December 2021 - 10
OCS UPDATE
A True Story
Storytelling is a useful and influential
business development tool
By Bob Tullio, Contributing Editor
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, I
have been beating the drum for storytelling
as a business development tool.
I have conducted webinars, spoken
at conventions and recently posted a
three-part storytelling video series on
my b2b Perspective Channel, because
I believe that storytelling is a powerful
and useful skill.
Since this is a column about the
office coffee business, I am going to
provide a comprehensive OCS storytelling
example. This is a story that I
told. I am not making this stuff up!
STORY FUNDAMENTALS
First, let's review the basics:
* Storytelling is proven by science to
stimulate seven areas of the brain
instead of just two. Compelling stories
have greater impact than facts.
* Your story should be true.
* There needs to be at least one main
character.
* The story structure should have a
beginning, a middle and an end.
* Your story should be relevant.
* Do your best to make the story
engaging, even compelling.
Storytelling is a powerful way for
an account executive to help clients
make the right choices. If a client has
an idea about how things should happen,
but it is obviously a bad direc10
Automatic Merchandiser * December 2021
Kim: I think they are
tion, there are
two ways to deal with
the situation:
* You can hit them right between
the eyes by telling the client or
prospect, " You are making a bad
choice and here is why it is a bad
choice. "
* Or, you can tell them a story that
will help them visualize and better
comprehend your position.
OFFICE COFFEE SERVICE STORY
Backstory:
My client, a fast-rising entertainment
entity, wanted to cut back on coffee
service expenses because they were
spending so much on five-gallon water
bottles. To put it in perspective, they
were spending $8,000 a month on
bottled water and $4,000 per month
on coffee service.
Kim, the facility manager, was
quite convinced that bottled water was
a critical, irreplaceable amenity.
Play by play of the conversation:
Bob: Kim, it is great that your company
is so amenity oriented, but which
program do you think is more valued
by your employees, the coffee service
program or the drinking water?
both important.
Bob: Kim, may I ask you another
question?
Kim: Of course.
Bob: If I can show you a way to
reduce your water costs while maintaining
the level of quality, could you
see yourself taking that savings and
making the coffee service program
even better?
Kim: Yes, but I don't see how
you can do that. Some of the execs
around here will never want to give
up bottled water. Filtered water is
just not an option.
Bob: I recently met Elmer, a facility
manager at a major film studio,
who was experiencing the same
concerns as you. Much like your
company, they literally had walls of
bottled water filling their kitchens.
Elmer told me that some of her
employees were sick of lifting the fivegallon
bottles. Do you ever hear any
of that, Kim?
Kim: Absolutely. I get stuck
changing the bottles twice a day in the
kitchen near my office.
Bob: I get it. There is another issue
that keeps coming up - the environment.
Just about everyone agrees that
173193065 | ThomasVogel | Getty Images
December 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2021
Editor's Note
Industry News
A True Story
The 2021 Pros to Know Awards
They'll Take it to Go!
Two is Better Than One
K&R Market Fresh
Classifieds
Social Hubs
December 2021 - PCOV1
December 2021 - PCOV2
December 2021 - 1
December 2021 - 2
December 2021 - 3
December 2021 - 4
December 2021 - 5
December 2021 - Editor's Note
December 2021 - 7
December 2021 - Industry News
December 2021 - 9
December 2021 - A True Story
December 2021 - 11
December 2021 - The 2021 Pros to Know Awards
December 2021 - 13
December 2021 - 14
December 2021 - 15
December 2021 - 16
December 2021 - 17
December 2021 - 18
December 2021 - 19
December 2021 - 20
December 2021 - 21
December 2021 - 22
December 2021 - 23
December 2021 - They'll Take it to Go!
December 2021 - 25
December 2021 - 26
December 2021 - 27
December 2021 - 28
December 2021 - 29
December 2021 - Two is Better Than One
December 2021 - 31
December 2021 - 32
December 2021 - 33
December 2021 - 34
December 2021 - 35
December 2021 - K&R Market Fresh
December 2021 - 37
December 2021 - 38
December 2021 - 39
December 2021 - 40
December 2021 - Classifieds
December 2021 - Social Hubs
December 2021 - 43
December 2021 - 44
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