How can you train Outside Sales reps to use storytelling to sell?

1 Identify the purpose of your story

Before you start telling a story, you need to know what you want to achieve with it. Do you want to build rapport, educate, persuade, or inspire your prospect? Depending on your goal, you need to choose a story that matches the context, the pain point, and the solution you are offering. For example, if you want to educate your prospect about a new feature, you can tell a story about how another customer benefited from using it.

2 Use the STAR framework

A good story has a clear structure that makes it easy to follow and remember. A simple way to organize your story is to use the STAR framework: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Start by setting the scene and describing the problem or challenge that your customer or prospect faced. Then, explain what they had to do to solve it and what actions they took. Finally, show the outcome and the value they achieved by using your product or service.

3 Make it personal and relevant

A story is not just a collection of facts and figures. It is also a way to connect emotionally with your prospect and show them that you understand their situation and needs. To make your story more personal and relevant, you need to use details, emotions, and sensory language that appeal to your prospect's senses and feelings. For example, you can use names, locations, dates, quotes, and emotions to make your story more vivid and relatable.

4 Practice and polish your story

Like any skill, storytelling requires practice and feedback to improve. You need to rehearse your story and make sure it is clear, concise, and engaging. You can use tools like video recording, peer review, or role-playing to test your story and get feedback. You can also use techniques like pausing, varying your tone and pace, and using gestures and facial expressions to enhance your delivery and capture your prospect's attention.

5 Adapt your story to your prospect

No two prospects are the same, so you need to be flexible and adaptable when telling your story. You need to consider your prospect's personality, preferences, and level of interest and tailor your story accordingly. For example, you can adjust the length, the depth, the tone, and the focus of your story depending on whether your prospect is analytical, emotional, expressive, or pragmatic. You can also use questions, examples, and analogies to make your story more interactive and relevant.

Storytelling is a valuable skill that can help you boost your Outside Sales performance and results. By following these tips, you can train your reps to use storytelling to sell more effectively and confidently.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?