by Linda Julian

Your clients and prospective clients probably won't remember all the facts and information you give to them, but they will remember precisely how they felt about you and what you told them. Through history, humans have been programmed to respond to storytelling.

Clients buy on both logical and emotional grounds and are most likely to buy you when there's an emotional connection. Anecdotes, vignettes, metaphors, and case studies are all forms of storytelling which will help you make connections.

A mountain of data may be great support for the point you're making: strong evidence is valuable in winning over minds and logic. But making minds receptive is often best done by capturing attention and winning hearts trough effective storytelling.

A relevant and well-crafted story is memorable. Storytelling is a far more interesting way of showing how what you know and do achieves and how you help. The right case study, real life example, or anecdote will have impact. It will be thought about, possibly talked about, and hopefully long remembered.

Effective storytelling is a great way to appeal to the clients and prospective clients with whom you most want to work.

Put lunch in its place

by Linda Julian

Lunch has long been a business tradition -- sharing hospitality and breaking bread together is a time honoured bonding experience But, too often, lunch is used out of its rightful place.

• Lunch is a good way to:

-- exchange views, informal information, and explore ideas with someone we already know well
-- build and personalise established business connections
-- recognise and value our valued connections and clients.

• Lunch is rarely the best way to:

-- make a new business contact
-- pitch your services to a new client
-- cover a formal business agenda.

• Before you think of lunching a prospective client, check that:

-- there's more in it for him/her than simply a nice meal in your company
-- you have information or value to add far in excess of the 90 to 120 minutes of his/her time you're asking
-- you won't cause him/her to gag on a mouthful as you ask for work.

If lunch isn't more than this, then be upfront and ask for a meeting to peddle your wares !

Click here to learn more.

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© Trey Ryder

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