1: What’s the difference between a fact and a story?
A fact is, “The queen died and the king died,” Dan Pink writes in his book A Whole New Mind.
A story is, “The queen died and the king died of a broken heart.”
This week, we’ve been exploring the power of telling customer stories with contrast. Now, take a closer look at what makes these stories compelling.… continue reading
1: “Picture a room with about 10 people from Ford sitting around a table,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
In front of the room, a salesperson stands with two flip charts.
“After several months of unsuccessfully trying to sell a laser device to Ford’s plant managers, this salesperson knew that she needed to change her approach,” Erik and Tim … continue reading
1: Sure. Not getting and keeping your prospect’s attention is a deal killer.
But there’s something worse.
Denial.
“Your prospect’s denial that they have a problem that needs solving in the first place,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
“All other challenges pale in comparison to this one,” the authors say.
When you are able to solve a problem the … continue reading
1: “Imagine that you are a prospect,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their powerful book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
Now, perhaps you are not a software engineer in real life, but play along.
You are on a Zoom call. The face of a software salesperson fills your computer screen.
She says, “What if you never had to teach another programmer another programming language?”
(Pause)
“And, … continue reading
1: Imagine you are a salesperson. You and your prospect are sitting in a conference room.
You are competing with several large, well-known competitors. By comparison, your company is considered “small” and not substantial.
You take out a piece of paper.
You write down the following numbers:
28
500
8,000
85
11/65
Then, you say:
“28. . . That’s the number of years that our company’s been in business.
“500. … continue reading
1: It’s Wednesday. “You park your car at your home airport. You get on a plane for a business trip,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
Two days later, you fly home. But what happens if you haven’t written down your parking space?
You can’t remember where you parked your car.
“Why not?” Erik and Tim ask. “You parked there … continue reading
1: Imagine a beautiful summer morning on Lake Erie.
“The sun’s out, but there’s just enough breeze to keep you comfortable. It’s not too hot and not too cold,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their powerful book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
Erik is lying in a hammock right by the beach. He’s reading a good book. On the table next to him is a cold … continue reading
1: The trial is coming to an end. The time has come for the prosecutor to deliver the final summation to the jury.
Here’s what you won’t hear: “Based on what we’ve seen with our own eyes and what we’ve heard with our own ears, this person is guilty,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
Instead, here’s what the prosecutor … continue reading
1: “A lot of people enjoy the Geico gecko commercials,” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
“They’re fun, and they get your attention,” the authors note.
Beyond entertainment, these commercials clearly communicate Geico’s main value proposition in just 30 seconds: “Fifteen minutes can save you 15 percent or more on your car insurance.”
“It’s perfect,” they note. “Simple, specific, and … continue reading
1: A prospect has a problem.
They reach out to you and two of your competitors.
“What words and phrases do you think your competitors will use to describe their products and services?” Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer write in their powerful book Conversations That Win the Complex Sale.
Here are some likely possibilities:
“Now ask yourself,” they suggest, … continue reading
