What do Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, Shakespeare and Roald Dahl have in common?

They all excelled in their fields of endeavour.  And the reason why they stand out is that they were great communicators.  But even more exciting is they were grand story tellers.

 So what lessons can we learn from them? And, how can we apply these learnings to spice up our sales performance?

 Story telling is a fabulous - if not dying art. It’s been used throughout history to motivate, inspire and build commitment. And, it’s a fantastic sales tool.
 
Let me explain.

In our ‘digital’ world, many products and services are highly technical. So, companies tend to hire sales people who are technical experts.

On the other hand, buying decisions are made by committees made up of technical and non-technical people. Final buying choice often ultimately rest with an inner circle of non technical buyers.

 So your sales pitch needs to be carefully crafted to excite and delight the ultimate buyer (or buying panel). That’s where great story telling can be your best sales weapon!

 
How story telling turned failure into incredible success


Here’s my personal experience on how story telling helped me close some large lucrative deals.

 I was hired by a very innovative security company looking for change. I was given a challenge to create and market an ‘electronic’ safe.
 
I produced a safe that could read paper currency bills, store them securely in a tamper proof canister inside the safe and provide printed read-outs showing cash deposited by operator. It was also programmable, and could print specialised reports. It even dialled the security company when the cash canister was full and ready for collection.

By today’s standards it was basic technology. No cloud based integration. No mobile connectivity. No high level data encryption. But for its day, it was the ‘ants pants’ in cash security.

The selling proposition was that the electronic safe provided more protection to retail workers. Instead of placing cash in a till, the operator placed cash directly into the safe. This provided much more protection against robbery and thus helped protect the employee from harm.

When the unit was ready for market launch, I prepared the sales strategy, the marketing program and communications support materials.
 
We were ready to set the market on fire with our new baby!

But after the first week, my sales team and I hadn’t closed a single sale. After 2 weeks….it was a similar story.

 Our collective hearts sank.

Why wasn’t the market responding to our sales pitch?  Had we got the research wrong? Had we made a huge mistake?

Then it hit me! We were concentrating on its specifications and functionality. But the final decision makers were not so interested in the specifications. They thought in terms of payback periods and how the product could help their business.

 So I had to rethink the selling strategy. I focused on telling a compelling real story. It went something like this.

 Two bandits burst into a Texas convenience store with unlawful intent. One of the three store attendants was Nikki Dement. The bandits were wearing masks and forced the three attendants to clear all the cash from the registers. 

They forced Nikki Dement and the other store workers into a vehicle and drove to a remote location. The bandits sexually assaulted Nikki. In a final act of terror they made the three victims lie on the ground and shot them all with a shotgun. Believing their victims were dead, the robbers fled the scene.


Nikki survived and bravely testified against the criminals. She faced them in court helping to ensure they were convicted.

 The story hit a nerve with our decision making clients. They could relate to this real life story. And ……they could visualise the horrific episode and associate it with something that could happen to their daughter, wife, sister or valued employee.

The conclusion drawn by our prospective customers’ was that - had an electronic safe been installed in the store, the bandits would not have been able to access any cash. Most likely they have would have departed the premises without inflicting violence on the store personnel.

By changing our sales strategy to telling a story, we achieved unbelievable success.

Suddenly, sales started to flow. Soon the flow became a river of orders. The product became so successful that we created a $10 million revenue stream.

You can achieve similar success by crafting a real story around your product or service.

 
Here’s the ‘How To’ for creating a fantastic story 


I’m going to share the secrets of story telling with you. …… Why?

Because I want you to experience success in your selling career, particularly if you’re selling technical products.


Story telling is a discipline. If you follow the formula, you can create a great story. Perhaps a fantastic story - that will sell your product beyond your wildest dreams.

Here’s a bonus tip for you. I find it useful to use mind-mapping as I step through the following process. If you use it, I bet it will help you achieve an improved result.

