Everyone loves stories of heroes. Heroic stories about how you and your crew have gone above and beyond the call of duty in serving your customers can be awesome sales tools to help convince prospects to become your customers. Collect and practice telling your own hero stories, because they carry more weight than all the advertising and promotion you can buy.
ACTION ITEM
Don't overlook the power of heroic stories that can work to your benefit. They should be happening in your company, so be sure to look for them and use them!
When Marie arrived to pick up a moving trailer, she was shocked to learn that the shop that was supposed to hitch the trailer to her SUV was closing for the day. Marie had rushed there after work and thought the shop would be open for another hour. But there had been a mistake in the shop's posted hours. The owner and one worker were still on hand when she pleaded her case, telling them that she was supposed to drive her son (and all his stuff) to college the next morning. Without the trailer, she could not move all the furniture and personal items he needed for the coming year. The business owner told Marie to pull her SUV in, and he and his associate stayed and got the trailer wired and ready to go. He apologized for the misunderstanding over the hours and helped Marie resolve her dilemma.
The business owner liked to tell Marie's story to his other customers, both because it made his business look good and because it reminded his staff that heroic deeds can and should be done every day. When the owner isn't around, this story encourages his employees to perform their own heroics to save and serve customers. This story will pay off for the owner for years to come!
TAKEAWAY
The power of storytelling is both underused
and more powerful than most prospectors
acknowledge. Become skilled at telling
the tales of your own heroics.