Network marketing is about a personal connection between people. One of the most powerful ways to connect with others is through storytelling. A good story is a simple but incredibly effective tool that can really drive your business.
Why Stories Work
Stories resonate with listeners. All our life we've been told stories: as children, in school, through books, movies, and even commercials. Humans have communicated chiefly through stories for thousands of years. As humans we're hard-wired to respond to stories.
A well-told, captivating story can affect listeners on many levels—touching their emotions as well as logic. Studies show that most buying decisions happen on an emotional level. Stories allow listeners to connect emotionally with the storyteller.
Just as important, stories are memorable. It’s easy to forget facts and figures, but a good story is remembered and retold. Good storytelling beats good selling, because that is how you share your passion. And passion is contagious.
NOTE: Your stories must be true. If you make up a story, then you completely lose trust and that can have the opposite effect—hurting your business.
3 Storytelling Methods You Can Implement Right Away
Here are three storytelling methods that easily fit into network marketing, and they work!
The Personal Story
This is just like it sounds. You are sharing your own story with others. This is the step-by-step story of a problem you had, how you triumphed over adversity, solved your problem, and achieved the result your listener wants.
Your personal story doesn’t need to be long or involved. However, it does need to have a beginning, middle, and an end/resolution, just like any story. Here is a simple, five-step format to help you craft your own story (adapted from entrepreneur Nick Reese http://www.nicholasreese.com/persuasive-storytelling).
• Identity - Who you were when you started your journey?
• Turn Against the Status Quo (TASQ) - What did you want to change about your prior identity / world?
• Struggle - What did you struggle against as you started to create change?
• Insight - What unique tool or insight did you gain that made overcoming this challenge easier?
• Resolution – How is your life better or how are you better than when you began this journey? *The resolution should be what the listeners would desire for themselves.
The Vision Story
The vision story is one that is used frequently in network marketing. This is where you paint a compelling vision of the future. Who isn’t moved by the ultimate dream of having an independent living and of working smarter not harder?
This may be a good place to start if you don’t feel your personal story is as powerful as you’d like (yet). It is natural when sharing a vision to also use the stories of others: people you know or who are involved in the company.
The Passing On Expertise Story
This is similar to the personal story but adds some credibility. You share how you had a problem (one the other person shares), and includes how you talked to a respected mentor or expert who showed you how to solve your problem. That expert then passed his/her wisdom on to you and now you are sharing it.
If you think about it, storytelling is what network marketing is all about. Spend some time refining your story, and then use this powerful technique to really connect with prospects and watch your business grow!
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