So, here’s the story telling method that Disney, Jobs, Shakespeare and Dahl all used to motivate, inspire, entertain or build commitment.


Exposition
This is the initial part of the story where you set the stage for the main action. Its here that you place the ‘where’ and ‘when’ to set up your story. You also identify the characters involved.  An important part of the exposition is to introduce a point of view from which the story is being told. 

Rising Action
This is where you build the excitement or tension to focus on the point of greatest interest. In Rising Action you introduce the most important parts of the story. You will also set up the climax.

Climax or Crisis
This is the turning point, which changes the fate of the characters. If the story is a comedy, things will have gone badly for the ‘hero’ up to this point. You now start unfolding the plot in his or her favour. This is where you might find the character drawing on hidden inner strengths.

Of course, if the story is a tragedy, the opposite will be the case. Things will go from good to bad. In a tragedy, your character will have hidden weaknesses that cause a catastrophe.
 
Falling Action
In this section you start to unravel the mystery. Your hero will win against the odds or, on the other hand, your villain will get his just punishment. This section will probably have a moment of final suspense, where your audience can only guess the outcome.

 
Dénouement
This is the final resolution, revelation or disaster that brings your story to conclusion.
It consists of events from the end of the Falling Action to the actual ending of the drama or storyline. Think of it as a final scene where conflict is resolved, or tensions and anxieties are released for your audience.


The comedy ends with your hero being better off. The tragedy ends with devastation, where the villain is worse off.

 

What are you waiting for?
It took me many years to discover the power of story telling to improve sales. 
 
Now that you know the secrets, begin today. Don’t delay! 
Start planning, constructing and delivering your sales stories now. And see the results for yourself! 

Selling technology products is tough. And it’s getting harder by the day.

Smart business leaders are looking to gain an advantage by adopting alternative ways to drive sales.

Not so long ago - on a hot and humid afternoon - I met with a potential client. Over a coffee, we discussed ideas around how he could improve his total sales result. I suggested that he consider farming-out his sales to a third party.

“Impossible!” – He snapped back to me.

“Why?” – I asked.

“Because… Sales has always been in-house.”

“Well, what if I could show you that contracting-out sales could reduce your cost per sale and increase your sales revenue…….. Interested?” I asked.

“ABSOLUTELY interested.” Came back his excited reply.

And that’s the reaction I usually get from most business executives.

So, how does contracting-out sales stack up? Let’s take a look.

1. Results, Results, ResultsYou’re looking for a better outcome, right?

An expert who specialises in sales will have a history of success. The specialist has many years’ experience in different companies and markets. This experience is hard to come by. The sales expert also has a ready-made tool-kit, honed over many years which has driven sales growth previously. The expert sales contractor will have an established network that he can leverage. His network has been carefully cultivated over time.

He will have ample knowledge about business in general; He will have done his research on specific markets. He will tap into lots of data on markets and where they are going.

So… your company can readily use this great wealth of skill and capability.




2. Take the weight off your shouldersSelling can be a hard grind! Internal sales people get disenchanted. Some can end up downright problem employees. You know the ones. They tell you you’re not giving them enough leads, or your prices are too high, or there’s not enough internal support, or customers are not interested in your product.

These guys are just making excuses for a lack of expertise and persistence. Do you really want them representing your company with that mindset? Terminating these guys is almost impossible. It costs you money and it takes time.

A professional sales contractor will have resilience and the tools to push through the inhibiting barriers. And because he’s concentrating solely on your sales, he’s not distracted by office politics or other side issues which is common among employee sales teams.

So take that weight off your shoulders and let the sales contractor take accountability. He will give you support, providing you with expert advice, feedback and a roadmap for the sales assignment. He will work with you to set sales goals and put a specific sales plan in place for success.

There’s an added bonus too. A sales contractor will represent your company and its products with professionalism, pride and passion. Can you be sure your internal sales team will consistently do that for you?




