What are the best ways to elicit emotions from cold callers without sounding manipulative?

1 Why storytelling and emotion matter in sales

People buy based on emotions, not logic. Emotions influence our decisions, motivations, and memories. When you tell a story, you activate the emotional part of your prospect's brain, and make them feel something. This can help you build rapport, trust, and credibility. It can also make your offer more appealing, relevant, and memorable. Stories can also help you overcome objections, by showing how your product or service solved a similar problem for someone else.

2 How to find stories to tell in your cold calls

You don't need to be a professional storyteller to use stories in your cold calls. You just need to find stories that relate to your prospect's situation, pain points, goals, and interests. To do this, you can draw from your own experience, your customer's experience, your company's experience, and your industry's experience. For example, you can share stories about how you got into sales, why you love your product or service, or how you overcame a challenge. You can also share stories about how your product or service helped your existing customers, how they benefited from it, or how they achieved their goals. Additionally, you can share stories about how your company was founded, what your mission and vision are, or how you differentiate from your competitors. Finally, you can share stories about how your industry is changing, what trends and opportunities are emerging, or how your product or service fits into the bigger picture.

3 How to structure your stories for maximum impact

Once you have a story to tell, you need to structure it in a way that captures your prospect's attention, interest, and curiosity. A simple and effective way to do that is to use the STAR method. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Set the scene and introduce the characters, context, and problem. Explain the goal or challenge that the characters faced, and why it was important or urgent. Describe the actions or steps that the characters took to solve the problem or achieve the goal. Finally, reveal the outcome or benefit that the characters obtained, and how it made them feel.

4 How to deliver your stories with emotion and authenticity

The way you tell your story is just as important as the story itself. You need to use your voice, tone, and body language to convey emotion and authenticity. To do this, use descriptive and sensory language that appeals to your prospect's senses, emotions, and imagination. For example, instead of saying "Our product increased their sales by 50%", say "Our product helped them generate an extra $10,000 in revenue every month, which allowed them to hire more staff, expand their office, and celebrate their success". Additionally, use pauses and emphasis to create suspense, drama, and contrast in your story. For example, instead of saying "They were skeptical at first, but then they tried our product and loved it", say "They were skeptical at first... (pause) ...but then they tried our product... (pause) ...and loved it!". Finally, use gestures and expressions to reinforce your words and emotions. For example, use your hands to show size, direction, or movement, and use your face to show surprise, excitement, or satisfaction.

5 How to avoid sounding manipulative or cheesy in your stories

Storytelling and emotion can be powerful tools in sales, but it's important to use them ethically and appropriately. To avoid sounding manipulative or cheesy, and losing your prospect's trust and respect, you should be honest and accurate in your stories. Make sure they are based on facts and evidence, and reflect your values and integrity. Additionally, your stories should be relevant and tailored to your prospect's needs and interests. Lastly, be respectful and empathetic in your stories, avoiding any that are offensive, insensitive, or inappropriate, or ones that exploit your prospect's emotions or vulnerabilities. Show that you care about your prospect and their situation.