You didn’t get to where you are by winging it. You know the value of implementing the right strategies at the right time for the right team, and it’s brought success. But now it’s time to let the good times roll, and by “good times” we mean consistent sales from shortened sales cycles and a winning team that’s getting those deals signed like they didn’t even break a sweat. But where does the process start? How does your team go from standard to setting the standard? The answer is sales storytelling – and the first step starts here.

It starts with transparency

People have become acutely aware of when someone is being sincere or not – and that includes your employees. When it comes to building a sales story that drives sales, you can’t start the process without fully onboarding the people who will be sitting behind the steering wheel. To truly sell with conviction, your salespeople need to see the benefit that it holds for them as well. Be transparent with your team about the solutions, challenges, and possible shortcomings you are experiencing as a company. This will help align your team and enable them to tell a story that is authentic, confident, and doubt-free.

Ask your team:

1. What roadblocks are they currently facing within the sales cycle?
2. What is the most common objection they’re receiving from prospective clients?
3. Where do they feel there is room for improvement?
4. How would they describe the company’s unique selling proposition?
5. Which clients are they currently landing compared to the company’s ideal client?

This will help guide your team when creating the sales story and ensures a holistic approach from the get-go.

Stop, collaborate and sell

Shortened sales cycle this, shortened sales cycle that – but what about the time lost through communicating goals, strategies, and information within departments? 87% of sales and marketing leaders say collaboration between sales and marketing enables critical business growth. How frequently does your sales team have a productive pow-wow session with marketing?

Collaborating with your marketing team will help your sales team connect the right products to the right buyers/customers. Both departments have insider knowledge of the same people from different perspectives – utilise it. It also provides invaluable insight into customer identities and buyer personas, which are the crux of any great sales story. Take advantage of the knowledge your company has already acquired and it will prove invaluable when crafting all client personas, pain points, your unique selling proposition, the tone of your sales narrative, and how to leverage technology to present like a pro.

It’s not written in stone

Nothing’s written in stone anymore. To be frank, even paper is being phased out. Don’t hold onto your rocks, they’re heavy and awkward to carry. Humans change, and so will their needs. What your ideal client wanted three years ago might not be what they want today. Adapt, adjust and carry on. After many years in sales, it’s easy to trust and rely on old techniques. They’re tried and tested and ‘good enough’. But that’s not what we’re after. Good enough isn’t enough anymore. Before building a sales story, go into the process with a willingness to adapt where needed. Effective sales storytelling will ask you to take yourself out of the story, which can cause some growing pains as you adjust your company’s value proposition and your selling techniques.

You’re not in the game of playing catch up, and staying ahead of the curve may mean getting rid of things that have been slowing you down – that’s ok. But now that you have your star players picked and prepped on the game plan, all that’s left to do is to craft a winning sales narrative.