You have to remember that most customers don’t buy from companies. They buy from people.
So, Learn To Tell Your Story.
Late last year, I was attending a dinner event and I heard a woman by the name of Julie French give a speech. She went on stage to talk about her dad and the legacy he had left. I sat there and listened as she told the audience a funny story about her dad and how he connected with his customers when he was alive. He used to say that there were way too many half-asked customers.
I was inspired by Julie’s talk. It was almost as if I had been attending their bull sales. By the end of that speech, I was imagining her family’s operation and possibly buying a bull from them.
A day later, I listened to a panel of producers and I heard a guy by the name of Tim Schiefelbein. I remember his story. He talked about his experience in the industry working on the USDA grid system back in the 90’s when no one knew if that was even the right thing to do. Turning to his dad back then, he asked: “Dad, why are we even doing this? Only to have his dad say: “We will get paid for it some day, so keep working.”
By the end of that talk, I was ready to go to Minnesota and buy a bull from his family.
And I don’t know or have ever talked to either one of them. I am not even an Angus producer. I grew up attending Simmental shows.
Because both Julie and Tim had excelled at connecting with me and inspired me with their stories, I was ready to buy whatever they had to sell.
How will I know that my customers will like my story?
You won’t know it until you tell it. You have to tell it. So, be prepared to tell true and genuine stories in your authentic self. And they can tell when you are not being honest, genuine and authentic. They can hear it in your voice.
I don’t think Tim nor Julie had any intentions of selling bulls that day – after all that event had mostly other seedstock producers – but they sure have one more person that will remember them and what and how they said it. I will associate their products with their stories.
What if I tell them my stories in my true authentic self and they decide not to buy from me?
Those kinds of customers that decide not to buy from you can hear you tell them a gazillion stories, and they still won’t buy from you. If that’s the majority of your audience, then you need a better audience for yourself.
Many people don’t like my stories but many do. So, I tell my stories to the people that like to hear them and they come back for more. Stop chasing those that don’t like your story. The same goes for your product. Your product, just like your story, is not for everyone. It’s a premium.
If you are connecting with your customers, engaging with them and inspiring them with your stories, then they will associate you and your products with those stories. That’s the power of differentiation working for you.
How do I learn to tell my story?
Learn to genuinely connect and inspire people. That comes when you allow yourself to be your true authentic self.
Learn to talk to different people. Good stories are crafted when you have vast experiences.
So, what’s your story and how are you telling it?