We human beings love listening to stories.
When I was a child, I always asked my father to tell me a lovely story before going to bed. My first fairy tale ends up with the Prince and Princess live happily ever after. A positive and happy experience is exactly what we need as a child.
From the beginning of humankind, our ancestors taught us stories about how to survive from diseases, attacks, and famine.
Stories teach us how to react to people and have a companion and relationships. Stories even teach us what to believe and have faith in our life. Because of knowing what to do and what not to do, we survive!
“Storytelling is the oldest form of education.” – Terry Tempest Williams
I believe that everyone has a story to tell. A story has changed you to be who you are today which will impact the others as well.
When you are telling a story, you demonstrate your own charm, professionalism, and experience. And you have a chance to bring out the other people’s emotion and make a true influence. This is how storytelling makes a difference in people’s lives.
In short, telling your story is selling yourself, your ideas and then your vision which other people can live with and share together. This is the essence of storytelling.
How does storytelling help B2B business?
In the business world, we care about our B2B business partners’ interest more than ourselves although we always start by saying our own story.
It is a nice way to show trust and invite your counterpart to enter your world. They need to know who you are, why you are here and how you can help them.
When you are talking about yourself, be yourself not others. And they will feel your sincerity at the same time.
Afterward, listen carefully what they said to know their main interests and meanwhile evaluate their current stage in the sales cycle.
The key to moving forward to the next step of sharing a vision is to put yourself in their shoes even when you are talking. It is not about you but them! You have to show them why your ideas will help them to be excellent. That is how to do storytelling in business.
Are you ready to make a true impact on your B2B sales cycle with storytelling?
If you still don’t know where to start, I would like to share some tips to follow before your first storytelling. Practice makes perfect.
– Setup your purpose and goal:
Is it personal or Professional? Is it for an interview, self-introduction, or presentation?
Do you want to be liked, bring out curiosities or get the deal directly?
Bear in mind that your story has to be aligned with your business goals.
– Understand your audiences
Are they your friends, colleagues, business partners or investors?
What are their personal and professional interests? Who influences them more?
Do your own research and remember to make a record in your CRM database.
– Define the key message
Those key messages are your values, competencies, and benefits to them. As I mentioned before, it is about them not you. Remember those key messages have to be aligned with their goals as well.
– Decide the way to tell
In a presentation? In a networking event? In a meal? By telephone?
Will it be better face to face? Or even through social media?
– Tell your own story, no pitch!
Be yourself and passionate about your own story. Listen to their feedback carefully and demonstrate why and how your ideas can make them great personally and professionally!
That is how I make a true impact on this world as a sales.
P.S. Before you go, you may also be interested in the following articles:
6 Rules for a Message to Go Viral
3 Marketing Lessons from “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”
Boom Your Business Success with Creativity
POST WRITTEN BY
Sarah Lin
A strategic business development professional with +15 years proven business track record in Telecommunication and IT. She is experienced in managing key accounts and developing international business opportunities through building effective project teams. With a natural love of new ventures, this results in her ability to take risks and opportunities each time. Then her unique insights from cultural integration will definitely boom your business to the next level in this new era of globalization.
Life is a journey, only you can decide how to embrace it!
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