3. The hiring headacheI hear time-and-time again from senior business leaders that the hiring process often fails to bear fruit. I bet this has happened to you! You couldn’t find anyone with the right skills, the candidate you picked didn't accept the role, or worst case scenario; your new team member failed to deliver results.

Is the time and expense of the recruitment process worth the headache for you? You've engaged a recruiter, advertised the role, read the candidates’ CVs, short-listed, interviewed, re-interviewed and then put an offer to the selected candidate….Phew! No wonder you’re fatigued. And what about the work that you’re not getting done while you are busy recruiting?

Engaging a sales contractor is faster, less resource intense and far less expensive. And, in the unlikely event the sales contractor really doesn't work out for you, it’s easier to say ‘good bye’.




4. A Package DealContracting-out sales isn't just about field sales people. A reputable contractor will also be able to put together a full sales strategy.

Sales forecasting, account planning, managing the sales pipeline and sales reporting are also things a sales contractor will offer. This means less sales administration costs for you and better monitoring of sales performance.

Most contractors offer a tender evaluation and response service as part of their armoury. Again, this can be a big cost saving for you.

Tenders have a tight time frame. Many companies don’t manage the tender-response process well. You know the situation. Lots of team members tied up on the bid. There’s a huge amount of concentrated activity, long nights…. even panic, just to ensure a tender is done on time. So, take the pain out of tenders. Let a sales contractor take charge.

Sales contractors can also monitor your competitors effectively. They are independent, so they're often able to pick up competitor activity and trends faster than your ‘employee’ sales team.

So, contracting-out sales can be a total package deal for you.




5. Down to BusinessContracting-out sales generally sees the contractor getting up and running faster than ‘employee’ sales people. The sales contractor gets down to business right away. No need for job orientation or a phasing in period.

Sure, he has to learn about your product and your company, but because he can concentrate fully on that education, he’s likely to be able to hit the ground running before an employee has completed ‘Company History 1.01’

The sales contractor’s single focus is to make sales for you. And that’s exactly what you want. He (and his team) are fully trained professionals, so they can start generating sales fast. You simply get more bang for your buck.




6. Hunting and FarmingWhether you’re looking for hunters or farmers, sales contracting delivers. If you’re launching a new product or selling an established product into a new market, it’s fast and easy with a contractor who will hunt the business.

Likewise, if you’re looking to ‘farm’ established accounts to get higher returns and closer relationships, the sales contractor will work with you to create a long term profitable partnering bond between you and your major clients.

At the end of my discussion with the prospective client, I said.

“Well, now what do you think about contracting out your sales?”

He looked down at his empty coffee cup, then slowly met my gaze and said.

“Buy me another coffee….. and let’s discuss when you can start.”

At a recent technology conference. I was asked a simple question by several senior technical sales executives.

The question went something like this 'Why are we having difficulty selling our technology products?'

'That's a really good question.' I replied

'What type of person do you look for when recruiting a BD. AM or Sales role?' I asked.

Inevitably, each of the execs told me they recruited someone with a high level of technical ability, someone who understood the technology and could 'talk tech' with their target clients.

'That's what most technical companies do.' I said. 'Is that strategy really going to deliver the sales breakthrough you're looking for?'

'Please tell me more'. The execs excitedly exclaimed.

'I think its about the sales fundamentals. I said. 'After all, technology doesn't sell itself. It requires a professional with a high level of skill, focus and tenacity.'

'Would you like me to share my 5 secrets, on how you can increase engagement and sales performance?'

Now I had their attention!!...... Each of the senior execs invited me to share my secrets.

So here are my 5 secrets that I think technology companies tend to ignore.

Secret #1 - Call Targets

When I asked these senior execs about what call targets the set for Sales, BD or Account Managers, surprisingly, there was very little process around call targets. If you want to engage with the market and the decision makers you need a robust and targeted call plan.

