Everyone loves a good story. The best way to influence purchasing decisions is by telling stories; people can often better relate to stories rather than cold, hard facts. People love vivid imagery, penetrating examples they can take to heart, and anecdotes that stick in their memories. At their best, personal stories connect people to one another.
? Find your story
The easiest way to determine what resonates best with your prospects is to listen to what they are saying. Take time to view your prospects’ LinkedIn profiles. They will often provide you with valuable insights regarding your audience members and prospects’ biggest pain points. Once armed with this knowledge, you can present your company story in a way that is more likely to relate well to your prospects.
Another strategy is to monitor your industry’s trade publications, association newsletters, relevant LinkedIn groups, and thought leaders’ blogs. These types of resources are always full of information, including overarching challenges these people are facing, which can help you fine-tune your LinkedIn storytelling approach.
Of course, testimonials are great. But telling a story that addresses the biggest challenges your prospects are facing is the easiest and most effective way to establish true connections. You can also portray your company’s products and services as the solutions they need at the same time.
? Tell your story
What you decide to talk about in your story is just as important as how you present it. It is simply not enough to throw a hasty draft on your LinkedIn profile. If you do, your prospects will likely see it as nothing more than a thinly veiled sales tactic, which could do more harm than good.
To truly perfect the art of LinkedIn storytelling, here are a few tips to follow:
- Create and share content that fits your business well.
- Tell your story visually. Use photos. If you are a speaker, try adding videos. If you are a recruiter, add SlideShare presentations. Add e-books if you are a writer. If you do not currently have these types of assets, create them.
- Get specific. Clearly explain how you can solve challenges. Balance keywords within your storyline to make yourself more memorable and more human.
- Personalize invites with tailored messages, photos, or visuals.
At the end of the day, people buy from people they like. Storytelling is a good way to make you — as well as your products and services — more likable.
[cta]If you’re ready to take the next step on LinkedIn, it might be time to call in an expert. Contact me, Mark McIntosh, RevGrow CEO and founder, today by calling 972-998-5132, and I’ll be happy to explain how I can help you.[/cta]
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