Stories Make You Memorable with Philipp Humm, Ep #327
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People pitching their company often say things like \\u201cWe are the market leader in\\u2026We operate in 200 branches\\u2026We spend 10% of our money on R&D.\\u201d Philipp Humm notes that while these are interesting facts that should be included, they aren\\u2019t very memorable. The moment you walk out the door, your potential buyer won\\u2019t remember those facts. To be remembered, you need to appeal to their emotions. The easiest way to do that?\\xa0Tell a story.\\xa0
Outline of This Episode
- [0:54] Why is storytelling an important skill to possess in sales?\\xa0
- [1:53] Is storytelling something that can be learned?\\xa0
- [2:50] The ingredients of a great story that sells
- [4:07] The attributes and characteristics of a great storyteller
- [5:13] Resources listeners can use to improve their storytelling
- [6:10] Philipp\\u2019s top three storytelling dos and top three don\\u2019ts
- [9:34] Anyone can share a mesmerizing story with the right techniques
Is storytelling something that can be learned?
Philip recently attended his undergrad reunion. Someone walked up to him and asked what he was \\u201cUp to these days.\\u201d Philip told him that he was a business storytelling coach. This guy said, \\u201cI never saw you as a storyteller.\\u201d Philip, feeling slighted, admits that he had been a terrible public speaker and storyteller. But over the years, through practice and repetition, he learned how to do both well, proving that anyone can learn the art.
The ingredients of a great story that sells
Philipp believes that there are three ingredients you can\\u2019t forget when storytelling.\\xa0
- Emotion: Is there anything that touches hearts? Is there any challenge overcome? Is there something that makes the listener\\xa0care?\\xa0
- Surprise: When you\\u2019re sharing your story, you\\u2019re fighting for the attention of the listener. You make someone pay attention by sharing something unexpected that they didn\\u2019t see coming.
- Visual moments: You want your buyer to be able to see whatever you\\u2019re telling in front of their eyes. They should be part of your story.\\xa0
What are the attributes and characteristics of a great storyteller? Listen to learn more!
Philipp\\u2019s top three storytelling dos and top three don\\u2019ts
Philipp shares some great dos and don\\u2019ts:\\xa0
- Don\\u2019t make it too complex. You have 60\\u201390 seconds to tell a story, so don\\u2019t try to cover the 16 steps of the Hero\\u2019s Journey.\\xa0
- Don\\u2019t give too much context.\\xa0Two to three sentences of building context are enough. You aren\\u2019t writing a fiction novel!
- Don\\u2019t make it a performance. You don\\u2019t have to go into character to tell a story. You\\u2019ll create a disconnect between you and the buyer. Instead, weave it into your conversation.
- Make the customer the hero. You are Yoda\\u2014not Luke Skywalker. You\\u2019re the hero\\u2019s\\xa0guide.\\xa0
- Make the story about a\\xa0specific\\xa0person. Humans care about humans\\u2014not companies. Who is impacted by your story?\\xa0
- Make your story relevant. Do some research on your audience. Learn about their company, role, and interests, and then select relevant stories. If you don\\u2019t, your story may work against you.
Using the right storytelling techniques is key
Philipp was in his apartment in Amsterdam when he got a call from an unknown number. When he picked up the phone, it was a gal who had taken one of his programs. She closed 12 deals in one month alone. Her boss asked her if she had been\\xa0bribing\\xa0her clients. She was simply using stories in her conversations.\\xa0
He asked her what made the biggest impact on her from his training. She said it was knowing how to turn water into wine. She learned how to turn any basic story into something interesting using the techniques she\\u2019d learned. Anyone can share a mesmerizing story with the right techniques.\\xa0
Resources & People Mentioned
- Philipp\\u2019s\\xa0Storytelling Assessment
Connect with Philip Humm
- Connect on\\xa0LinkedIn
Connect With Paul Watts\\xa0
Audio Production and Show notes by
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