Want to sell a product, service, or idea? Try these approaches for using storytelling to hack sales.
Not long after starting my first job, I set out to make one of my first adult purchases: a new vacuum. I had a vacuum already. But with long hair and pets, I wanted something stronger. Dyson had just come out with a new bagless vacuum that looked cool. This was at a time before Amazon ratings or internet reviews were common. I went to the store to check it out.
As I was browsing the electronics aisle, a salesperson named Mike approached me. I pointed to a vacuum box that was on a shelf above my head and said, “I want that vacuum.”
“No, you don’t”, Mike replied
.
“Oh, I do. Can you help me get it?” I asked.
“You don’t want that vacuum,” Mike insisted. “You want one like this one,” pointing to one similar to what I already had.
“OK, why don’t I want that vacuum?’ I asked.
Mike starts ranting, “The suction gets clogged with hair and fur after 30 seconds, it doesn’t pick everything up, when you empty the canister dust particles fly into the air…”
“You want this vacuum,” pointing again to the one I didn’t want.
It was hard to take Mike seriously. He looked everywhere but at me and seemed insistent and annoyed. I felt like he was pushing the other vacuum for a sales incentive. He didn’t ask me questions and was adamant I was making the wrong choice.
I thanked him and went into another aisle until he wandered off. Then I went back and got the bagless vacuum I wanted. After a few minutes of setup, I turned it on and loved it. Ha – what did Mike know?! A few days later I turned it on, and a high-pitched squeal began. Sure enough, the intake was blocked with hair and fur.
Turns out – Mike was right! I hated that vacuum for all the reasons he said. Even though he had the right points, he failed to make a sale because I didn’t trust him. He talked about the product but didn’t connect with me as a customer. With just a few questions and an anecdote, I might have walked out of there with a different vacuum.
The key to storytelling in sales is to center on the buyer. Often, we aren’t buying products or services. We are buying what these things help us be, do, or have. Sometimes these are tangible things and sometimes they are aspirations. The next time you want to persuade or sell someone on an idea or sell a product or service, try one of these approaches.
Hold a Mirror Up to Their Challenges
Tell stories that describe common customer challenges. Help them see that others struggle with the same things.
Mike only needed to make a small tweak to his message by asking me a few questions like, “What do you like best about your vacuum? Or “What is one thing you’d like to change about your vacuum?” Or even “What is it important that a vacuum does for you?” My responses would help him hold up a mirror to me.
He could have said “I frequently hear people say the same things. Someone came in here the other week and returned this vacuum because they have a pet at home. The suction on this vacuum isn’t great and the air intake gets clogged with pet hair after one use. I think if you bought this vacuum, it would make you spend more time cleaning because you have to stop and clear blockages multiple times each use. Not to mention it might make you sneeze each time you dump the canister.”
Your goal is to connect your customers to the common challenges and the emotions of their situation to nudge them toward a decision. Help them recognize what unexpected they gain with your product or service (e.g., time).
Punch Them in the Bruise
You know how you wince when you bump a bruise on your body? My friend Samantha Hartley uses the phrase “punch them in the bruise” to describe how you can talk about customer pain points and nagging problems. Make them flinch as they think about those irritating problems and show how you can help address them. We often procrastinate because we’re unsure where to start or are convinced it’ll take significant time or energy.
Mike could have asked me how long I’ve wanted a new vacuum. Or how frustrating it is to spend time vacuuming and still find hair and dirt right afterward. If he started by asking me questions up front, he would know my challenges. His responses could focus on how this vacuum wouldn’t address those problems and would create new ones.
I’ll Have What She’s Having
We make purchases based on what we want to become, what we want to do, or what we desire. It’s these aspirations that we are frequently buying, not just the products themselves. Sometimes we’re buying the relief of not having to deal with the problem anymore. Buying a bookshelf isn’t just buying a place to store books. It’s the feeling of being tidy and organized. Buying coaching services helps replace the feeling of imposter with one of an expert.
Mike could have said “Cleaning is just one of 100 things you are doing each week, and it’s not just about having a clean home. It’s about feeling like you are organized and can spend your time doing what you want—not cleaning all the time. My concern is this vacuum will increase your cleaning time.”
Next Level Problem
In the first year of my business, someone said to me “More clients mean more problems.” She described how I would have to put different systems and approaches in place as I grew. Describing the next-level problems I would encounter helped me recognize and respond when I got there.
My brand team is great at doing this. They plant seeds of ideas that make me observe the need for their recommendations. When I see their perspective, I frequently implement their ideas. Mike had one next-level problem to tell me about: I would be back in two weeks wanting to return the vacuum like the previous eleven customers.
People are at the heart of every sale. Tell stories that connect your audience to their aspirations. Put them in the center of the message. Advise people not just on today’s challenges, but what may come next. Share information to strengthen trust. Do it well and customers return when they’re ready.
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