Storytelling for Sales

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www.practicalstorytelling.com © Copyright 2011Practical Storytelling

Storytelling for Sales Worksheets

Constructing a Story to Sell Your Product or Service

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Practical Storytelling www.practicalstorytelling.com © Copyright 2011

Introduction

• Stories a great way to sell your services or products

• Stories capture attention and keep your client or customer engaged

• Stories are often easy to develop using existing experiences and materials

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Overview

• Jumpstarting a story• Casting the client or customer• Mapping needs and benefits• Product and client types• Story types• Story construction

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Jumpstarting a Story

• What is the product or service?• What is the core benefit?• What are some past success stories?• What were some of your best sales?• What are some of the best sales within

the company?

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Past Story Worksheet

What is your company history? (Values, service, experience level)

What was your best success with a client? (Solutions, best practices)

How did you overcome a challenging situation? (Problem solving)

Every business has its share of stories. Many of these stories can be adapted for use in sales situations. Answer these questions and use the resulting story in the indicated areas.

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Casting the Customer or Client

• Your customer or client is the audience for your story, but you can also cast them as a character.

• Build the story of your product or service around them.

• Ask them a series of open-ended questions to determine their needs or wants from a product or service.

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Open-ended Questions

• Adapt the following questions so they related to your product or service area.– What issues have you faced in the last year?– What could improve the way you do business?– What can make you better than your competitors?– What’s the biggest challenge you face?– What external forces influence your business?– What are you top three initiatives for this year?– What are you looking for in a product or service?– What is your unique value proposition?

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Spotting Needs

• Look for clues about needs in the answers to your open ended questions– Missing a key or core element– Existing product/service doesn’t work or

work well enough– At a disadvantage to a competitor– Looking forward towards a specific goal– Difficulty or inefficency fulfilling a certain

area of the business

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Question Worksheet

Question #1:

Question #2:

Question #3:

For most meetings, three open-ended questions are enough to support a worthwhile conversation. Develop and list your three questions here. Use the areas underneath to take notes.

Review your notes on the client or customer’s answers and circle the needs.

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Mapping to Characteristics

• Connect specific needs to specific aspects or characteristics of your product or service

• Avoid listing all the aspects or benefits of your product or service

• Focus in on the specific features that match the client or customer’s need

• Weave a story around these elements

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Needs/Benefits Worksheet

Product or Service Benefits Customer or Client Needs

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From Needs to the Story

• Compare to a similar need that was met at another customer– “We had a client in a very similar situation to yours. We were able to

adjust the product in these ways and add these options to produce a solution. He ended up saving about 30% per month.”

• Construct a scenario that explains how this customer’s need will be met– “One of the features of our service is that its customized to

each customer, this will allow us to adapt to the unique aspects of your business model.”

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Your Product or Service

Primary Companion

Intermediary Enhancement

Product Types

Main or core component

Complimentary to main component

Connects main components together

Improves or adds function to main component

Examples: software system, life insurance or coffee maker

Examples: training manual, life insurance for spouse or coffee

packet dispenser

Examples: software interface, short-term insurance or water filter for coffee maker

Examples: software plugin or module, supplemental

insurance or flavored creamers

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Client/Customer Types

Direct Social

Detail Steady

Client Types

Driven by goals Driven by people

Driven by specifics Driven by group tasks

Makes quick decisions, wants an overview or high level information

Enjoys talking and interacting, wants to know

the social implications

Thoroughly examines all factors, need complete information

Concentrates on everyday goals and works as a member of the team

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Story Types

Story Type Description Product Client

History Results of previous customers/clients or a case study

Primary, Companion

Steady, Direct, Detail

Fable Use of the product or service to meet a goal or target

Intermediary, Enhancement

Social, Steady

Journalistic Factual report of the experiences of existing customers

Primary, Intermediary

Direct, Steady, Detail

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Story Type Worksheet

Customer Name:

Product:

Direct Social Steady Detail

Needs (and other notes):

Primary Companion

Intermediary EnhancementRelevant Attributes:

Story Ideas:

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Story Construction

Theme

Example: Our variety of available

options provides the

flexibility you need to adapt your systems as necessary.

Characters

Example: One of our

other clients had almost the

same situation.

PlotExample: We were able to change the

components of his inventory system several times to meet his seasonal needs.

Customer/Client Needs + Product Attributes

Customer/Client or similar customer/client

Series of events that demonstrates the solution

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Story Construction Worksheet

Theme

Characters

Plot

Customer/Client Needs + Product Attributes

Customer/Client or similar customer/client

Series of events that demonstrates the solution

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Story Timeline

Event 3

Issue Action

Event 2Issue Action

Event 1Issue Action

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Timeline Example

Event 3

Holiday sale and customer appreciation event

New discount structure applied and tied to customer profile

Event 2Last minute changesto summer inventory

Special pricing moduleadded to system

Event 1: System SetupGet installed in time

for spring saleExtra personnel

dedicated to project

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Timeline Worksheet

Event 3

Event 2

Event 1

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Putting It All Together

• Analyze customer/client needs• Link specific needs to specific product

attributes (Theme)• Choose a story type based on client type and

product type• Decide whether or not to cast the client in the

story (Character)• List the events involved in the solution (Plot)

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Next Steps

• Practical Storytelling Book– Available at PracticalStory.com & Amazon.com (book or Kindle)

• Storytelling Webinars– Storytelling Basics– Storytelling Practical Examples– Story Mechanics– Story Types– Audience Analysis– Character Development– Plot Development– Story Construction

• Storytelling Workshops– Story Development– Practical Storytelling (1/2 Day, Full Day, Two Day)– Practical Storytelling for Salespeople– Practical Storytelling for Trainers

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www.practicalstorytelling.com © Copyright 2011Practical Storytelling

Storytelling for Sales Worksheets

Constructing a Story to Sell Your Product or Service

Storytelling for Sales

Business

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