Seven Stories Every Salesperson Must Tell
Mike Adams (pictured below) is a business storytelling specialist and author of Seven Stories Every Salesperson Must Tell. In this guest post, Adams argues any good salesperson would do well to master the art of good storytelling…
The best salespeople are storytellers but it’s often an unconscious skill. Average salespeople can learn storytelling and become much better at selling by telling specific types of stories to navigate the sale from first ‘hello’ to signed contract.
The seven sales story types are organised in the sequence they’d be told through a typical sales engagement, following the buyer’s journey. The salesperson’s first essential task is to connect with a potential client in a way that promotes honest and open sharing of information. The first three story-types make a connection of liking, authority and trust.
Personal Story
This is the story that explains who you are and why you do what you do. It shows your potential client that you can be trusted and that you are an authority. It’s not a bragging story, rather it should show vulnerability and humility. Your personal story should finish with “enough about me what about you? How did you get to do what you do?” It is the exchange of stories that leads to rapport and a fruitful business relationship.
Key Staff Story
Salespeople can prime their future clients to like and trust other people in your company if they’re able to tell their stories. The key staff story raises the credibility of your company and solves a common problem for salespeople: which is, getting too deeply involved in post-sales activities. By priming your customer to like and trust the experts that will perform and deliver your service, the salesperson can get back to their primary role — selling the next deal.
Your Company Story
Most businesses make exactly the same claims and assertions about their products and services as their competitors. But your company story is unique! How did your company succeed and avoid failure? That’s an interesting story. When your salespeople can tell your company story they position you as interesting, special and memorable.
The next task is to persuade your client to change. To do that you must offer compelling insights, differentiate your company and make it safe for them to buy from you. Two stories achieve this task:
Insight Stories
Insight is knowledge you have about your customer’s market and business that they do not appreciate — but should! It’s neither wise nor practical for your 26 year old salesperson to challenge your customers with this knowledge. But if they tell the story of how your company discovered those insights, your future clients will listen with interest and absorb the information.
Success Stories
If you’ve been in business for a while you must have customers who have succeeded with your offering. But salespeople often fail to tell that story from the perspective of your successful customer. The well-delivered success story let’s your future clients vicariously experience your products and services before they purchase. It’s a way for them to mentally trial your business, risk free!
Even with a good connection and a differentiated offer it can be a tough to get the contract signature. Buying teams concern themselves with risk in the decision phase. The final two stories are designed to help mitigate risks and close the deal.
Values Stories
When a decision committee is thinking about a major purchase, they’re concerned about risk. How will your company behave after the deal is signed? Is your company an ethical company to do business with? What kind of staff do you employ? The central character in the values story is a leader in your company demonstrating by their actions how your company will behave in critical moments after the sale.
Teaching Stories
There’s an old saying in sales management “you need to teach your customer how to buy and you need to teach them how to sell”. Teaching how to buy means teaching what’s important about buying your products and services. Teaching how to sell means helping your client overcome normal stakeholder objections and barriers to making a decision. Stories about solving problems of internal politics or about the cost of delay, for example, can help a buying committee arrive a decision in your favour.
Most salespeople need help to prepare and deliver these stories but the majority improve rapidly with story coaching. And they don’t forget the storytelling skill because humans love and remember good stories!
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.