“If someone is pitching to you, what are your options?” says Nancy Bleeke, president of Sales Pro Insider and author of Conversations That Sell. “If you are pitched at, you either swing to bat it away or duck to avoid it. Neither of these works well in sales or when you are trying to persuade the other person.”
To truly dazzle people, win connections and influence people, learn the art of telling a story that will engage the listener & persuade them to do the action you require. According to Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, an award-winning keynote speaker, business presentation expert, sales presentation skills trainer, and in-demand speech coach to executives and celebrity speakers: “Tell great stories. People are trained to resist a sales pitch, but no one can resist a good story.” http://www.fripp.com/blog/power-pitching-get-the-personal-edge/
Stories are more interesting, they’re more fun to listen to, and they feel less like a sales pitch. A good story will spark a response and a normal conversation ensues. Which is great—an easy conversation is what you want.
Remember that when you are delivering the story, don’t rush! As you identify ideas for your story on how to connect to the listener, don’t tell him or her everything at once. The purpose of the story is to spark a response—let the conversation depict your pace.
This article was originally published by Convention Business Travel
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