Most great sales professionals when they disagree with a prospect or a prospect is sadly mistaken will tell a story rather than allowing a major disagreement to erupt. They say that diplomacy is the art of letting someone else get your way.

In doing so they can enlighten the prospect or potential customer into another perspective or line of thought by telling a similar scenario in a far off setting and this does not make the customer angry, as it is only a story, but it indeed does make them think and of course that is the plan.

And in doing so the salesperson delivers yet another simple message and then listens to what the prospect has to say to see if there is interest or perhaps an underlining life principle that the prospect is passionate about. If so he or she will come out with comments of their own and so this is why at least some sales trainers say that; Good Professional Speakers Start With Telling a Story.

Do I personally believe that this is a viable technique? Well yes and no. Yes if the story is relevant and no, if the story is not a true story. Story telling in sales is also nice as it is entertaining and will not put the prospect to sleep with endless details that he may not remember you see? Perhaps you might philosophically consider this insight and use it if you believe it fits and will work for you in your sales. Please consider all this in 2006.