Telling your story to motivate an audience or customer to buy your product can be a unique challenge at times. You look at big brands that have flourished to become mega successes and wonder how did they blossom into what they are today? Of course it looks so easy now that they've been successful and have all that money in the bank for whatever endeavor they want to pursue to magnify and continue to resonate their brand in the minds of consumers worldwide.
Your story can have the same impact.
Persevering
You look at Apple and the foundation that was set to bring personal computers to the masses that were sleek, less parts, and more efficient than then present day models. Then you have Mircosoft whom saw the opportunity to provide an operating system bundled with other computers. Each of these companies leaders had a compelling reason that motivated them to take bold chances such as Job's securing a 250K credit line or Gates promising to deliver a concept before they had even started it.
This same attitude of persevering can be relayed to all levels of employees. Each employee is the face of your company and has the ability to move business or utterly damage the story of your product. Are you effectively communicating this with the people involved with your company? Have you created your “story” to communicate this to your customer?
Over time your story will evolve but at the heart… it never really does change.
Not A Salesmen?
Thought I would share this…
Recently I was told by an employee of a call center that “I'm customer service, not a salesman.”. Their response was because they didn't feel they needed to ask potential questions to really find out where that customer was at in the buying/ decision making process. They were just order taking.
Customers buy for THEIR reasons, not yours but your story can heavily influence the outcome.
Of course, we could easily take this section and make it into a “sales 101” talk but the point needed here besides some sales training would be… do your employees feel compelled in you and your products story to overcome objections in getting a customer happily involved?
Just Asking Questions
Telling your story to your potential end user starts with simple things like questions to start the conversation. Your job is to connect to your audience. It's not a one sided ordeal. Asking the right questions can give you favorable results. Asking the right questions is important but your “purpose” must be clear and concise with how you impact people with your product/ service. Being clear and concise will naturally take care of some objections.
Tell people how this has impacted your life and why you were led to become so passionate about it. You personally have never purchased anything that you hadn't to some level made up your mind you wanted or needed. When you've encountered that person or company, you stated you had an interest and they simply provided you additional information that you in return formulated a firm belief to help you move forward to become happily involved.
Your customer feels the same way. Your story's impact can have a similar outcome.
Little Red Wagon Story
It's not about if your product is far superior than the next guys or if it is the shiniest object, it's how does your STORY penetrate the minds of those you encounter? Does your brand make a quick impact? Do you think if Jobs or Gates down played their ability in the technology market that they would have propelled business the way the story unfolded? Nope. People would have acted differently if their stories were not “sold” with strong compelling conviction in solving “x” problems. These are great examples but to the more traditional person, developing your “Little Red Wagon” story to get people emotionally involved will overcome a lot of objections.
I think of another example, Dollar Shave Club. From the first time I saw Mike Dubin's youtube video, I was sucked in with his swagger and uber confidence that his low cost razors were just as good if not better than those “big” guys. Just his humor alone was right up my alley with his slight sarcasm. Using DSC myself, I'd agree with that sentiment. Would you think if Mike wasn't confident in his story of how we've been trained that expensive is always better and that there are no real alternatives in shaving…. if his company would be as successful? Absolutely not! Mike's story was told in a humorous and memorable way that people related to. He's recruited you and I to become social activists for razor blades!
Now go slice like a ninja, cut like a razor blade!
Do You Have A Story?
Do you have a story that you can keep focused and pointed while inserting your personality? I think the main key is being humble yet sincere when you tell it. People know when your not being sincere.
I was told a long time ago that there are typically 2 things that are happening in life that you can count on (well.. besides taxes and death!).
Your either being sold or you are selling someone.
This applies to all areas of our life and not just at “work” or a “job”.
If you have a product to sell, your number one job is to create a “story” that people can identify with. Asking pointed questions in a non-confrontational manner leading your customer to realize what their true reason of needing your product does for solving their problem and yours! If a consumer has a need and you're offering a way to fill that need, void or pain in their life, wouldn't you agree that if you show that consumer how your product will make things better or easier in their life that it will solve their problem?
The old motto of “motion creates emotion” can be applied in the circumstance above. If a customer takes time to engage with your brand, “motion” has been started. With that motion you can create emotion by asking logical questions or pointed compelling reasons in your story to engage that customer to move forward.
Few items to consider in preparing your story:
- What is your vision? Start coming up with a few sentences.
- In five words or less, can you shorten your vision or ideas to make it clear & concise?
- Develop your perfect “customer”. What do they look like? Name all the details like age, income, where they live… etc.
- Continue to ask who, how, when, where, and why regarding your product or service. Can you answer all these quickly without a long explanation?
- Put yourself in your customers shoes… what are concerns and objections you have when you purchase or use products in the real world? What turns you off/on?
- Take all the above and develop your “Little Red Wagon” story. This will be your message your want to convey.
I had so many thoughts on this post and could easily have went in several directions. Mainly, it is just a rambling because we sometimes lose track of our sense of purpose when communicating our company, product, and life story to others.
Later.
Dynamic, high-energy executive with history of performance-oriented leadership to e-commerce sales and marketing within the online marketing and advertising industry. MichaelStults.com is where I share my thoughts on different marketing methods, wordpress, leadership, and various topics that I feel inspired to write about. Please take time to learn more about Rare Disease at www.BriParDun.com