We’ve all been in this situation. Someone comes up to you and says, “So I have this friend who…”and they then proceed to tell you about some problem this supposed friend is having. Then you do your best to help them out and offer some advice for this ‘friend’, even though you know there really is no third person. It’s a bit of an odd situation, but bringing in a third party to the conversation removes some of the stress in asking for advice.
Unsurprisingly, the same principle applies when giving advice or suggestions in sales. Sometimes a prospect may need to hear something about their problem that might make them feel embarrassed or like you’re talking down to them. Involving a third party (by way of a story) can relieve some of the stress and pressure from the conversation. When you tell a prospects about a friend of yours or another client who faced a similar issue, you can help them see their problem more clearly, and it feels much less threatening because it’s much less personal.
There is another upside to keeping track of success stories to tell to clients. You get to give your prospects evidence that your solution to their problem works without seeming pushy and intimidating. If you can learn to be a good story-teller, there is almost no downside to telling a success story in a sales context.
BoweryJE22
This is totally true. Removing stress or shame in a situation is necessary sometimes to get a good result. It helps to alleviate pressure by making a statement or story non-committal to your person.