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Telling an Engaging Story, and Other Tips for Closing Sales Leads

Inside Sales Lead Management Featured Article

Telling an Engaging Story, and Other Tips for Closing Sales Leads
 
October 29, 2014

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  By Matt Paulson, TMCnet Contributing Writer
 


It may not seem like the skills involved with telling a child a bedtime story are useful in the workplace, but many of the same techniques are used when trying to engage a potential customer's needs. Like a child, you'll have to comply with their requests to gain a favorable reaction and eventually sell the product.


Storytelling is especially useful in the sales process because it gives a clear example of how a product or software works before jumping into the actual pitch, according to a recent report in Business2Community. By making a story engaging, customers are no longer focused on the fact that they are being sold something but instead have a story to hold on to for a clearer picture and a more relatable experience.

Of course, one of the main aims of telling a story as part of a sale is to give your listener just the right amount of details. Too many and the story is boring, while too few details don't give enough of a picture of how the product can help the customer. This is referred to as the “Goldilocks” theory of detail.

Another tip that sales teams should follow when accompanying a pitch with a story is to forget about using industry-specific jargon, and instead focus on telling an easily pictured story that flows naturally like a conversation. Instead of relying on PowerPoint slide show presentations to read off the products list of stats, briefly reference them for a picture or two before continuing on with your well-rehearsed and dramatized story. By having a little bit of flair and an image to keep in mind, customers will be much more engaged in the story.

The biggest reason storytelling works, however, is because it creates a much closer and stronger bond between the customer and the sales agent. By keeping things relaxed with a story instead of a straight-laced and one-sided presentation, the customer is much more likely to agree to a sale, or at least clearly understand why they should buy your product and how it will help them.




Edited by Rory J. Thompson

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