Collecting great stories and saving them in accessible formats are critical first steps in empowering your reps. But how can your team use engaging stories in relevant ways to fuel compelling sales conversations?
Think about how conversations unfold. There’s a fluid give-and-take dynamic at play: someone speaks, someone listens. Use this natural rhythm to inject great anecdotes and insights. Sandwich your selling story between an introduction and follow-up questions. This connects your story directly to the prospect’s challenges and opportunities.
Introduction: Illustrate that you’ve been listening, and take your prospect’s concerns seriously. Cite their comments as you introduce your selling story: You mentioned… or It sounds like you’re struggling with….
Follow-up Question: Sales & service people often overestimate how well their points are absorbed or appreciated by prospects. This can lead to conversational disconnects and mismanaged expectations.
Pose follow-up questions such as Having shared the value the full suite delivers, does it make sense to work on a second business case? or Might this approach work with your team? The prospect’s responses will provide a glimpse into their mindset, and how they’re perceiving your offer.
Understanding this mindset will dictate your next question, story, action or strategy.
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Paul McGhee founded SharperAx in 2013. SharperAx develops role-play automation software.
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This article is the fifth excerpt from “10 Best Practices for a Great Storytelling Program,” an eBook written by Paul McGhee, based on years of research and practice in delivering great story programs. To download the entire eBook from Sharperax.com click here.
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