Story Selling is: Story. Story. Story. Story. Story. We call this marketing strategy “Story Selling.”

The difference between “Telling” and “Selling.”

Here’s the difference between “Telling” and “Selling.” Let’s sit in on a trial down at the local courthouse. The defendants’s attorney is addressing the jury and his client is a national manufacturer whose product failed resulting in the death of a young boy named Billy. The defense’s opening argument is typical courtroom fare. The attorney introduced himself, explained in very clear and factual language what the case was about, told the jury that he had reams of data that would prove his client’s products were not to blame, and then reviewed a time line of the events leading up to the regrettable incident. When he was finished, the lawyer straightened his tie, thanked the jury for their attention, and sat down.

Next came the plantiff’s attorney. He stood slowly, he turned towards the jury, cleared his throat deliberately and told them this story:

“I went to visit my friend Jack the other day (attorney tilts his head towards the boy’s father. Jack’s face is buried in his hands). When I knocked on the door there was no answer. I thought this was odd because Jack was expecting me, so I knocked a second and then a third time. On the last knock, the door budged a bit and I realized it was unlocked. I turned the knob, pushed the door open, and let myself in. I saw Jack’s back from across the room. He was staring into the backyard; his shoulder slumped against the door frame. He must have heard me come in because even though he didn’t turn around he started talking without even greeting me.”

“I used to come home from work and stand right here,” Jack said softly, “and watch Billy on that swing. That swing set was Billy’s favorite thing and he’d go back and forth and back and forth, always with the biggest smile on his face. The swing used to squeak in a funny kind of way and as long as I heard that squeak I knew everything was okay in the world. Billy would swing back and forth until he’d look up and see me standing here watching him and then he’d jump right off and run inside to give me a big bear hug.”

The attorney drops his voice, imitating Jack’s faltering tone, “I just realized that no matter how long I live I’ll never hear that swing set squeak quite the same way ever again. They took my little Billy away from me.”

With that, the attorney turns from the jury, walked over to Billy’s father and sat down next to him, putting his arm around the sobbing man’s shoulders.

Is there any question in your mind which communication technique was more effective, the plaintiff’s emotional recap or the opposing counsel’s evidence-based rhetoric? The defense attorney neatly presented the facts, summed up the situation and made his point. And over the duration of the lawsuit, he followed the outline we’ve all been taught. That is, he told them what he was going to tell them, he told them and then he told them what he had told them.

But Jack’s attorney’s presentation went much deeper, touching the jury’s heart thus affecting their decision-making process and validating their own values on an emotional level.

Jack’s attorney was “Story Selling.”

A New Way to Motivate Today’s Consumer

Story Selling is not only useful to win lawsuits of course, but it is also the preferred way to market to today’s consumer. What was important to your audience three years ago is not so meaningful today. Their heads are in a different place. Motivating them to purchase now will require a new message, a new way of telling your story. We call it “Story Selling.”

Make it Personal

In summary, make it personal for them. If there is a human/emotional element involved, people will care more.

Our approach at Spiker Communications is to dig much deeper into what makes our target audiences tick – so we touch their heart. When you reach the individual heart, we can affect their decision-making process and validate their own values on an emotional level.

Try it. Or better yet, contact us to see if we are a good match, and we will show you the benefits of a solid story well told.