#1165 Once Upon a Time…
"Stories bypass the brain's instinct to look for reasons to be suspicious," said Emily Falk, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
I just finished a training session with one of my favorite clients, and the old sales adage, "Feel, Felt, Found," came up. We talked about the difficulties we sometimes have when asking for something. It may be asking your way into a business to sell your wares or asking for a referral from a customer or friend. No one wants to be perceived as the media caricature of a salesperson: slick, pushy, and too talkative.
Pushy isn't attractive, while persistence without being pushy is an art form.
Feel, felt, found is a story outline to help take away some of that discomfort.
DISCLAIMER: Any sales training I speak or write about assumes the seller's sincerity. There are no "tricks of the trade." We don't trick. We learn sales and communications techniques that open up lanes to do business when we encounter blocked paths. Here is a typical referral ask-and-answer that sales professionals often experience.
"Melissa, I am trying to grow my business. Since you've been happy with me, I hope you can give me the names and numbers of a few friends or family members I might contact to offer my service."
"Well, Frank, I'm uncomfortable giving out anyone's name. I'll try to remember to mention you, though, and give them your number. Would that be OK?"
Here is where many salespeople fail. What Melissa is saying sounds reasonable and logical. I can totally relate, but my goal is to get referrals, and I know from experience that while Melissa is sincere at the moment, the chances of her getting someone else to call me are small, and worse, it takes the process outside of my control. I can't increase my business by hanging around and waiting for the Melissas of the world to prompt folks to make my phone ring. I've got to be proactive. So, I proceed sincerely, with feel, felt, found.
"Melissa, I understand how you feel. Many of my clients felt the same way, but what they found was that the folks they had me reach out to thanked them for introducing me.
You see, most people don't give much thought to (insert product or service here), and, over time, the cost and fit can deviate from the original intention. My call prompted them to look at it with fresh eyes, and they appreciated it.
Feel, felt, found gives me a format to tell a story, and, as Emily Fallk said, stories allow the brain to listen without the filter of suspicion.
Stories sell. Own Your Salles Gene…