Tips On Effective Storytelling

Question: How do you turn a cold call or meeting from sales discussion into a trusted relationship?

The following our a few practices I’ve learned along the way…

Make sure every point you make connects with your audience. Keep your message very, very short.  Seriously.  Make your “new friend” talk more than you do.  As Garry Meier is fond of saying, “Whoever speaks the least wins”. 

Use relevant and compelling real-world, local examples that connect.   Use statistics and quotes if you can.  And perhaps most importantly, engage your new colleague in an active discussion about relevant and compelling issues. Asking questions is a great way to start such as:

1. “What is currently holding your business back?”   
2. “How are others addressing this problem?” 

You may get some tough responses, but you will know a lot more about what is going on in your new colleagues’ world, and you will be engaging them in your story.

Additional tips on effective storytelling:

• Make sure that everyone in the room is introduced. Sell yourself!   What is your background?  Why are you special?
• Use simple message and make concise points.  Don’t play buzzword bingo.  Do tell your new colleague the two or three points you will leave them with and then explain each and then summarize the value of your top points to reinforce. 
• Prepare relevant and compelling stories that have the same complexity/industry/challenges as the company. Use concrete examples. Use quotes and statistics.
• Drop references, early and often.  Use recognizable client/partner/team member names involved in your company early and often —don’t keep them a secret; make sure the prospect knows about them early in the discussion. Be prepared for them to contact every single name you drop—whether it’s a person or a company. If you are going to drop names, they had better be real.
• Make sure to tell the entire story in ten minutes. Even if you have time, your total pitch should be no longer than ten minutes. You want to have time to engage and discuss their questions or concerns. If you think you have additional critical points that have to be made, prepare “pocket slides” that you can pass out if the topic arises.
• Direct the flow of the meeting.   Let body language and their questions be your guide.   If you don’t address the “burning questions” early and effectively, the prospect won’t hear anything else you say.
• Don’t lie. You would think this goes without saying, but unfortunately it does not.  The best salespeople are credible and trustworthy. It is more important that people trust you than that they understand every nuance of your business.
• Identify the decision-making criteria and singular definition of success.  Last time they used outside consultants and advisors what was the process? Three months from today, what will define success? (it must be measurable and quantitative).
• Be prepared. Read the website, especially the bios and News section. (A person’s bio tells most of the story.)
• Trust Building 101: Identify your new friend’s emotional reasons for their job and why they work where they work and then become part of the solution. 
• Creating Value is about Challenging Beliefs and Perspectives.  Don’t be afraid to tell your new peer that their “recruiting issue” is really a retention and management issue.  If you do not change at least one of their beliefs/perspectives then you are an order taker; consultative selling is about changing actions and behaviors.
• Confirm clear and exact next steps. At the end of each meeting confirm the value-add of working with your organization as it specifically relates to them and their issues and agree on a date and specific action plan moving forward. 
  

An effective message is easy to execute if your approach each new friend/colleague as an opportunity to add real value.

Comments

[Anne Stephanie Cruz]

Hello!

I run across your blog and just thought of writing you a short note.

I'm Anne Stephanie Cruz, and I work for a company called Crimcheck.com - in case you haven't heard of us, we are a nationwide background screening service provider which has been in business for over 20 years.

Anyhow, I was wondering if I might be able to do a guest post on your blog. It can just be a short article about the HR industry, its relevance to background checks and employment screening, or really anything that you might suggest as well.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks in advance and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely Yours,

Anne Stephanie Cruz
www.crimcheck.com

Steph@crimcheckadvantage.com

[Maria Payroll]

This is well written. It can be used in the regular meetings that I hold for my staff. I make it a point that before they leave the room, there is something that they will remember from the meeting. If it's not a quote, it definitely is a story.