We all need to “sell” something at some point – to convert a prospect into a customer at its most basic. Most of us hate the idea of “sales” and “selling” – so what’s the answer?
Some of the time we are “selling” to people we don’t even know yet – it’s not selling of course, that’s marketing – positioning ourselves in the market as someone who can solve their problem.
But – people love stories – and they remember stories a lot better than they remember hard facts.
So my invitation to you is to use stories to help people understand what you do and more importantly HOW you help them.
If you can tell short stories people will really relate to them and understand how that will apply to them or someone they know. Never forget that the person you are speaking to may not BE the user of your products and services but they may KNOW them.
Your task is to establish your credibility, and to inspire trust. By giving examples in the context of what you do.
How do we make those stories work? Andy Bounds – the Jelly Effect* – introduces the concept of Afters – what do customers walk away with (figuratively) at the end of their time with you? What difference do you make to their lives?
So – they don’t come for a cup of coffee – they come for:
- Some time with a friend
- Some time to work
- Some time with a book or newspaper
And afterwards they remember the oasis of calm in the middle of a busy day or whatever.
We are all driven by our emotions – don’t believe anyone who says they are not! We have been using the term “gut reaction” for hundreds of years – our gut is indeed part of our nervous system. We are not the logical creatures we like to think we are!
So what does your marketing say – how can you use the concept of Afters to tell a story – tell people why customers came to you – what you did and what difference you made to their lives – the Afters!
Get in touch if you would like to discuss further.
*The Jelly Effect: How to Make your Communication Stick – Andy Bounds