There was recently a story in the media about an advertising man who took a clown into his redundancy meeting. While the meeting took place, the clown made balloon animals and when he was delivered his redundancy papers the clown pretended to cry.
There was also the story of the well-known NZ businessman (you will figure it out) who apparently walked into a meeting with heavy-hitting investors and dropped hundreds of bouncing balls onto the board room table. He then delivered his message to say this is how many rockets they are going to launch into space in the next few years.
We recently heard a story of the history of a 3rd generation NZ family business. It was a story many in this company and none of their clients had heard but talked about how the business began, and the twists and turns experienced on the way to creating what it is today.
The point of mentioning these stories is that while a couple are at the more extreme end, they all help to explain something in a more human way. To explain something in a way that won’t be forgotten and delivers a message that might otherwise be overlooked.
The first one you would suggest was a way for this individual to announce he’s not happy to be made redundant and is upset with the process. The second may suggest we are bold and not afraid to take risks. The third was just a great story, and one that gives a better understanding of the company and where they had come from, it made you feel a connection with that company, it also made the company unique.
The question for you is are you telling enough well-crafted stories in your business? Stories to engage your customers, that can help them understand more about you, your company and the impact that you can have on them as a client or a potential client. We all have stories from our own lives, from people that we know and the famous stories of sporting or business successes. We all love good stories; we have loved them since we were kids and we will love them as long as we are on this earth. We look up to great storytellers, the great storyteller will always have people wanting more and the great storyteller will sell more.
Why should we tell more stories in sales? Because stories help to build rapport and create a human connection. Information that might be typically bland can be weaved into stories that will enable us to understand, to remember and to create an emotional connection. Stories will allow us to hear not what a product or service does but what impact it can have. Stories can enable you to build rapport quickly and to develop trust with your prospect.
Some of the best stories for a salesperson to use are relevant stories that highlight the risks of not doing something and the outcomes your clients have received from engaging you. Do you and other company members know the genesis story of your business? The genesis story can differentiate your company from others and help understand the values of your business.
Recently we had Glen Sharkey join us at Sales Syndicate on the value of storytelling. Glen believes we don’t run the risk of telling too many stories but instead, the risk is not telling enough. If you want to make your next presentation more memorable and interesting, then some well-crafted stories will support you to make more of an impact.
So are you telling enough stories in your business?