| Selling yourself to customers is something that | | | | other clients with similar products, you are |
| many business people struggle with. You don't | | | | establishing yourself as an expert in your field and |
| want to come across as a braggart but you do | | | | taking away any doubts your potential customer |
| need to sell yourself along with the product. How | | | | may have in dealing with you because you are |
| else will you gain your customer's trust? This is | | | | giving them your successful history upfront. |
| especially true if your product or service is not | | | | This story telling technique also gives you a way |
| 100% unique. You need to give them a reason to | | | | of getting points across about your product that |
| buy from you rather than their competition and | | | | they may not have thought of. Most products |
| the only way to do this is to show your | | | | and services and an obvious benefit and your |
| importance to their business. | | | | potential customers are generally fully aware of |
| One of the most effective ways of doing this is | | | | these. Through the use of relating your |
| through telling stories. I am not talking about | | | | customer's experiences, you can outline the |
| fiction here. You don't make them up. You can | | | | "added benefits" they have experienced as a |
| relate how important your business is to other | | | | result of using your product. The person hearing |
| clients by telling stories that they can relate to. | | | | the story may not have thought of those added |
| These tales are similar to a testimonial but in | | | | bonuses and can then see the merit of how that |
| reverse. | | | | would help their own business. |
| Tell them how your product helped another | | | | By giving glowing reports of your customers, you |
| customer with a similar problem. Be believable and | | | | no longer will feel the need to brag about yourself |
| be able to back it up with proof if asked. You do | | | | or your service. Your potential customers will |
| want to be careful. Do not drop names unless | | | | relate to the established customer's situation and |
| you have permission. You do not want to | | | | can picture themselves being more successful |
| jeopardize your relationship with your established | | | | using your service. This is a very powerful sales |
| customer by revealing secrets to their | | | | technique and feels much more comfortable both |
| competition. | | | | to you and to your prospective clients. |
| By giving an account of how your service helped | | | | |