Rapidly Increase Sales by Telling Stories

Years ago a friend called me up one day and invited me to a party at her house. I did not realize she was inviting me to a product party until she explained that we would learn about a particular line of clothing.

When I discovered that the product was a line of knit clothing wear I had absolutely no interest, and yet because of something my friend said to me, I hung up the phone and called another friend and invited her to attend that party with me!

When I walked into my friend's home the night of that clothing party I saw some of the outfits that were put together on hangers and then I sat down on the couch next to another friend and whispered to her, "Well one thing is certain – I'm not buying a thing here tonight."

When the direct seller got everyone to come into the living room, I was the one sitting on the couch with my arms crossed and my legs crossed. Of course that is the way a customer signals loudly and clearly, "I AM NOT INTERESTED!"

The direct seller's name was Diana and when she began her presentation that night she told us that we would get to see her go on a two-week cruise, and that all she was going to take with her for clothing was what she was wearing along with what was inside this tiny rolled up bag. She did not worry about that woman who was sitting on the couch with her  arms and legs crossed. She focused on her story.

By the end of her presentation Diana had not only demonstrated 21 outfits, she had us imagining her as she took a plane ride, as she strolled around the deck of the cruise ship, as she went off sight-seeing, as she went shopping, as she went sunbathing at the beach, as she went to the fitness center on the ship, and even as she sat next to the captain during the ship's gala evening. The story she told with her little bag of knit clothing had all of us totally spellbound – even that one woman uncrossed her arms and legs and moved to sitting on the edge of the couch in anticipation of Diana's next move.

When Diana concluded her presentation, I got up and placed an order in a New York minute and booked a party without even being asked if I wanted to. And I'm sure you remember that I was that woman who had at first sat on the couch with arms and legs crossed.

About a week after I hosted a party for that particular line of knitwear, I went to an opportunity event and even brought a friend with me. Both of us made the decision to join on the drive home. Do I need to mention that I went on to be my recruiter's most successful recruit? Surely not.

Now, let's look at the power behind the story I just told you. Probably the thing that really jumps out at you is how the least interested individual at that home party turned out to be the most desirable prospect!
By telling you this story I not only proved to you that an uninterested prospect can end up being an amazing producer, but I also persuaded you to start seeing possibility even when the appearance says otherwise.

I could have just talked about seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty, how you cannot predict what any one person will do, and I could have even said, "Your best recruit could be someone who at first has no interest in your products (Oh my gosh, I seriously yawned right after I wrote that. Did you yawn after reading it?). That is called lecturing, and it is just not uncommon for people to drift off into thought and tune out whoever is lecturing.

By telling you a story, I not only easily convinced you to pay attention, I persuaded you to come to all those important conclusions on your own. You were the one thinking, "Wow, I don't need to worry if people act like they aren't interested. One day a Negative Nelly could turn out to be an awesome recruit!" The key here is that YOU were the one thinking that. I didn't tell you; I persuaded you to come to that conclusion on your own by telling you a story.

What about the story that the direct seller Diana told us that night? Even in retelling how she told that story I found myself imagining her walking around the ship deck, going sight-seeing, sitting next to the captain, etc. Did you? Chances are that you did.

Consider how I still remember that evening with the clarity of a 20 year-old instead of a soon to be 50-year old! Goodness! Stories are so powerful that we not only remember them, we retell them, even years down the road.

By telling a story that direct seller very quickly persuaded me to let go of my first impression that those knit clothes just were not for me. I tell you most sincerely, she had me in the palm of her hands within a  few minutes, even though I was anything but impressed with her when she first started talking.

You might be wondering if you have time to create a wondrous story that weaves your entire product line together. That is not necessary.

You can tell a story in a powerfully phrased description – "Whenever I wear this necklace, I feel like I'm a Kennedy," "Our weight-loss drink mix makes me believe I'm cheating – it's so rich and creamy, just like the shakes at the old fashioned ice cream parlors," "After I've gone to work, run kids around to all their activities, cooked a meal, and washed and folded two loads of laundry, I'm ready for a vacation. This ocean breeze scent makes me feel like I've just run off to paradise, which is why I love to light this candle every evening in my bedroom!"

Each of those little product descriptions tells a story that communicates something powerful and memorable to your customers.

Create a powerful product description for at least one of your products today. Do it right now while this idea is fresh on your mind. Then notice how the sales for that particular product increase. As you see rapid results, you will become convinced to come up with powerful story descriptions for your other products.