Some things never change. In sales, a quality presentation never goes out of style. And part of that presentation includes storytelling. Telling a good story can be the difference between this:

A horse walks into a bar. The bartender looks at the horse and says, “Hey buddy, why the long face?”

Or this:

It was a hot night. The air was thick. So thick, that you could cut it with a knife. It was the kind of night that reminds you why you need to get out of the city. So sticky that you can feel the weight of it. But that’s New York in July. And on a night like this, an icy cold draft in a frosted mug is just the ticket. That’s exactly what Seabiscuit was thinking as he made his way across the street toward O’Brien’s, his neighborhood watering hole.

Seabiscuit was tall for his age. At 24 months, he stood almost 18 hands high and already had a reputation as a stallion tuff in the neighborhood. But tonight, Seabiscuit had a lot on his mind and his normally smiling eyes had lost their glitter. As he entered O’Brien’s and hooved it to the bar, the bartender immediately noticed Seabiscuit’s mood and asked, “Why the long face?”

You’ll want to get your prospect involved in your story. Emotionally involved. And you’ll want them to focus on the end result – get them to visualize their students succeeding while using your product.

Common wisdom may tell you that sales to states, districts or schools is a very clinical thing – unemotional and based on data and logic. The truth is, that couldn’t be further from the truth. All purchasing decisions are emotional decisions and this is doubly true in the education business. There is a lot at stake here, and failure can be devastating for the person who makes the purchasing decision. So, you’ll want to ask a lot of questions. Find out how success or failure will be measured, and why they are considering making a purchase at this time.

And never assume anything.

When telling a story, remember that details are important. One way to practice the art of storytelling is to take some old, corny one-liners and turn them into stories. Seriously. It’s a lot of fun and will help get your storytelling juices flowing.

Just for fun, here are a few one-liners you can practice with:

My wife told me to stop impersonating a flamingo. I had to put my foot down. 

I failed math so many times at school, I can’t even count.

I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather… not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

 I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.

Last night my girlfriend was complaining that I never listen to her… or something like that.

One thing you can be sure of, money isn’t going to be the issue. There is more money floating around than there has ever been, and most districts have no idea how they can even spend it all. So, if money isn’t the issue, what is?

One of the great things about knowing that money isn’t the issue is that it gives you an opportunity to uncover the real objection. That is a gift! Normally, we tend to believe that money could be the real objection. That makes it so much easier to lose the sale. All you have to do is think to yourself, “I never stood a chance, the money just wasn’t there.” Now that you know the money is there, you can come to the reality that has been there all along. The reason that you didn’t get the sale is because you haven’t sold them yet.

So sell them.

Tell them a story. Ask lots of questions. Answer their objections and get them emotionally involved. You owe it to the children to get the best possible solution in their hands. That way, you won’t be left to wonder, like the agnostic dyslexic insomniac who was staying up all night wondering if there really was a doG.

About the author

Charles Sosnik is an education journalist and editor and serves as Editor in Chief at the Learning Counsel. An EP3 Education Fellow, he uses his deep roots in the education community to add context to the education narrative. Charles is a frequent writer and columnist for some of the most influential media in education, including the Learning Counsel, EdNews Daily, EdTech Digest and edCircuit. Unabashedly Southern, Charles likes to say he is an editor by trade and Southern by the Grace of God.