In his bestselling book To Sell Is Human, Daniel H. Pink redefines selling as “the ability to move others to exchange what they have for what we have…”
Synonyms for the act of moving another include arouse, stir, spark, awaken, impassion and inspire.
Feeling moved is not something we decide with our heads. It’s a subconscious, emotional reaction to some outside stimulus. And it happens to us when we least expect it.
Long gone are the days when you could sell a product or service by simply listing its benefits. In a study done by Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, people listened to marketing pitches that contained either facts and figures or a story. Only 5% remembered the facts, but 63% remembered the stories.
Humans have been telling stories for so long that it’s become hardwired in our brains.
Before the whole world went into lockdown I would go every month to the local Moth storytelling slam where I would put my name in a hat, hoping to be called on stage so I could tell a 5 minute true story about myself. My name didn’t always get pulled, but that didn’t matter. More than half the fun was listening to everyone else’s stories. I heard stories that moved me, and yes, I remember them.
Sometimes months later I would meet people who would let me know they remembered me by saying, “Didn’t you tell the story about…”
If you want to move someone to exchange what they have (money) for what you have (product or service) tell a story. Tell your story.
Have you ever bought something because you loved the story that went with it? Let me know in the comments.
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