Secret #2 - Quote Rates

I mentioned to these execs that they needed to ensure they had the right sales people calling on the right clients. So, unless your Sales team are quoting at least two out of three sales calls, then you need to ask yourself 'Am I getting value for money?'

Secret #3 - Sales Conversion Rates

Is your sales team merely dropping-in to see clients for coffee and attending those costly industry functions? If so, are they making a real contribution to your business? To help you measure whether you're getting value you need to monitor the conversion rate from the quotes your sales team generate.

Secret #4 - What Sales Revenue Should Be Generated ?




Did they, for instance, have sales people who sold at rock bottom prices without making any contribution to the bottom line? How did they calculate what revenue and contribution had to be generated to cover each sales persons TEC?

I recommended that the execs start measuring this without delay.

Secret# 5 - Its About Contribution

Sales leaders need to ensure they have an understanding of the margins and the bottom line generated by each individual - and the entire sales team. They need to understand which sales people are productive and which ones need further coaching and assistance to generate profits.

To a tee, each of the execs I spoke with invited me to talk to them more about getting the selling fundamentals right. After all.... technology doesn't sell itself

It’s a fact. Technical sales people generally focus on their products or services performance. But perhaps there’s a better way to increase your sales.

I was at a dinner party last week with some friends. We were talking over an after-dinner coffee when someone bemoaned the fast pace of technological change. Now, that got my attention straight away.

“What’s the problem with technology change?” I asked.

“Well, almost daily a sales person contacts me with some new tech upgrade, software or a brand new device.” Came the reply.

He went on. “They all tell me about the performance of their product, but I want to know how it improves my business.

I had one of those Ah-ha moments!

Most technical sales people do concentrate on product features and performance. And why not! They are technical specialists and the new whiz-bang features are of interest to everyone, right?

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but most executives who make buying decisions are wholly absorbed in how the money they spend with you will improve their business. They don’t care too much about features. And this is exactly what my dinner friend was saying.

So let’s look at an alternative which I’ve had great success with over the years.

My first tip is that successful sales people understand that a buyer already has enough information on the product and how it performs. Product features and specification sheets are all readily available on your website. Further information is on user forums and chat rooms. So, if you’re sitting in front of a customer he probably already knows the specifications and features of your product.

Your challenge is to show him that you will add value to his business.

Sales people who haven’t recognized this fact … and made the change - are really wasting the customers’ time. By concentrating on product performance, you’re telling the customer things they already know.

And don’t fall for the trap that customers value your help by educating them on solutions that focus only on your products. Customers are much savvier than that. And technical sales people need to be too.

Vision Selling

Here’s a concept I call Vision selling. It has worked for me. And it can work for you too.

Create a vision for your customer by helping them imagine the unimaginable. Then show them the route to achieve the vision.

Not so long ago, I was sitting with a sales team when the Sales Director looked at one of the team members and said.

‘Tell me about what’s happening in your customer’s industry.’

The sales person related information and knowledge about what was happening in his clients company…. But she missed the point! The Director had asked what’s happening in the industry. In other words, tell me about the areas that are impacting your customers business, market share and even their continued existence.

The Sales Director turned red in the face – thumped the table - and challenged the sales person to immediately find out about what was actually happening in that industry. He knew that if his team did not understand the industry and factors influencing it, they could not deliver the Vision Selling model.

Your customers are busy operating in the here and now. The opportunity for you is to give them that vison for their future. Tell them about what’s about to happen in their industry or in their markets that they may not understand or even be aware of.

Get Started Now

If you want to get ahead of the competition and provide real value to your customer then start Vision Selling now. Here’s how:

• Find out what trends are impacting your customers markets.
• What new technologies or techniques are being developed, tested or trialled?
• Do other industries have models that might be transferable to your customer and his market?
• Are there techniques used in other industries that might have application in your customers’ markets?

Vision selling doesn’t have to be complicated. Just share some information that creates a new vision for your client. You will establish some real rapport, become a ‘go to’ expert for your client, and most importantly, make more sales than your competitors.