Storytelling To Close A Deal

Hi friends,

Today, I want to share about my first ever big ticket sale.

About a year ago, around August 2018, I successfully sold my dad's car. It was a 1997 Toyota Prado 2.7L Petrol. I was so proud of that sales because I sold it through storytelling.

Not long before I began advertising the car, I watch a TED Talk on YouTube about the effects of storytelling in selling items. The experiment started with them buying cheap random items online and noted down the cost price. Later, they would write a story revolving around the items. The story doesn't have to be true. It just needs to be a story worth reading. A story that is relatable and could capture a designed emotion to the readers. After that, they would sell the items for far higher price than they bought it. To their surprise, all of them were sold. Even if that expensive of a price was nowhere near justified. The talk concluded with the power of storytelling and how we could make use of it in selling. The lesson that I've learned from the video was that, when we're selling any items, the most important thing a seller should do, is to win the buyer. Only then, buyer's money will trickle down from their hands to yours. And one of the tools to win them over, is by capturing their emotions. If you can make them feel what you want them to feel, chances are, you can make them do what you want them to do, which is to buy your product!

So that is exactly what I tried to do. My frame of mind when I wanted to sell the car went something like this:

My dad's car was an old car but not exactly the vintage type. So it wouldn't really appeal to any collectors. But it is still very useful as it was only a family car. Which means it is mildly use, only for occasional trips during the holiday season. The rest of the time, it is sitting idling in the front porch. Knowing how the car is an old and underutilized vehicle, I try to make that as the main selling point. I would also include some element of joyousness associated with the car to implicitly tell that it has been well taken care of throughout its years in our hands. Lastly, the car is not just a car, it is your companion.

So all and all, here's the description that I put in the ads.

About a month later, I managed to sell it. Now I am definitely aware that storytelling itself is not the only factor that contributes the success of this transaction. Other important key elements include, the positioning of price below market value and I was lucky enough to get a buyer with a positive attitude.

In short, this experience has taught me that the best way to close a deal is to win the person.

Maybe you should try to include some element of storytelling in your everyday conversations. Just to see where it could go.

Cheers!