{"id":1138,"date":"2014-11-18T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/dynamics-365\/blog\/2014\/11\/18\/tell-a-story-that-inspires-action\/"},"modified":"2025-04-21T09:33:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T16:33:58","slug":"tell-a-story-that-inspires-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/dynamics-365\/blog\/business-leader\/2014\/11\/18\/tell-a-story-that-inspires-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales Productivity Series: Tell a Story That Inspires Action"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve already spelled out that sales reps need to be seen as a valuable resource for buyers, and we\u2019ve outlined how they can do that by establishing themselves as the go-to-resource for all the information a buyer would need about top-of-mind issues, the latest industry trends and relevant solutions. By cutting through all the clutter and funneling only the most relevant content to prospects, reps further their role as a trusted advisor.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s not forget the job they were hired to do\u2014sales pros need to effectively sell their company\u2019s product or service. Getting there means putting prospects and customers at the center of the vision they\u2019re painting for them, and educating and entertaining them as they lead them down the path to purchase. It means engaging buyers with a story that compels them to act, one that answers the questions: Why do anything? Why now? Why us?<\/p>\n

According to Brian Kelly of InsideView, \u201cThought leadership can contribute significantly to all three by informing the market of your value, instilling urgency and differentiating over the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make the buyer the hero of the story<\/strong><\/p>\n

Julie Hansen, Founder of Performance Sales and Training, picks up on that thread, saying effective storytelling can do a lot to quickly move buyers along the path to purchase. \u201cA good sales story can draw prospects in and get them emotionally involved and inspire action, in a way that hammering them with facts and figures simply cannot. And because emotion plays a critical role in our ability to remember, good sales stories are extremely effective in making sure that our message is remembered by busy prospects at the time they are ready to make a decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

The story sales reps\u2014and their content\u2014tell needs to:<\/p>\n