Stories Beat Brochures and Spec Sheets
I Was a Little Nervous As I Entered their Conference Room
I was about to present Sage MAS 200 accounting software to a prospect I had been trying to see for two years. Finally I had the appointment.
My prospect was in the Seattle-Tacoma, Washington area. I had driven up from the Portland, Oregon area, I was given ninety minutes for my presentation. The decision-makers sat down and said, "Go."
I Was Confident I Had the Solution They Needed
I began by asking questions. I confirmed their needs by the only practical way: they restated their needs as they answered my questions.
Now that we had their unfulfilled needs on the table, I asked them to calculate the cost of the pain they were suffering. Their answers showed the cost of their pain was enormous!
Next, I told them a story of their future. They were the heroes of the story. I described their struggle with their spreadsheets. I reminded them of the pain they were experiencing, and their calculation of the cost of their pain.
The next part of my story described their transition from pain to triumph! In general terms, I described the implementation of their new software. I described the training of their staff and management. Then I showed them a Day in the Life after they were using the new software. I watched their eyes and listened to their comments. They all liked the new Day in the Life.
Here's Why I Won the Sale
At the conclusion of my story, my call to action was simple: "Are you ready for your new Day in the Life?"
They said, "Yes." I handed them my proposal. Its payment terms were Cash Before Delivery. They signed my proposal. After they signed my proposal, I asked why they gave me the honor of implementing their new accounting and financial management system. Their answer was straightforward: "The other software vendors, including other Sage vendors, came here to impress us with their software demonstration skills. They showed us feature after feature, with no link to our needs. You showed up as our business growth consultant. You made it all about our future. Here's your signed contract, and your check.
The best storyteller wins. I was the best storyteller. I made my story about my client and their future.
Would you like to learn to be the best storyteller? Would you like to stand out from the crowd?
Here's the link to my Storytelling page. Here's to your success!
