Storytelling as a Sales Tool.

By Hipolito Munoz, Managing Editor/Publisher

I see and hear and read a lot of advise on how to create new clients through story telling and most times there is no follow up as to what that means. Are you advising for people to weave stories by making stuff up so that your audience can be deceived into buying your product, if so, you will land your client or friend in a nice lawsuit and/or prison. Here are my thoughts on how you can accomplish this without lying.

Using storytelling to connect with new and established clients is a concept that makes sense, how do you do that? Here are some tips for using storytelling to connect and explain, be careful to not misuse the word educate.

Always be transparent about your intention to make a sale. You will always be frustrated if you just philosophize without being clear that you must bring in revenue so that you and your business colleagues can pay rent and put food on the table for your families and if you are the business owner, to keep the lights on. Here are some actions you must take, including finding the appropriate folks to help execute this strategy, yes, it is a sales strategy.

First, you must have some one in your staff that enjoys writing because it is critical to understand how to create a story that is authentic. Do not think ignore that the goal is make a sale. Think about connecting and having those people who you are trying to reach get to know the purpose of your work. If you are selling insurance, they need to know that you are aware of their fears, which is generally why they are buying insurance. If you are selling a film to a large audience, don’t forget to focus on how this film will make them feel. If they know you or the “soul” of your company, you will get a client that will understand that you have their best in mind, even though at times, your product or service may be the more expensive option, its you or your company that they are collaborating with to resolve their problem, issue or situation.

Make sure that when you write, your readers can hear your intention, you want to help them solve their problem and the story should illustrate how. The time when people would trust sales people blindly are gone, due the fault of reckless, untrained “sales” people looking for a quick dollar out of desperation. Illustrate how your product, make it as transparent as you can. Once folks feel confident that they know your product or service, including its deficits, you now have a corner of the mind market in people you need to survive. There is no simple formula to follow; there is only strategic awareness of the opportunities you create through your actions.

Good sales to you.