If You Want to Get More Customers, Here's 10 Powerful Stories
to Improve Your Ads and Sales Letters
by Scott Bywater
Published on this site: December 1st, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
Remember, as a child lying in bed and listening to stories.
Remember how engaged you were. Remember how you never got
bored of them and always wanted to learn more.
Well, there's a good reason why... and here's how what you
learnt as a young child could help you attract, and keep more
customers...
Metaphors and stories have proven to be a powerful way of
influencing other people. They are also extremely interesting
to your potential customer, and connect with a deeper part
of the human psyche.
Heres 10 of the Most Powerful Types of Sales Stories You
Can Incorporate Into Your Ads and Sales Letters
- Introductory Stories
These are stories about who you are, why you're writing
to them, and how you have assisted other people and/or businesses.
This is a perfect way to connect with your target audience
and generate rapport. Reveal something personal about yourself
within the story... and establish credibility and trust.
- Stories Which Overcome Fears
Everyone has fears of some type. Identify the greatest fears
and concerns your customer has. And then show how other
people... just like them... who had the same concerns...
overcame them, and discovered there was nothing to worry
about.
If you're selling a health product, the client may be concerned
it will not work for them. Tell the story of somebody else
who felt the same and where they are now. Perhaps incorporate
this structure within one of your testimonials.
This is a classic "Feel... Felt... Found" approach.
I understand how you feel. My previous customer used to
feel the same way. His experience now is...
- Ego-Enhancing Stories
This type of story shows how people respect and look up
to people who use your services, or own your product.
For example, if you were selling a Mercedes Benz... you
could talk about a guy who bought one recently and how his
colleagues, family and friends were so impressed.
- Attention Grabbing Stories
These are used to get people to focus on you, your products
and how you can benefit them. They explain why your customer
should sit up and listen to you... right now.
Here's an example from a sales letter from a company called
"The Supper Club..."
"How can I get in on this deal?"
The question was posed by a Daily Reckoning reader who was
referring to a deal I mentioned. Unfortunately, it wasn't
a stock. It was a private deal. And it was too late to get
in anyway
But it's why I'm writing you today.
- Product Information Stories
Don't just list the features & benefits of your product
or service. Tell a story which integrates this information.
- Improved Productivity Stories
Outline exactly how your services and/or products have assisted
companies to increase their profits, become more efficient,
increase output and reduce down time.
Tell a before and after story of one of your customers.
You'll never guess how much (other customers) business has
changed since they started working with us...
- Family Togetherness Stories
This type of story demonstrates how your product or services
has caused families to come together.
- Money Stories
The idea here is to show people how your product or service
will save or make money for your customers.
For example, if you're a mortgage broker, give a case study
of a past customer... and how much money they have saved
through swapping over to you.
If you're a PR company, give an example of how you helped
one company get out of a rut.
If you're an accountant, reflect on how you helped a specific
customer save thousands of dollars on tax last year... because
you're up to date on all the tax changes.
- Security Stories
This is a prime example of how you would go about selling
an insurance policy. Tell a story about how your products
have allowed your customers to sleep safely, and with peace
of mind.
This could be used in the insurance industry, alarms, people
selling trusts, pest and termite controllers, safe cars
like Volvos... or any industry where people buy to feel
more secure.
At the same time, it could be used for anybody who helps
people to make more money... or ensures reliability. For
instance, a marketing company could explain how safe one
of their clients feels about their business with all the
extra income being generated.
- Closing Stories
Stories can be used here to close the sale and sum up all
the benefits you have to offer.
What stories could you use to promote your business?
Scott Bywater is a direct mail copywriter and the author
of Cash-Flow Advertising. To get a complimentary copy of his
special report '7 Ways To Increase Your Turnover... No Matter
What The State Of The Economy' (valued at $29.95) and a free
subscription to his "Copywriting Selling Secrets"
ezine where you'll discover how to write ads and sales letters that make
people line up and practically beg you to do business with
them visit his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au
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