What are the common storytelling mistakes that hurt your lead generation?

In my journey, I've learned that storytelling isn't a one-size-fits-all. One mistake? Turning it into a monologue. It's not about me, it's about connecting. Another blunder? Overcomplicating. Simple tales stick.

As an instructor on sales stories, I say the best way to get started with a customer is to first have them tell you their story. This is done with smart, open ended, questions and active listening skills. From that you are likely to learn which story to use for this audience. You'll likely find who they are, what they like and dislike, what problems they have, and even the decision makers. If you are not able to have a discovery and must start with a story, use the 'concentric rings' policy used in Hollywood pitches for movies and TV shows. A 60 second story, and if you see interest, grow the story larger, and if there is still interest, larger again. You have stopping points and cliffhangers built in to gauge your audience.

Understanding the pain points of your ideal customer is crucial for an effective social selling strategy. By grasping their challenges and needs, you can craft stories that resonate emotionally. In story selling, the customer is the hero, and your product or service acts as the facilitator of the solution to their problems. Focus on communicating how your offering specifically addresses their pain points, showcasing how they can overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. This customer-centric narrative not only generates empathy but also builds a deeper and more authentic connection.

Telling the wrong story is like a comedian telling jokes at a library—out of place and ineffective. Knowing your audience is crucial; it guides you to tell stories that hit home. If you're talking to busy professionals, show how your solutions save time. For parents, maybe it's about peace of mind. Tailor your tales to what your audience lives and breathes every day, and you'll capture their interest.

A big misstep in storytelling for lead generation is not understanding who you're talking to. It's like telling a thrilling adventure story to an audience that's only interested in mysteries – you won’t capture their interest. To avoid this, spend time learning about your audience. What are their challenges, interests, and goals? Tailor your story to address these points. For example, if your audience is primarily small business owners, focus on stories of overcoming common small business hurdles. This way, your stories will resonate more and engage the right people.

Nada mejor que ser directo al momento de crear una historia. Se requiere de creatividad para plantearla y también de una redacción sencilla y que explique con exactitud la situación, su desarrollo y desenlace. Una historia compleja y donde el contenido no sea claro y coherente, hará que se pierda el interés del lector.

Stick to your designated topics! It's crucial for the community to comprehend the specific areas where you can provide assistance.

Nailing a story is like giving directions. If they're murky, folks will end up lost. Keep your story focused: where's the pain, where's the relief, and what’s the win? Your message should be as clear as a road sign. Open with the struggle, head into how you tackled it, and close with success. Repeat the core message to make it stick. End with a clear call to action, like a sign pointing to the destination. Make it so they can't wait to take that turn with you.

Engage in questions to initiate business conversations. Don't solely focus on your story; instead, create the narrative based on the answers your client provides. Always maintain active listening in sales.

Not having a clear message when using storytelling can significantly harm your lead generation efforts. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to convey a compelling and coherent message that resonates with your audience. Here's how a lack of clarity in your storytelling message can impact lead generation: Confusion and Misinterpretation: Without a clear message, your audience may become confused about the purpose of your story and the value you offer. Ineffective Communication of Value Proposition: Your story should communicate a clear value proposition – what sets your offerings apart and why your audience should engage with your brand. Lack of Emotional Connection: A clear message helps create a strong emotional connection.

Las historias enganchan, emocionan, generan empatía e incluso enamoran. Esta es la intención del storytelling estratégico: Humanizar todo aquello que quieras explicar y levantar emociones en aquellos que tienen la oportunidad de leerlo.

Facts tell, but emotions sell. A story without emotion is like a body without a soul – lifeless. The key is to connect on an emotional level, whether it's joy, surprise, or even fear. Remember, people may forget what you said, but they'll never forget how you made them feel. Nike's ads often don't just sell shoes; they sell determination, grit, and triumph. That's emotional storytelling.

A story without emotion is like a song without melody – it just won't stick. To really draw people in, you've got to put heart into it. Share the highs and lows, the moments that made you who you are. It’s about letting your audience see the person behind the brand. Did a failure teach you a valuable lesson? Did a triumph come from an unexpected place? Those are the stories that resonate. Add a dash of humor, a bit of your own personality, and you’ll not just reach your audience, you’ll move them.

Not showing emotion in storytelling can indeed have a negative impact on lead generation. Emotion is a powerful element in storytelling as it helps create a connection with your audience, making your brand more relatable and memorable. Here's how a lack of emotion in storytelling can affect lead generation: Reduced Engagement: Emotionally resonant stories capture the attention of your audience and keep them engaged. If your storytelling lacks emotion, it may come across as bland or uninteresting, leading to decreased engagement and interaction. Difficulty Establishing Connection: Emotions foster a sense of connection between your brand and your audience. Without emotion, your storytelling might feel detached.

