Communication SkillsSelling Skills

Why your story matters…

If your best prospect agreed to give you just 3 minutes to persuade them you were their best choice, what would you say? Oh, and they’re also asking 5 of your competitors all who pretty much offer what you do (think Gala, MacIntosh, Fiji apples). You can create a Powerpoint if you want, or anything else you think might give you the edge.

So what would you do?

Tell your story. Tell them what about your product, service or idea drives people to do business with you. I don’t mean your beautiful ballroom. I mean how you watch brides walk into the ballroom and see them choke back tears (don’t ruin the make-up [humor is fine]) when they see their dream wedding come to life. I don’t mean how you love what you do. I mean how when people write to you after your program and tell them you changed their life, transformed what they do, that they applied your principles the next day – even though they weren’t yet feeling totally confident – and BOOKED the business! It’s your story that matters.

Telling your story requires you know what you offer. That sounds so obvious and really, it isn’t. It’s not the tangibles but the intangibles. The confidence they can feel because of your attention to detail. The time they’ll save because they can depend on your abilities. The sales momentum they’ll generate because of the learning environment you provide.

Pay attention to what people say when they use your service or product. Start journaling the things that happen that are special, unique, interesting to you.

Use your 3 minutes to tell your story. Generate emotion. If you have time left, back it up with the features that enabled the story you just told. No time for facts? No problem. Email them as soon as you leave the meeting. Thank them, remind them of how they’ll benefit and give them a link to the details they’ll use to justify choosing you.

Your story is your differentiating factor. Let them hear it.

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