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In Episode 219 of Anecdotally Speaking, learn how to change minds, build trust and influence others through your storytelling

In Episode 219 of Anecdotally Speaking, Mark shares a story from one of his workshops that perfectly illustrates how storytelling can be used to change someone’s mind. Too often, people rely on arguments to shift perspectives or sell an idea. However, as this episode demonstrates, an influence story can be a far more effective tool.

The story centers on a telecommunications salesperson who successfully convinced a customer not to switch to a cheaper maintenance provider by sharing a personal anecdote.

Mark and Shawn go on to discuss why influence stories are so powerful and how small, carefully chosen details can provide deep insight into the characters in your story.

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For your story bank

Tags: Influence, Changing Minds, Leadership, Competiton

This story starts at: 1:39

Mersa was a highly experienced salesperson, working for a global telecommunications company. One of his clients, who had been using their equipment, decided to switch to a local provider offering service and maintenance at a 70% lower cost. After thinking over the situation, Mersa came up with a solution.

He approached the client and said, “Look, you’d be crazy not to seriously consider changing, because that is a huge savings you’ve got in front of you. But I’d encourage you to do your due diligence, because things can go wrong.

Just recently, I was heading to work in the morning, and as I was getting into my car, I ran into my neighbour, Pat. Pat runs the most beloved coffee shop in our suburb, and the centrepiece of her shop is this beautiful San Remo coffee machine. One day, the machine broke down, and Pat contacted San Remo, who told her it would cost $750 to repair. Naturally, she started shopping around and found a local provider who offered to fix it for $250. She went with the local provider, and the machine was repaired and worked perfectly — for three days.

Then, it broke down again. Pat called the local repairer back, and after taking another look, he admitted that it was beyond him and couldn’t fix it. Pat was forced to call San Remo. When San Remo came out, they inspected the machine and told her it was now beyond repair because non-standard parts had been fitted. Pat’s only option was to buy an entirely new machine, costing her $20,000.”

Mersa then explained to his client, “Look, this deal is definitely worth looking into, but please do your due diligence. I know the supplier, and they have no agreement with us, the original equipment manufacturer. This means they don’t have access to our parts or technical documents. They also source a lot of their parts from disused networks across the region. So again, great opportunity, but be cautious.”

Unsurprisingly, the client reconsidered and decided to stick with Mersa’s company. Although it was more expensive, it was a much safer option.