If you don't make someone feel something they simply won't buy. Telling stories is a great way to create emotion! Tell stories that make your ideal client feel something.

Authenticity starts with being true to yourself. Share stories that reflect your genuine experiences, beliefs, and values. Don’t shy away from sharing your vulnerabilities or admitting mistakes. Honesty humanizes you and builds trust with your audience. Ensure that the stories you tell are consistent with your brand identity and core values. Share stories that they can relate to, and that reflect their experiences or aspirations.

Would you trust a friend if they always told you that their life was 100% perfect, every single day? If they never got sad, tired, bored, or angry? If they never made mistakes? I’d guess you wouldn’t. You’d wonder why they weren’t being honest with you, or if they treated you as a fool. Or, you would get annoyed at them for pretending to be better than you, with your very human problems and shortcomings. It’s the same way with your brand. Through your stories, you are building trust and a connection with your audience. If you want them to turn into leads: be real. Show them the not-perfect sides of your business. Tell them about mistakes you’ve learned from. Prove to them that your brand is made up of humans too.

this is a big one for me. Showing who you are, worts and all creates massive connection with your ideal client. We like to work with people who are like us!

Authenticity is the foundation of trust in any human relationship. Don't sell smoke or lie, as you will lose all your professional credibility.

0 mentiras y 0 montajes, pierdes más y es deshonesto. Hay mucha verdad en el día a día que puede transformarse en reflexiones, en aprendizajes, en lecciones para otros.

Storytelling without regard to this issue can even be toxic. If we only think about the audience that is going to make a purchase, storytelling is not primarily about increasing sales in the moment. This is a form of advertising for long-term sales. So, our audience in narration are customers who may not need our product even now, but they will be among our customers in the future. Knowing current customers and future customers is very important for storytelling. If you want to make common and fatal mistakes, don't think about audience segmentation. Also, don't think about dividing the narratives into goals and purposes.

Sales is about an active listening process. You always have to be asking and also reading non-verbal language in face-to-face or Zoom sales scenarios.

Feedback is a great tool & act in two ways. Positive feedback & negative feedback. Positive one gives strengths which will be used to augment your story in next lead pitch.The negative ones will highlight weak areas which needs to work upon in the next pitch. Ultimately please take "diligent follow up" to secure feedback about your story.

Definitivamente los comentarios y la posibilidad de interqctuar con el otro lado hace más llevadero el trabajo de crear contenido. Pero también hay que ser conscientes que ha audiencias que participan y otras no tanto, solo les gusta leerte y dar like. Presta atención a los comentarios, se aprende mucho.

I disagree with this. Sure, practicing or preparing can help you remember the important points or express your story in a clearer way. But approaching storytelling as some robotic, formulaic process won’t get you the connections that you need to make with people to earn leads. I firmly believe that being real and human is more important than seeming “professional” or (god forbid) “impressive”. The courage to show up as the real, vulnerable human that you are really are will be 100x more convincing than any perfected speech. Don’t overthink it.

Double edge sword in that Ai answer: Please see this LinkedinLearning course, below, on the stories you need to tell to sell. It has each one of the items addressed.. The problem most people have is they dont know HOW to tell a story, nor which story to tell at the right time. Being authentic is more important than being perfect. Being polished or 'rehearsed' puts up a wall, so, know your story beats and the path, and dont run on too long! Here is the course, its free https://www.dhirubhai.net/learning/sales-strategy-storytelling-to-speed-up-your-sales-cycle/why-sales-stories-are-important https://www.dhirubhai.net/smart-links/AQFt7LSMewWw1g/4575ee3f-c230-487e-bdc8-cd9013e65017

Practice the"plot" & not the story. Story will be adopted based on the plot and the audience family. Too much practice will make you monotonous & touching the boundary of "boredom"

A common mistake in lead generation is to create only tactical content that guides a potential customer who is already close to making a purchase decision to download a guide, book a demo, or leave a request for proposal. The fact is that the majority of your audience is not yet ready to buy. Therefore, content should be created for the entire buying journey, especially for its early stages: Capturing attention and building trust, sharing information and answering common questions, storytelling, proving expertise, and strengthening trust. Only by doing this can you also reach those who do not yet a) know you, b) trust you, or c) are ready to buy.

Durch das Erz?hlen von Geschichten mentale Bilder beim Zuh?rer entstehen lassen, was das Erinnerungspotenzial steigert. Eine gute Geschichte bleibt daher nachhaltiger und hebt sich in der Flut von Nachrichten hervor.

My experience tells that in lead generation one should have series of snippets (For a story). One snippet at a time & you will find a great engagement. The linkage between snippets will bring in the relevance & interest level.