offering suggestions. In presentations, make sure to bring in stories that communicate persuasively, and support and illustrate the points you are trying to make.
Leverage effective sales stories from subject matter experts, customers and even your own personal experience when appropriate. Use narratives that include a main character (your prospect or customer), a problem (their specific issue or challenge), a solution (your product or service) and a benefit (your value proposition). Case studies and analogies are great sales story examples to share with B2B prospects, while testimonials and metaphors are highly effective when it comes to B2C buyers.
Make stories memorable by using simple language and holding back unnecessary details to keep it uncomplicated— the truth is the simpler the story, the more likely it will be remembered.
RBDs Top 3 Storytelling Sales Training tips
Draw on story selling when the time is right. In discussions, use stories to plant ideas instead of offering suggestions. In presentations, make sure to bring in stories that communicate persuasively, and support and illustrate the points you are trying to make.
Leverage effective sales stories from subject matter experts, customers and even your own personal experience when appropriate. Use narratives that include a main character (your prospect or customer), a problem (their specific issue or challenge), a solution (your product or service) and a benefit (your value proposition). Case studies and analogies are great sales story examples to share with B2B prospects, while testimonials and metaphors are highly effective when it comes to B2C buyers.
Make stories memorable by using simple language and holding back unnecessary details to keep it uncomplicated— the truth is the simpler the story, the more likely it will be remembered.
To sum it up, practicing sales professionals who recognize that stories sell are more engaging, and increase their “win” rate.
“The most powerful person in the universe is the storyteller.”
– Steve Jobs
Want to help your sales team tell effective stories?
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