How to Turbocharge Your Sales Through the Art And Science of Storytelling

We read recently that "one simple story can make you a million dollars"
Let's explain and put this into perspective
In terms of marketing stories are 22 times more memorable than facts and figures alone
You've likely heard the saying "facts tell and stories sell" and it's absolutely true
Just think about how much time most people spend watching TV or Netflix?
No matter how much technology evolves, people will always seek out stories
And importantly…
People are happy to PAY to consume compelling stories
And guess what?
The same rules apply to you and your prospects
After all, selling is nothing more than storytelling really if you get it right
Don't worry if this sounds outside your skillset - it's actually not
Absolutely everyone has a story to sell!
All brands have a story - YOU ARE YOUR BRAND
And you know what?
People love stories
People love hearing them
And your prospects will love hearing yours, too
Why storytelling is (still) one of the greatest online network marketing strategies
Okay, so what does all of this have to do with marketing your business?
Let us ask you something…
Would it pique your interest to know that we used to work as accountants and management consultants tied to our clients in the UK and all we wanted to do was travel the world and experience all those things we had only seen on the TV or read about in books...
There might be a few good stories in there, right?
Think about yourself and other people in your company...
Despite diverse backgrounds, we all wanted something different from our lives.
And here's the real thread that ties these narratives together…
Humans relate to stories, especially those of struggle
Always have and they always will.
Storytelling not only creates an emotional connection between you and your prospects, but also gives them for a reason to get emotionally invested in you.
In an era of incredibly crowded competition…
Telling your story will immediately set you apart from the pack
Storytelling is one of the subtle but invaluable online network marketing strategies for any and every marketer, (regardless of the industry) because without a compelling story, your brand is ultimately forgettable.
So if you want to survive in the saturated world of modern marketing, you're going to need to figure out how to tell your story sooner rather than later.
Because if you're a strong storyteller, people WILL listen to you.
And ultimately buy from you.
However, very few of us are “natural-born” storytellers.
And that's OK
Thankfully, you don't have to be a Pulitzer Prize winner to find your voice or make your story work
In fact, telling your story is pretty simple, once you know a few key formulas
You don't have to be Hemingway - telling your story is simple
It seems like movie studios, authors, and brands alike have made billions through the art of storytelling...
Therefore, it must be pretty complicated and specialized, right?
Surely it can't be learned without years of practice?
Here's the thing, though:
You can tell (and sell) a pretty decent story without a creative bone in your body.
Well, okay…maybe that's a bit of a stretch:
A little bit of creativity can go a long way, it's true
That being said, if you can string a couple sentences together, chances are you have the chops to tell a compelling story that can and will effectively sell your prospects.
Think about it for a sec…
Have you ever…
- Lost something?
- Felt frustrated or hopeless?
- Made a change, unsure of how it would go?
- Overcome an obstacle or solved a problem in your adult life?
Yes?
Then you have a story, period
Then the question remains:
How are you going to go about telling it?
Understanding the “shapes” of stories
Perhaps the first step to telling your story is to stop thinking of storytelling as a “creative process” and start thinking of storytelling as a science
You know, science as in formulas you can follow, and repeat, which produce quantifiable results
In fact, that's exactly what the late, great Kurt Vonnegut suggested to readers and writers like.
Vonnegut proposed that the most popular stories throughout time could be adapted into relatively simple “arcs.”
Simply put, Vonnegut noted that stories were essentially “shapes,” (think: like a curve on an X/Y axis) each with their varying ups and downs as the plot progresses
The highest points on the curve represent wealth and happiness; meanwhile, the lowest points represent poverty, loss and defeat.
Here's the quick version:
There are quite a few such arcs (look them up if you're curious)
But the three most relevant examples for marketers include the following:
- Man in Hole – In this story arc, a seemingly ordinary main character falls into a bad situation and eventually gets themselves out of it, learning a thing or two along the way.
- Boy Meets Girl – Often applied to romance stories, our character stumbles upon something (or someone) that changes their lives, acquires it, loses it and finally gets it back for good.
- The Cinderella Story – This arc sees our character experience a meteoric rise in status followed by a dramatic drop, but ultimately ending in a happily-ever-after scenario.
These storytelling strategies have been tried and tested for centuries, millennia even…and they've been impemented into various online network marketing strategies as time went by
They work flawlessly whether you're looking to tug at the heartstrings of an audience or simply make it appear as if you've been through hell and back
Best of all, each of these arcs can be applied beautifully to any marketing strategy without fail.
