The first rule of persuasion is to tell a well-crafted story.

Here are four tips that’ll help any salesperson be more persuasive and close more deals. Share them with your salespeople.

1. Tell your story. Some salespeople fail to tell persuasive stories because they haven’t spent enough time learning their sales materials. But usually it’s because they recite experiences that aren’t their own. Telling a personal story about your positive experience with a product or service is always more powerful than telling someone else’s.
2. Answer the five Ws and one H. The best stories answer all of these questions: Who should buy from you? What should they buy? Where should they use it? When’s the best time to buy? Why should they buy it? And how should they use it? Make points prospects will have a hard time disagreeing with. Try to tell a story that reflects how you’re going to eliminate or minimize their pain.
3. Layer on the proof. Any examples or testimonials you use should feature someone the prospects know or someone from their industry who’s in the same situation they are.
4. Gather feedback. Ask for prospects’ reactions to what you’ve presented to them. If they appear to be confused about anything you’ve said, try to clear it up before asking for the sale or ending the meeting.

Adapted from “Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want” by Dave Lakhani

Tags: five ws, persuasion, persuasive, sales materials, salespeople, story, testimonials