Finding a new selling skill to increase sales is always a good thing especially when it actually works with your sales style. One skill or strategy that I have found to be highly effective is storytelling, if you truly want to embrace relationship selling.

Years ago I read a quotation by Hannah Arendt: “Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it.”

With the buying/selling process, especially at the beginning, sales people do not necessarily have enough information to be able to determine how their products or services could meet the needs of the prospect. The use of stories allows individuals to hear words, but think in pictures.

As a salesperson, you can craft vivid stories that help the listener (a.k.a., buyer) relate to what you do even before they share with you their issues. At this point, you are not selling what you do, but you are truly building an authentic relationship.

Simply speaking, the sources for the stories are:

- Testimonials from past and existing clients

- Your own experiences

Within the storytelling process, you can illustrate your points simply and make them personal for your prospect. One of my favorite stories is about going to the grocery store. As someone who works in the field of human capital with the goal of improving performance and creating transformational change, I developed this story many years ago.

The Story

How many times have you visited the grocery store? If you have, do you usually take a written grocery list with you so that you can get in and out because your time is important? Have you ever left that written grocery list at the office,  home on the counter, the desk or the refrigerator? If so, then you probably:

- Forgot some things?

- Bought things that you didn’t need?

- Wasted time thinking about what was on that list you left at home?

- Spent more money, possibly exceeded your budget?

- Expended a lot more energy and emotions than you wanted?

- Returned home and felt stupid when you saw the list on the table?

So, can we have agreement that a written grocery list has value? Good, then may we go a step further and reach an agreement that a written grocery list has significant value because of the wasted resources of time, money, energy and emotions? Great, so if a written grocery list has significant value by your own admission, then where is the written action plan for the rest of your life? If you do not have a written action plan for your future, what you are telling yourself is that a written grocery list has far more value than your destiny.

I tell this story one on one and in large groups because most people don’t a written action plan for their lives. And because what I do is to help people develop a balanced written action plan for themselves and their businesses based upon WAY SMART goals. 

Take the time to develop your own stories that can be easily shared with potential customers or clients. You may be surprised by the increase in relationships, referrals, and revenues.

P.S. If you do use this story, please give credit to me as the author of this story. By doing such, you maintain your own high values and you demonstrate that you are actively seeking ongoing opportunities to develop yourself.