Episode 37 - Selling with Stories

Do you like green tea?  Then we have good news.  The Journal of Psycho Pharmacology (yeah, that's a thing) recently released a study showing that those who drink at least two cups a day are "sharper" mentally.  You can read a summary of the study here.  The study essentially discusses how green tea increases the brain's ability to quickly process information.  Kurt and Steve discuss how, if you can get away with it, getting your clients to have a green tea or a coffee may help your prospects make decisions faster.  Steve facitiously accuses Kurt of promoting "persuasion roofies." 

After discussing the article on green tea, Kurt and Steve begin discussing the concept of selling with stories.  Selling with stories allows you to access your prospect's subconcious mind.  We've all heard the adage that "facts tell, stories sell."  A good story at the right time is very persuasive.  Stories grab attention of bored prospects and engage people who weren't previously interested.  Stories also persuade without detection.  If you tell your prospect overtly "do this, do that", it just doesn't work.  But if you can sell with a story about a prospect who had a problem and solved it through your product, you stand a much better chance.

Stories also allow you to build credibility without sounding arrogant.  Saying things like "hey listen to me, I went to Harvard" or "I'm the best there is" can be a turn off.  But telling a story that involves you using your expertise or your education lets people know your legitimate without you coming across as arrogant.  Stories that you've lived are easier to tell.  But if you don't have a story that you've lived that's applicable to what you're selling, borrow something from a colleague or co-worker. 

What's most important is passion.  If you can't passionately tell the story and use proper inflection, you'll be just like somebody who can't tell a joke: everyone will feel sorry for you.  Also be sure to pick out the top objections that you typically receive and make sure the "character" in your story over comes them.  People like to visualize and feel what it's like for somebody to get past the same objections that are bothering them.  Just make sure it fits your audience, supports your product, and answers their questions.

To finish of, Steve presents the blunder of the week.  Apparently some multi level marketing companies are training their reps to visit realtors who work at model homes.  The purpose of these visits is to recruit the realtor into the multi level marketing company.  One of these marketers recently committed a huge blunder by dragging the realtors profession through the mud in an effort to get them remorseful enough to make a career change.  Kurt and Steve give this one a thourough "persuasion autopsy."