Telling a great – and relevant – story can be a powerful sales tool. The right story can be an effective way to teach, persuade, or simply connect with your audience. Using stories will also make you more memorable, and let’s face it, they’re a lot more fun to listen to than a rambling assortment of facts and stats.
If you’re not a natural at telling a gripping tale, that's okay - there are plenty of resources to help. We recommend Nancy Duarte’s Resonate and Peter Guber’s Tell to Win. Once you've crafted your story, practice telling it to friends and family before sharing it with your prospect. Pay attention to your listeners’ reactions both while you’re telling the story and afterwards. Were they engaged? Entertained? Confused? Did they understand the point you were trying to make? Refine your story as needed – much as a comedian might fine-tune the pace or wording of a new routine to maximize the applause.
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