Thread by @toperants

How to use stories to sell ANYTHING

The best lesson I ever learnt about selling was when I first told twitter & Instagram that my mallam was in love with me

But before I tell you if it is Abdullahi or Hussein (my very first mallam) I’m referring to, here is an ugly truth...

Most business owners expect everyone to be as excited as they are about their products/services because, they believe the benefits it provides is adequate enough to create a connection with their audience

This makes them expect to sell out or at least sell A LOT

The expectations are high but not off limits. It can only be attained by building influence.

So how do you build influence?

To understand this, let’s examine influence, from this social institution, RELIGION

Religion has an insane & fanatical impact on its followers. It has influenced society, culture & traditions, simply because it delivers its lessons, values & inspiration as series of STORIES.

Why are these stories so effective?

It could be because humans craved emotional connection to other humans, concepts & ideologies

With a build up of emotional connection comes TRUST, familiarity & relatability

This is why people remember how you make them feel a lot faster than raw information you dumb on them

Remember when I said my mallam was in love with me? I leveraged on 2 relatable concepts, to achieve an immediate sense of familiarity

Love: A universal topic anyone can relate with

Mallam: In Nigeria, a northern night guards/mini provision retailer is referred to as mallam

This is the first step to master when selling an idea, product or service

The next step is to create ongoing communication & engagement

Right now, “the mallam” story has transitioned from seeking love to the upcoming photographer

😁 Abdullahi’s shot from today’s yoga session

The in between, often referred to as “the journey” is where more details are shared.

Is the continuous use of relatable concepts to create familiarity & a sense of belonging any different from step 1?

I think not. The key is to keep the audience glued & wanting more

The final & most important step is helping your audience make a decision

Would you receive Jesus as your personal lord and savior?

Are you a marlian?

Do you want to inject sales into you business ASAP even if you just started yesterday?

If yes...SOLD!

Like all things, it takes practice...

Practice telling stories,
Practice building influence
Practice asking for a decisive answer

Let’s not mince words
Selling is hard
Selling out is even harder
But STORIES can make all the difference

The end!

PS: It wasn’t Abdullahi