Purposeful Storytelling Sells According to Cathy Goodwin, Ep #305
Listen to other people\u2019s stories. Analyze them. What resonates? What doesn\u2019t? What is the\xa0purpose? In this episode of Sales Reinvented, Cathy Goodwin shares why you can\u2019t just have a handful of useless stories that you deploy without thought. Each story must be carefully crafted to reach your audience and is crucial in the sales process. Learn how Cathy creates purposeful stories in this episode!\xa0 Outline of This Episode
- [0:46] Why storytelling is an important skill to possess
- [2:26] Learn what type of story to tell at the right time
- [4:20] The role of the customer\u2019s backstory
- [9:43] Learn from listening to others\u2019 stories
- [11:54] Top 3 storytelling dos and don\u2019ts
- [15:08] Why purposeful storytelling is key
You can also explain a complex concept. Many businesses offer opportunities to clients that didn\u2019t exist five years ago. Cathy knew someone who developed an app to help people find spaces to hold events. How do you explain that? How do you show why people might need the app? They shared why they created it: the founder needed somewhere to host a birthday party. Simple, yet effective.
Learn what type of story to tell at the right timeEveryone tells stories. Cathy says to think about meeting a friend for coffee or a beer. When you\u2019re catching up with each other, you tell stories. What you have to learn is what type of story to tell and when to tell it. A business story isn\u2019t the same as a personal story. You have to identify a story that has a purpose. You also have to learn the different kinds of business stories. Some stories explain. Some stories build relationships. Some demonstrate expertise. You need to know when to tell each kind of story.
The role of the customer\u2019s backstorySuppose you\u2019re in a restaurant. You see the server walk by with a good main course. You didn\u2019t see it on the menu but now that you've seen it, you want it. Cathy firmly believes that\u2019s what a story that sells should be like. You want to create a dream for the reader. You take them into the dream and share the details. Encourage them to enter the scene with you. Give them an idea of what the outcome of working with you might look like. Then, you need to get the audience to say, \u201cI want\xa0that.\u201d
How do you accomplish this? It\u2019s important to know the customer\u2019s backstory. Cathy believes there are three parts to a customer\u2019s backstory:
- The problem itself: If you run a printing service, why do people come to you? Maybe they need flyers printed by next week and they\u2019re complicated to print. It\u2019s a complex job, so they come to you.\xa0
- Why can\u2019t they do it themselves?\xa0Why can\u2019t they just go to a Kinkos or a FedEx? Why do they need help?
- What is their baggage?\xa0How many times have they been to other print shops? Have they had good experiences\u2014or bad experiences? Maybe their order was late, misprinted, or people were rude to them. They bring baggage to the encounter with you. This is true for any relationship.\xa0
When you know these things, you know how to begin to craft and tell a story. What else do you need to know? Listen to learn more!\xa0
Why purposeful storytelling is keyCathy attended a networking event in Seattle. Everyone was sharing what they did for work. But one woman stood out. She said, \u201cI\u2019m going to tell you about one of my clients. She didn\u2019t have any savings, couldn\u2019t put money aside, and had a bad credit score\u2014but she wanted to buy a house. So we worked together for a few years. Last week, this woman closed on her very first house.\u201d\xa0
Everyone at the event found a reason to get that woman\u2019s card. They all knew someone in a similar situation who she needed to talk to. She communicated what she did quickly and vividly through the use of a purposeful story. She chose the perfect story for a networking event. If you can do that for your prospects, you\u2019ll connect on a deeper level\u2014which can ultimately lead to sales.\xa0
Resources & People Mentioned- Building a StoryBrand\xa0by Donald Miller
- Cathy\u2019s book:\xa0Grow Your Business One Story At A Time
- Cathy\u2019s podcast:\xa0Strategic Storytelling