asked his son a half-dozen times if he was sure he wanted a tree house. Each time the boy would more confi- dently reply, “I’m sure.” Then, on his birthday, he asked, “Daddy, where’s my tree house?” His father took him into the back yard where the boy ex- pected to see a gigantic tree house. But all he saw was a pile of wood, some nails and a hammer. His father then pointed to all those things and said, “Son, if you really want a tree house, let’s build one together.” The prospect got the point im- mediately. To create a successful campaign, both companies had to work side by side. Sale closed. Co- operation assured. “With so many similar products and services on the market today, the only way to stand out from the competi- tion is through superior salespeople and customer service,” says Carillo. Using stories in selling represents one way for salespeople to differentiate


Stories Help You Sell JIM CATHCART


I


f you’ve ever been told, “You ought to write a book,” it may mean you’re a good storyteller. Writing a book, however, may not be the best recommendation to help your sales career. Let me explain.


I’ve written 17 books – and my 18th is now being ed- ited. Many people have told me I should write a book, and, of course, I have not only done that but I’ve gone on to become a professional author. Now, it may seem arrogant for a professional speaker and author to tell you not to write a book, but stay with me. Over the years countless clients have purchased thou- sands of my books and then asked me to come speak to their people so they will learn what is in the books. Yes, people read many of the books they buy – and portions of the books given to them – but, for how-to books, they rarely read the whole book. So, when you are selling, tell them the stories. The


more you can focus and refine your stories in ways that show others, “What this means to you is…” the more compelling your presentations will become. Learn to become better at storytelling. Take classes, view online courses, listen to interviews, watch the videos here in


their company, their selling style, and their products.


Carillo also likes to tell a story


from his own childhood. The expe- rience taught him a life lesson he never forgot. One day, his grandfather asked him to grab a handful of nuts from a bowl in the kitchen. When he returned, his grandfather counted the nuts, “One, two, three, four,” and asked if he could get more than four nuts into his little fist. “How many?” asked little Frank. His grandfather suggested, “How about eight?” Frank went back to the bowl, dug in his fist, but – as hard as he tried – he could never get more than four nuts. He got so frustrated he was tempted to throw all the nuts across the room. But, as he reached in one last time, he realized he was shoveling out more than eight nuts. He was ex- cited and ran over to grandpa who had been watching him the whole time. His grandpa said, “Let that be a lesson


to you. You get a whole lot more out of life with an open hand than you do with a closed fist.” According to psychologist Dr. Donald Moine, president of the As- sociation for Human Achievement, in Redondo Beach, CA, the easiest way to get people to accept a new idea is to link it to an idea or concept they already know and understand. A salesperson selling a service con- tract might tell a story about getting a car fixed: “Imagine for a moment that, last weekend, you took your car to get new tires. While you were there, your mechanic noticed your muffler was coming loose. You asked if he would tie it up for you, but, instead, he sent you down the street to a muffler shop. Then, while your muffler was being re- paired, the technician noticed a crack in your windshield. Once again, you asked if he would fix the problem, but he said no, they didn’t provide that service. So you got in the car once


Selling Power, join storytelling groups, or just organize a story circle of your own friends and practice telling stories. You will become more popular and more skilled at the same time.


Resist the temptation to tell long stories. Think as if you have a five-minute spot on The Tonight Show and the entire story must be delivered in that time frame. Or make it three minutes or even one. There is a genuine art to telling short stories well – and you can learn it. Take a chance and do an open-mic presentation at a comedy club, or just practice with friends. You don’t have to be funny in your sales presentations, but, if you can master the art of short storytelling and using humor, then your sales will surely increase.


Decide today to become the kind of person to whom everybody says, “Man! You are a great storyteller. You should write a book.” Then don’t. Just make more sales instead.


PS: Most books don’t sell enough copies to cover the publishing and printing costs for the first 1,000 copies. However, great storytellers sell lots of books after each performance.


Jim Cathcart’s newest book is The Self Motivation Handbook, containing 336 ways to get yourself to do what needs to be done even when you don’t feel like doing it. Contact him at Cathcart.com.


SELLING POWER NOVEMBER 2016 | 19 © 2016 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


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