The Story of Sales

To continue on the theme of sales from last time, what better way could we entice a client or customer than to add the full power of a good story to our marketing?

Often, heroes in stories we experience meet someone mysterious and capable to steer their path. For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi guides Luke Skywalker in the ways of the force. Doc Hudson helps develop Lightning McQueen in Cars. Neo has Morpheus in The Matrix.

When we position ourselves as that guide, clients are far more intrigued from the get go. To do so, the most important thing is to gain the customer's trust, marked by two key elements, which you should think about during any sales pitches you give.

The first one, as discussed in the last post, is to show that you understand the customer - you feel their pain. Recognising the pain that a customer is going through gives them confidence that you have the ability to listen, and you indeed understand the problems they are going through. Saying phrases such as "We know the struggle of not having..." and "We fully understand the problems you are going through..." go a long way to build that necessary trust.

The second one, is to demonstrate authority. A potential buyer will not be as willing to buy the solution you present to them if you cannot demonstrate that you know what you are talking about. One classic example is that during the hiring process, most employers feel a lot more enticed when some sort of statistics are added to the work. For example:

I have 5 years of experience as a manager, leading over 50 people in group sizes of up to 10 people at a time.

versus

I have multiple years of experience as a manager, leading people in different group sizes.

Adding statements such as "We've helped thousands of clients like you..." or our "We have gained over 10 awards for our services..." will help build on that foundation of trust established by first connecting to the clients problems.

That said, some customers may still be hesitant to buy your product or service, since some people may naturally be more risk averse. From this point, the main idea is to give customers an easy plan as to what to do next, and this will be explored in the next blog.