Have you ever tried to sell something and just realized at the end that nothing worked? Chances are, it’s because your sales pitch had no structure. If you want to increase your chances of closing a sale, you need to start telling stories—not just any kind of stories, but ones with a specific storyline that includes all the necessary elements of a successful sales presentation. In this blog post, we’ll explore exactly how to structure your story in order to maximize your chances for success. We’ll provide tips on incorporating key storytelling techniques as well as what type of content should be included in each part for maximum effectiveness. By following these steps, you’ll have an engaging and persuasive way of selling that will help build long-term relationships with customers.
Engaging the Public
Ultimately, stories sell, and the better that you’re able to tell your personal story or just tell a story in general, the more sales that you’re going to make.
One of my favorite topics is public speaking. I’ve run personal training studios, and I’ve done consulting work. I’ve been in a brick-and-mortar business too, and I’ve sold stuff online. In every job that I’ve had, whether it’s corporate or entrepreneurial, the best way to communicate with tons of people and to sell your program, your thoughts, and your ideas, is through public speaking. The problem is that so many people are afraid of public speaking. I understand this fear is relevant, but with more practice, anybody can do public speaking easily.
In your sales presentations, whether it’s one-on-one or in a group setting where you’re doing public speaking, using stories sells really well.
The Hero’s Journey
Storytelling can be a tricky art. Knowing how to tell your tale in an engaging yet persuasive way is essential for success – and that’s the difference between good storytellers and great ones. This simple structure I’m sharing with you helps you incorporate your stories in any sales presentation so you are able to make a connection with your prospects or prospect, and ultimately sell your service or your program.
When you are creating a story, there are several elements that make it interesting. I always use the Heroes’ Journey. This is a framework that has been around for a long time and is used in many Hollywood movies. The good ones always use the hero’s journey.
Typically the way this hero’s journey starts is with a crisis – something has happened:
- Darth Vader has invaded the planet Exegol
- The ship is sinking
Something along the lines of these can be a crisis moment and is always a good place to start. It does not have to be at the beginning of your story sequentially or chronologically.If you start with the crisis moment, it is going to grab somebody’s attention straight away.
Then, for the second piece, you can start with what led up to that crisis moment.
This is when you can unpack what happened leading up to that crisis moment. After all, with a bit more context, our remedial effort could become even more effective. Understanding how it got to this point might show us where we need to go from here.
The third piece is when you want to introduce the other characters.
They are the ones who helped you along the way—your guides. These guides can either be a book, a person, or an internal thought. Of course, you can include the villains—the ones that are keeping you from reaching the ultimate goal that you want to achieve. Similar to your guide, these can be an actual person, a book, it could be a thought, it could be something that’s going on internally in you. Don’t think that villains just automatically have to be people.
There’s a struggle after the crisis moment, where you, as the hero in this story, are trying to get to your goal. The guides help you, while the villains do what they do.
Then there’s the climax, or when you actually achieve your goal.
This part is truly captivating. Building up to this moment, you take the reader on an exciting journey full of conflict, resolution, and discovery. Here, the protagonists come full circle, understanding or having acquired what it was they were seeking. It may be a thought-provoking realization that shakes them to their core or an exhilarating achievement that sparks joy within their heart.
The last part is: “What did you learn from that?”
At the end of your journey, take a step back and assess what you’ve discovered. Reflect on all that you’ve done and thoughtfully consider the lessons you can learn from it. This is where you somehow look back and share them with your audience.
When you’re going through a simple story structure like this, people will listen and be interested. If it is a sales presentation and your story is relevant to the person you are talking to, they will be very interested in what you have to say.
Some Common Mistakes
The other mistake that most people make when telling their story is that it’s not relevant to the topic at hand. Keep in mind to always use the story to bring together the idea that you just shared.
The second mistake people make in telling stories is where or when to place that story that’s appropriate for the sales conversation. The rule of thumb is you want to use a story to reinforce a topic idea.
Let’s take an example of personal training.
‘When I was doing my public speaking for personal training, I used to tell people my story about the time I went to the doctor and he said I was 30 pounds overweight.” I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The doctor wanted me to take medication, but I was only 30 years old. I asked the doctor, “Is there a different choice or do I have to take the medicine?” He responded, “Well, you could try this thing called diet and exercise, but nobody does that. “Just take the pills.”
Ultimately, I decided to do the hard work of nutrition and exercise. I bought a book called Body for Life. (This was the hero or the guide in my story.) Along the way, I also met some people in my life who were sabotaging me (the villains), but ultimately, I lost 40 pounds of fat, gained 10 pounds of muscle in just 12 weeks.
When I went back to see my doctor,
One, he didn’t recognize who I was.
Two, he said, “What did you do?”
To which I replied, “I didn’t take your advice.” I did diet and exercise, and it worked. “You are also fired as my doctor.”
What I learned from that is that when you have a goal in a crisis moment, like having a health issue, you are going to achieve those goals.
This is why I think it’s important for you to sign up for my personal training program.
By leveraging my personal story, I’m able to build instant rapport with prospects and accurately illustrate that I understand their situation. They often find it very easy to move ahead and make a decision on signing up, giving them the assurance of staying successful in today’s competitive market.
As you can see, when it comes to sales, storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool that can help you close more deals. And now that you know how to craft a story and use it in conversation, there’s really no reason not to
give it a try. If you’re interested in learning more about how I could help you sell more of your programs and services, schedule an impact call with me today. I’d be happy to chat with you and answer any questions you have.
Sought-after stories have the power to captivate and inspire. But do you know how to tell your story in such a way that it will leave an unforgettable impact? If not, then come and let’s chat! Book an impact call with me now, and I can show you some tips on boosting your storytelling skills for maximum business success. Let’s team up and open the door to success. We’ll uncover fresh perspectives that could take you in unexpected directions.
