Stephen Steers - How Storytelling can be a Powerful Tool

Stephen Steers is a renowned consultant, keynote speaker, storyteller, stand-up comedian, and the author of "Superpower Storytelling." With experience advising over 750 companies across 30 countries, including industry giants like Google, Nike, HEC Paris Business School, and Entrepreneurs Organization, Stephen brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this engaging episode of the Selling from the Heart podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Stephen Steers, the acclaimed author of "Superpower Storytelling." They delve into the pivotal role of authenticity and trust in sales, showcasing how storytelling can be a transformative tool for connecting with clients and prospects. Stephen offers practical insights and strategies for crafting emotionally compelling narratives that resonate with business audiences. He highlights the importance of understanding what’s at stake, the goals of prospects, the desired emotional responses, and actionable next steps. The discussion features real-world examples and actionable advice on overcoming common sales objections and structuring calls to maximize engagement and trust.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Importance of Authenticity: Authenticity is essential for building trust with prospects. Genuine storytelling fosters emotional connections and credibility.
• Four Essential Questions: Before telling any story, ask: What's at stake? What does your prospect want to learn or achieve? How do you want your prospects to feel? What do you want your prospects to do next?
• Human Connection: Sales are fundamentally about human connections. Understanding your prospect's needs and emotions is key to crafting resonant stories.
• Practice and Review: Regularly practice storytelling and review sales calls to refine your approach and enhance delivery.
• Emotional Engagement: Use personal anecdotes and emotional hooks to make stories more relatable and impactful.

QUOTES

• "Story is the language of the heart, and it's where trust is built and sustained." – Darrell Amy
• "We're humans solving human problems in a business context. If I can't relate to you as a human first, almost 99 percent of the time, I don't care what you're selling." – Stephen Steers
• "You're training people how to react to you by the way you carry yourself over and over again by treating people like a transaction." – Larry Levine
• "A good story crafts the right type of emotion that gets a person into that emotional environment so they can receive the information you're ready to share." – Stephen Steers
• "If you're going to hire me for my services, the story of your business is going to be way more effective, and you're going to be way happier with the way you're telling it to the people you serve." – Stephen Steers

Learn more about Stephen Steers:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-steers/

Learn more about Darrell and Larry:
Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/
Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/
Website: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/

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