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www.practicalstorytelling.com © Copyright 2011Practical Storytelling
Storytelling for Sales Worksheets
Constructing a Story to Sell Your Product or Service
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Introduction
• Stories a great way to sell your services or products
• Stories capture attention and keep your client or customer engaged
• Stories are often easy to develop using existing experiences and materials
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Overview
• Jumpstarting a story• Casting the client or customer• Mapping needs and benefits• Product and client types• Story types• Story construction
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Jumpstarting a Story
• What is the product or service?• What is the core benefit?• What are some past success stories?• What were some of your best sales?• What are some of the best sales within
the company?
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Past Story Worksheet
What is your company history? (Values, service, experience level)
What was your best success with a client? (Solutions, best practices)
How did you overcome a challenging situation? (Problem solving)
Every business has its share of stories. Many of these stories can be adapted for use in sales situations. Answer these questions and use the resulting story in the indicated areas.
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Casting the Customer or Client
• Your customer or client is the audience for your story, but you can also cast them as a character.
• Build the story of your product or service around them.
• Ask them a series of open-ended questions to determine their needs or wants from a product or service.
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Open-ended Questions
• Adapt the following questions so they related to your product or service area.– What issues have you faced in the last year?– What could improve the way you do business?– What can make you better than your competitors?– What’s the biggest challenge you face?– What external forces influence your business?– What are you top three initiatives for this year?– What are you looking for in a product or service?– What is your unique value proposition?
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Spotting Needs
• Look for clues about needs in the answers to your open ended questions– Missing a key or core element– Existing product/service doesn’t work or
work well enough– At a disadvantage to a competitor– Looking forward towards a specific goal– Difficulty or inefficency fulfilling a certain
area of the business
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Question Worksheet
Question #1:
Question #2:
Question #3:
For most meetings, three open-ended questions are enough to support a worthwhile conversation. Develop and list your three questions here. Use the areas underneath to take notes.
Review your notes on the client or customer’s answers and circle the needs.
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Mapping to Characteristics
• Connect specific needs to specific aspects or characteristics of your product or service
• Avoid listing all the aspects or benefits of your product or service
• Focus in on the specific features that match the client or customer’s need
• Weave a story around these elements
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Needs/Benefits Worksheet
Product or Service Benefits Customer or Client Needs
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From Needs to the Story
• Compare to a similar need that was met at another customer– “We had a client in a very similar situation to yours. We were able to
adjust the product in these ways and add these options to produce a solution. He ended up saving about 30% per month.”
• Construct a scenario that explains how this customer’s need will be met– “One of the features of our service is that its customized to
each customer, this will allow us to adapt to the unique aspects of your business model.”
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Your Product or Service
Primary Companion
Intermediary Enhancement
Product Types
Main or core component
Complimentary to main component
Connects main components together
Improves or adds function to main component
Examples: software system, life insurance or coffee maker
Examples: training manual, life insurance for spouse or coffee
packet dispenser
Examples: software interface, short-term insurance or water filter for coffee maker
Examples: software plugin or module, supplemental
insurance or flavored creamers
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Client/Customer Types
Direct Social
Detail Steady
Client Types
Driven by goals Driven by people
Driven by specifics Driven by group tasks
Makes quick decisions, wants an overview or high level information
Enjoys talking and interacting, wants to know
the social implications
Thoroughly examines all factors, need complete information
Concentrates on everyday goals and works as a member of the team
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Story Types
Story Type Description Product Client
History Results of previous customers/clients or a case study
Primary, Companion
Steady, Direct, Detail
Fable Use of the product or service to meet a goal or target
Intermediary, Enhancement
Social, Steady
Journalistic Factual report of the experiences of existing customers
Primary, Intermediary
Direct, Steady, Detail
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Story Type Worksheet
Customer Name:
Product:
Direct Social Steady Detail
Needs (and other notes):
Primary Companion
Intermediary EnhancementRelevant Attributes:
Story Ideas:
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Story Construction
Theme
Example: Our variety of available
options provides the
flexibility you need to adapt your systems as necessary.
Characters
Example: One of our
other clients had almost the
same situation.
PlotExample: We were able to change the
components of his inventory system several times to meet his seasonal needs.
Customer/Client Needs + Product Attributes
Customer/Client or similar customer/client
Series of events that demonstrates the solution
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Story Construction Worksheet
Theme
Characters
Plot
Customer/Client Needs + Product Attributes
Customer/Client or similar customer/client
Series of events that demonstrates the solution
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Story Timeline
Event 3
Issue Action
Event 2Issue Action
Event 1Issue Action
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Timeline Example
Event 3
Holiday sale and customer appreciation event
New discount structure applied and tied to customer profile
Event 2Last minute changesto summer inventory
Special pricing moduleadded to system
Event 1: System SetupGet installed in time
for spring saleExtra personnel
dedicated to project
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Timeline Worksheet
Event 3
Event 2
Event 1
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Putting It All Together
• Analyze customer/client needs• Link specific needs to specific product
attributes (Theme)• Choose a story type based on client type and
product type• Decide whether or not to cast the client in the
story (Character)• List the events involved in the solution (Plot)
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Next Steps
• Practical Storytelling Book– Available at PracticalStory.com & Amazon.com (book or Kindle)
• Storytelling Webinars– Storytelling Basics– Storytelling Practical Examples– Story Mechanics– Story Types– Audience Analysis– Character Development– Plot Development– Story Construction
• Storytelling Workshops– Story Development– Practical Storytelling (1/2 Day, Full Day, Two Day)– Practical Storytelling for Salespeople– Practical Storytelling for Trainers
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www.practicalstorytelling.com © Copyright 2011Practical Storytelling
Storytelling for Sales Worksheets
Constructing a Story to Sell Your Product or Service