How to Use Storyselling to Increase Revenue
Have you ever wanted to persuade someone to accept your point of view, and you found that features and benefits weren't working? Here's the solution: touch their heart with a story.
What Is Storyselling?
Simply defined, storyselling is using stories to sell.
Salespeople are beginning to discover that they can use stories to illustrate ways the buyer will enjoy their product. "Storytelling for sales" was shortened to "storyselling."
Storyselling hasn't been widely accepted. Yet. For many sales reps, storyselling is too "touchy-feely." They prefer the logical presentation of features and benefits, accompanied by price-cutting.
Storysellers are less likely to cut price, because their stories build value in the minds of the buyers.
Why It Matters
Humans buy for emotional reasons first. Then, we rationalize with facts.
Stories can make an emotional connection between the storyteller and the audience (between the seller and the buyer).
Who Can Use Storyselling?
Anyone who wants to persuade another person to accept their point of view can use storytelling. Here are two examples:
- I used storyselling to convince a judge to give me a $100 discount on a speeding ticket.
- Any sales rep can use storyselling to build value and shorten the selling process. Features and benefits, by themselves, no longer work.
How Does It Work
Sales stories have a basic structure:
- Introduce the hero. Help the buyer identify with the hero.
- Show the hero in a peaceful setting. All is well.
- A storm arises. The hero is in trouble.
- The hero gets help (from your product), and saves the day.
- A celebration is held. The moral of the story is presented.
As you tell your sales story, the fully becomes the hero. They saved the day. Your product is an essential tool to the hero's success.
How to Begin Your Storyselling Journey
Take out a sheet of paper. Write down the moral of your story, the big idea. Beneath the moral, number items 1 through 5.
Then, write a phrase or sentence for each of the five parts of your story's structure.
Finally, write a short story using the structure you defined.
Start Today
Write a handful of short, storyselling stories. You can apply your stories to each step of your selling process, from prospecting emails and phone calls, through after-sale follow-up and referral requests.
Storyselling is one component of Goss Storyselling Projects. Click Here to order a special white paper that shows you how to create sustainable revenue increases.
