How to Write Stories Your Sales Team Will Actually Use

The TL;DR

Are you sick of spinning average products into marketing magic?

Do you feel like a “poo polisher” as April calls it?

Today, April Dunford (Ambient Strategy), Kyle Lacy (Jellyfish), and Marcus Andrews (Pendo) dive into storytelling and how to write stories your sales team will actually use.

What’s working in B2B marketing:

TAILOR-MADE, ENTHRALLING STORYTELLING

Draw in your prospects with a compelling narrative that screams relevance. Skip the generic fluff. Dive deep into the psyche of your customer. Make them the hero of your story.

What’s not working in B2B marketing:

WRITING BY COMMITTEE

Chuck out the too-many-cooks approach. Embrace a dedicated “words person.” Quality trumps quantity, always. When storytelling is focused and centralized, your message not only resonates—it reverberates.

The key takeaways

• The importance of positioning: Effective marketing starts with strong positioning. Understanding your competition, unique value proposition, and ideal customer fit are crucial for creating compelling stories and pitches.
• Tailored storytelling: Craft customized, engaging stories that resonate with your audience. Skip the generic fluff and make your prospects the heroes.
• Adaptability and regular review: To stay relevant and effective, regularly revisit and update your positioning and storytelling based on market changes, competitor actions, and customer feedback.
• Internal alignment and buy-in: Ensure alignment across your organization, especially with sales leaders. Their buy-in is crucial for successful implementation and consistency in messaging. Engage executives early in the storytelling process to secure their support.
• Measuring effectiveness: Use both quantitative metrics (conversion rates, deal sizes) and qualitative feedback (customer reactions, sales team input) to measure the effectiveness of your storytelling.

The things to listen for

The recap

Are you sick of spinning average products into marketing magic?

This episode of The Proof Point is a masterclass in storytelling and effective marketing. Host Mark Huber teams up with April Dunford (Ambient Strategy), Kyle Lacy (Jellyfish), and Marcus Andrews (Pendo) to spill their secrets on crafting stories that stick and convert.

Stop poo polishing (right now) – April sets the tone with a hilarious analogy about “polishing the poo.” Her message? Strong positioning and understanding your unique value are non-negotiable. Know your competition, understand your value, and identify your ideal customer.

Get sales leaders on board – Kyle underscores the crucial role of early involvement from sales leaders. Aligning with sales teams is vital for successful rollouts and adapting to tech shifts impacting consumer behavior and sales strategies.

Iterate and test relentlessly – April’s approach to pitch testing is pure gold. Train your best salesperson, test with real prospects, gather feedback, tweak, and repeat until the pitch is flawless. This method ensures widespread acceptance and effectiveness.

Embrace cross-functional collaboration – Marcus highlights the power of a cross-functional team effort in crafting a compelling story. Involve stakeholders from various departments to align with the company’s strategy and better resonate with customers.

Regular reviews are essential – Kyle and April stress the need for regular reviews and adjustments to your marketing positioning. Whether through customer surveys or competitive analysis, staying ahead means continually refining your narrative.

Ready to take your storytelling to the next level? This episode of The Proof Point is your ultimate guide to crafting stories that resonate and convert. From perfecting your positioning to fostering cross-functional collaboration, these expert tips will give your marketing efforts a powerful boost.