http://www.byroningraham.com/podcast/219-selling-stories Once upon a time stories were told to inspire young minds to be anything and do anything. These stories inspired people everywhere to become who they are today. However, as adults, stories are few and far between when it comes to selling what we offer to prospective clients and customers. Stories are one of the most powerful tools underutilized in business today. They inspire people to take actions they might not have otherwise. Additionally, they have the ability to connect people to join in for a common cause. Simply look at how media outlets and politicians utilize stories to galvanize their constituents around a particular cause. Most entrepreneurs and business owners utilize simple pitches to promote their products & services. While this may work in many cases, the return on them is quickly diminishing. This is primarily due to increased levels of competition within the market. There was a day and age you could simply run a basic ad on any network and generate results. Now with greater amounts of competition, if you are not stirring emotions within your prospects, your message goes unheard. So what types of stories should you utilize? Your objective should be to invoke emotions that will lead to someone wanting to buy your product or service. It should also create a sense of connection. If you're looking for an example of stories that are utilized effectively to promote a product, look at pharmaceutical commercials. They are promoting a product that only a small percentage of the population would have an interest in. Through the usage of stories, they are able to connect with prospects who are their ideal client to compel them to ask medical professionals for the drug. Regardless of the stories utilized, it is essential to end them with a strong call to action. Without it, you've simply told a great story to someone who may or may not take the action you desire. This step is often left out of the process by entrepreneurs.