Human beings have been passing down information through stories since the beginning of time. Today is no different. As humans, we love stories. We love hearing them. Being a part of them. And even telling them. So how does this relate to selling? Well, the truth is, that each good salesperson should be able to tell a story. This article explains why every salesperson should be a storyteller.

The book, “The Storyteller’s Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch On and Others Don’t”, explains how people like Survivor series founder, Mark Burnett and even Apple’s own Steve Jobs were made extremely successful through the art of storytelling. Their pitches painted a picture for others to see. Background, trust, and an emotional connection were built on the stories of these top salespeople.

This is something that sometimes lacks in the sales industry. Salespeople forget that people buy things from people they like. They also buy things from people that can paint a story for them that connects to their wants, needs, expectations, and dreams.

Stories of the Future Possibilities

In our online training, six-figure salesperson Chris Paulino talks about closing deals with hypothetical stories painted for the client base. These stories allow the salesperson to connect the customer to the possibilities that the new purchase would give them. Stories also play on the imagination of the consumer and allow them to visualize the picture that the salesperson is trying to paint.

You can also tell stories that explain how your product can help save people from future problems. This will motivate customers to purchase

Stories of Past Successes

Think about the power of a testimonial builds for your business. It’s a story of how your product or service helped solve a problem for the client which usually leaves customers trusting your brand. Amazon and Yelp have built their businesses on these stories from consumers so why should your business be any different?

Like I mentioned above, these stories can be about past customers that you saved from issues. True and authentic stories can build brand and trust with the customer even if they never ever meet the other characters involved. Most likely, they will believe you and trust you even more after one of these narratives.

Stories of Education

Several people learn through stories. Think about how children’s books are set up. Each story teaches some type of lesson through the characters allowing kids to grasp the subject. Adults are no different. They learn from stories. With that being said, salespeople can work storytelling into pitches to teach a certain concept to their audience.

You can teach them about features, product benefits, or other value propositions through your use of these educational stories. This is why every salesperson should be a storyteller.

Whether it’s a pitch, product, or service that you’re trying to sell, stories will make all the difference. So what drives your stories? Share in the comments below!