The Art of Story Selling
I’ve got a pitch coming up, and it got me thinking about people I’ve worked with who can effortlessly pitch a TV show, making others believe in it so completely it gets bought in the room. I’ve managed to pull it off a few times. But these folks rarely fail. They’d probably be just as successful peddling a new Silicon Valley startup or an online conspiracy theory.
Let's take a look at these sorcerors of sales:
The Big Picture Person is the visionary who connects dots others can't see. They ask, "What if?" and imagine possibilities beyond the obvious. Steve Jobs spotting a market gap before the iPhone existed, or the conspiracy theorist who ties a random drone sighting to the UAP narrative.
The True Believer lives and breathes conviction. Their passion is a virus, infecting others with their vision. Your friend whose enthusiasm for a new hobby or idea catches your interest, even when it's not your vibe. Like a DJ, they read their audience in real time and shape their message to get everyone on the dance floor.
The People Person builds bridges and knows who needs to be involved. They link startup founders to investors or connect online communities to spread conspiracy theories or engage fandoms. The Hollywood producer who knows which executive needs to hear a pitch.
The Questioner can be critical to the process. These skeptics help stories thrive. They push the yarn spinners to reinforce the pitch, challenging the narrative and finding weak spots. A TV Producer grilling a showrunner until an idea becomes rock-solid and undeniable.
What's the secret sauce these storytellers put on their sales burgers?
Creating FOMO: They make buyers feel they’ll miss being part of something huge if they don’t pull the trigger.
Making It Personal: They frame the story so buyers can see themselves in the narrative, not necessarily as a character, but as a contributor to the project who will be part of its success.
Leaving Gaps: They give just enough to spark curiosity, letting buyer brains fill in the blanks with the most pleasing version they can imagine.
Providing a Villain: A clear opponent or conflict makes a story better. Again, not necessarily in whatever’s being pitched, but an adversary in the buyer’s struggle for market share.
Tapping Into Emotion: Logic matters, but feelings drive action. It takes courage for buyers to risk their jobs on something that doesn’t exist yet.
Implying Insider Knowledge: They hint at having access to secrets, making you feel like you’re in the know. A marketer teasing a new product by showing just a silhouette. It’s not the complete story. It’s just enough to ignite buyer curiosity. Conspiracy theorists thrive on incomplete narratives, leaving room for followers to connect the dots themselves.
The best pitch masters mix and match these elements, deploying as needed for maximum impact. Like any good story, it’s about activating the audience and giving them a reason to invest, emotionally and financially.
Remember, you’re not facing the blank page alone. You have your scribbler’s toolbox. So, ABS. Always. Be. Scribbling.
