Influence Decisions With the Power of Storytelling

When my husband and I got married, we registered for a vacuum cleaner. I was researching which ones were best when I came across a story of a man who had purchased the Dyson Animal. The man had lived with a cat, but at the point of his new vacuum cleaner purchase, the cat had been dead for two years. During that two-year period, he regularly vacuumed his home once a week. When he used his Dyson Animal for the first time, he filled up the entire canister with cat hair twice. I was done with my research. That was the vacuum cleaner I wanted.

I have been married for 13 years. My Dyson Animal is long gone, but I will never forget that story.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD STORY?

A story doesn’t have to begin with, “Once upon a time.” A story is simply a narrative of a series of related events. Instead of talking about the many features and benefits of the widgets you sell, share an example of a customer who had a problem, bought your widgets, and solved that problem. Now you’re telling a story.

Whether or not you enjoy a specific story can be subjective, but there are certain elements that nearly every good story will possess. Your story needs at least one character, some sort of conflict, and a resolution. Beyond that, a good sales story needs to be MORE—memorable, organized, relatable, and educational. These characteristics might seem obvious, but it takes some storytelling practice in order to incorporate all of them successfully.

You might tell a story that’s hilarious, but if it’s not sharing information about your product, it won’t be effective at attracting new customers. You might tell a story that is inspirational, but if the listener can’t relate to the main character, it won’t be a useful sales strategy. As you share your story, ideally the listener will be able to put themselves into the shoes of the story’s hero.

USING STORIES TO SELL

Research has shown again and again that people remember stories better than they remember facts alone. Whether they remember 50% more of the stories or they are 22 times more likely to remember a story depends on which study you’re looking at, but the idea is clear—people will remember facts that are wrapped in a narrative much better than just plain facts.

When we tell a story about a product instead of touting the features and benefits, prospects will visualize using the products themselves. If you read Maestro’s blog about how to ask effective questions, you might remember that simply by asking someone to visualize doing something, you increase the likelihood that they will do it. Stories automatically prompt individuals to imagine themselves in a situation without you having to explicitly ask. Just by talking about how another customer—someone your prospect can relate to because they are in the same field or have the same problem—used your product or service, the listener thinks about themselves using it.

Of course, you should still share information about the product itself. Don’t think of storytelling as story vs facts. Storytelling is more like packaging those facts within a narrative. Listening to this narrative is more engaging for people and activates more of their brain. As a sales professional, a prospect’s full, undivided attention is exactly what you want.

A study by Adaval and Wyler in the Journal of Consumer Psychology showed another benefit to using storytelling in sales. Their work found that when people are presented with all of the details about something, like a product, they are more likely to come up with a counter-argument to one of those details than if the same information was shared within a story. Stories are processed in a holistic manner, decreasing the likelihood of finding fault with a specific feature.

Studies of buyer behavior on eBay have revealed that people value an object more if there is a story behind it. Vintage cars that are considered “barn finds,” meaning that they were abandoned and later discovered in a barn, bring a higher price than those without that history, even though barn finds usually need more work.

So, narratives (1) are more engaging; (2) are more easily remembered; (3) result in fewer counter-arguments; and (4) cause buyers to find more value in a product. They have the power to shape buyer behavior and decision making—of course they should be used as a sales strategy!

The powerful force of stories helps explain why user reviews and case studies can be so effective in convincing prospective customers or clients. A case study is a story of how you helped a particular client. The more you can structure it as a relatable, interesting narrative, the more power it will have.

Similarly, a study by Black and Kelley found that when consumers read online customer reviews that included elements of a good story, they found them to be more helpful. Another study by Consumer Affairs determined that written reviews are more important than star ratings. Stories trump stars.

USING STORIES TO RECRUIT

Companies don’t just sell to customers, they also sell to prospective employees. Storytelling can be an excellent hiring technique that can be used to make your company stand out from others. Before an applicant is ever reviewed, consider using narratives in your job posting. Examples of what it’s like to work for your brand will be much more compelling than, “If you enjoy a fast-paced, innovative environment….”

Similarly, include narratives as part of your interview process. If you want to hire top talent, that means you’re likely considering individuals that have a choice of where they want to work. Use storytelling as a way to engage them and make them remember you. A narrative can prompt them to imagine themselves working on your team. Stories have the power to impact decision making for everyone from your prospects to your potential employees and even your current employees.

When hiring a new employee, companies want to be sure that a prospective candidate will be a good fit. Similarly, the candidates are assessing how well they will fit into company culture. Stories from current employees provide a useful barometer for gauging compatibility. A Deloitte study found that 90 percent of job candidates found employees’ stories useful in making their decision. Further, 67 percent of new employees reported that their decision to accept a job was influenced by employee stories.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON STORIES

Why are stories so compelling to us? It’s science! Data and facts alone stimulate two portions of the brain that deal with language processing and comprehension. A story, on the other hand, stimulates an additional five regions of the brain that control touch, movement, scents, sounds, and colors/shapes.

Remember when I said that people relate to stories and imagine themselves in the shoes of the hero? That is, quite literally, what they are doing. When someone listens to a story, parts of their brain are activated as though they are experiencing what happened. It’s like the story becomes their own idea or experience because of how the brain reacts.

Have you ever tried to convince someone of something and thought, “I have to make them think it was their idea.” That is exactly what storytelling does. The narrative becomes the listener’s experience. Chemicals that are released in the brain while listening also help explain why stories are so powerful. Cortisol (assists in forming memories), dopamine (regulates emotional response), and oxytocin (associated with empathy) are all released when we listen to a narrative.

Humans have been telling stories for more than 40,000 years. Stories created culture, stories strengthened bonds between people, and stories kept us from getting eaten by bears. We are hardwired to respond positively to a well-told narrative.

Why share a PowerPoint full of data when you have another, more powerful tool? It’s time to tell your story.

Reach out to mastery@maestrogroup.co to thread the needle of your narrative.