Choosing your story
If you're still sitting there thinking that you don't have a story to tell, fear not
You don't have to hit rock bottom to tell a powerful story, nor do you have to pretend that you know some “billion-dollar” secret for the sake of grabbing your prospects' attention
Almost every entrepreneur Iwe've ever met has as “origin story” revolving around starting off at a soul-crushing 9-to-5 and ending up where they are today
These sorts of “rags to riches” stories can be found just about everywhere in many different shapes and forms
- Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty prior to becoming a billionaire. Extreme example, sure, but compelling nonetheless
- Steve Jobs dropped out of college to found Apple; however, he essentially lost control of his own company prior to the eventual “i-Renaissance” that reestablished his legacy
Even if you don't consider yourself much of a sports fan, year after year “Cinderella stories” make headlines as underdog teams beat out their established competitors
People eat these stories up.
Each of these real-world examples follows Vonnegut's shapes to a “T.”
Maybe your brand is an unlikely hero
Or perhaps you've hit some bumps in the road on your journey as a marketer…
Maybe you've lost money
Maybe you tried a few things and failed
That's great!
You've got some solid material
Now use it
People will relate, believe us
Three things every story needs
If you have your story in mind, don't start writing just yet
Although you don't have to be as prolific as Stephen King to tell you story, there are three elements every effective story implements, without fail…
Just as your audience is blasted with marketing messages day-in and day-out, your prospects can easily become blind to hearing the same stories again and again
Therefore, you need to do everything in your power to make sure that your story packs a punch from the word “go.”
Whether it's imagery of piles of bills and no money in your bank account or the life of luxury you hope to promote to your audience, you should strive to paint a vivid picture first and foremost
Throw them right into your story and don't waste their time
Think about your audience and their struggles
What keeps them up at night?
What holds them back from accomplishing their goals?
- Is it money?
- Temptation?
- Lack of focus?
Your story should touch on such pain points to not only make yourself seem more human, but also let your audience know that you understand them
Remember: while this may be your story, don't forget what's most important is the journey of your readers
Every story has a climax...
That is, the highest point of tension that leads to the turning the point where everything changes
Ideally, the turning point in your story should be your offer (whatever you're selling), leaving your readers hungry for more
It's easy to get caught up in the storytelling process; however, it's crucial to insert your product or service as the solution to the problems you present, as the means of actually selling via your story
A word of warning…
Regardless of what direction you go with your tale, make sure that your story has a purpose
Bear in mind that your story shouldn't be fluff or hype, nor should it be an excuse to whine.
Nobody wants to hear that.
Likewise, droning on and on without a clear purpose will turn your readers off.
But always remember this…
You shouldn't offer up a story that's free of tension.
For example, we're much more likely to listen to the guy who dug himself out of a hole versus the guy who's never worked a day in his life
You must take your readers on a journey
Help them understand how you got from “Point A” to “Point B” and take them along for the ride
The purpose of your story should be to entice your readers to know more about your brand and product whilst simultaneously keeping them on the edge of their seats
But most importantly, your stories should serve to make you and your offer more attractive to your prospects
Vonnegut recognized that writers could use these timeless shapes of compelling stories to quickly craft their own
Thankfully, you can do the same and instantly create a real emotional connection with your prospects.
…a connection which will not only set you apart from the competition, but will also allow you to create a legion of followers that actually look forward to hearing from you.
And the more they hear from you, the more likely that are to buy from you.
Over and over again.
So, now you know the process for telling your story, one of the greatest online network marketing strategies you'll ever learn
Tell your prospects your story, show them how it parallels their own story and then show the solution
Be a friend to your sustomer and let them know you've been there (in that hole) before but you know the way out
That's what they're looking for
We call it the transformation and it's what everyone needs!
Need help finding and growing your audience?
Because successful selling is all about putting your story in front of the right audience, with shared struggles and interests, so they'll actually want to stick around and hear you out.
You know, so you're not trying to sell steak to a vegetarian, so to speak
So if you're ready to zero in on how to grow an audience that's predisposed to be captivated by your story…
Sign up for our FREE 10-Day Online Recruiting Bootcamp (full of stories told by our mentor Ferney) and learn all about how to build your business using online attraction marketing!
You’ll learn about the specific tools and techniques you can use to effortlessly connect with prospects on social media, so you'll never experience the type of lead scarcity that compels you to act desperate or needy with your prospects.
These methods allow you to build your business automatically—where people reach out to you (instead of you having to reach out to them)
You can take advantage of these methods starting today—no matter how much (or little) online prospecting and recruiting experience you currently have.
The bottom line is that, in today’s age, you don’t ever need to cold-call to build a successful business!
And now you know how to tell a good story you have a unique advantage
Thanks for reading