Use the Art of Storytelling To Bring Customers Into Your Fold

Have you ever thought about what you do for a living as a salesperson? Of course, you do more than sell merchandise, although that is undoubtedly the point of what you do. But when you examine it closely, you will discover that your primary duty is to tell stories.

Storytelling is an art form that dates back to prehistoric times. People use stories to learn new ideas, process unpleasant truths and face realities that may force them to change. Likewise, sales professionals use their masterful command of language to tap into this primary human behavior mechanism and use it to communicate ideas in ways that make it easy to understand the benefits of their products and services.

You build your sales pipeline in much the same way ancient people made tribes. The ideas that you share make a difference in the way people think, which, in turn, changes how they act. They buy from you now, and you get to receive compensation for helping them live more successfully in certain parts of their lives.

Weave Magic Spells by Developing Your Speaking Skills 

How does your voice sound when you speak? Do you communicate nervousness or shyness? You may need to consider taking some steps to improve your verbal presentation abilities. Your livelihood depends on you being able to entertain, educate and convince a grown, stubborn adult who counts their pennies to part with enough money to make it worth your while.

It’s no easy task, but then you are no ordinary sales professional. Instead, you are a masterful storyteller who can weave mystical magic by the flickering embers and ethereal mists of the campfire. The way you present your words, voice inflections, facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language all help you tell the story your customer needs to hear to make a good decision.

They are counting on you to guide them effortlessly to the happy ending. So please don’t make your prospects struggle. Instead, make them laugh, tug at their emotions and stimulate their intellect. In other words, tapdance like your life depended on it—it does.

Focus Listening To Discover Hidden Needs

You may not realize it, but your customers tell you a story, too. They inform you about their struggles, victories, hopes and worries. Maybe you would say that your customers don’t tell you these things, but they most decidedly do. But, unfortunately, they are talking in code.

You have to learn to break the secret language customers use by focusing your listening skills and drilling down with questions until you discover their pain points. Then, continue practicing this investigative work until you come across naturally and in a non-threatening manner.

Humans have a natural desire to open up to each other and unburden themselves of troubles. A salesperson doesn’t take advantage of someone by employing psychological techniques to make a sale. Conversely, delving into someone’s psyche can help a true sales professional understand what that person needs to feel better or perform more effectively.

Design a Sales Pitch Centered Around Customer Pain Points

There is an almost supernatural transformative power to hearing a solution to a problem that is causing you pain. The knowledge that an answer exists and is within your reach is enough to make you feel better.

Having a trusted individual guide a prospect through the process of revealing their needs, vulnerabilities, pain producers and greatest fears can seem a little shamanistic. So be prepared to get emotional at times as they brush up against the tentacles of problems they may be in denial over or flat out unaware that they exist.

The real magic lies in the final step. Now it is time to take everything they have shared with you and give it back to them in the form of a story. They are the hero, and you are their guide. Get them through their journey and safely to their destination, and there is a great reward awaiting you.

The process isn’t, in fact, magic. It works because they are usually unaware that they instinctively know the solution. Learn to read their subconscious symbolic messaging, and you can provide them with their answer, which originates in their mind.