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bought items from Nordstrom and asked to take advantage of Nordstrom’s free gift wrap service. The Nordstrom employee obliged, then offered to wrap the Macy’s products as well for no extra charge. The customer was delighted. These Nordy Stories help employees and the public get to know and like a company that would otherwise be viewed as just another cold mall retailer. Better yet, the stories weren’t about increased sales or business strategy. They were about people. But they were still business stories, and through these stories, people got to know — and like — the heart of the business, not just the people involved. So take a look at your own business. What story do you have to tell? Every business has a story that will impact their audience, create a lasting impression, and make their brand as relatable as it is recognizable. Discover the story, share it, and let the relationships that follow do the heavy lifting for building your business.
from $1 billion to $2 billion since they adopted this campaign. Money talks, and that money says that storytelling is powerful — as is paying attention to your audience’s emotions and reactions to your advertising. NORDSTROM WOOS CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES BY SHARING STORIES OF BOTH Customer service is a broad concept. To a person working their first retail job, it might mean making eye contact, listening, and having a positive demeanor. Nordstrom knows that real customer service is more than that. To demonstrate that concept to new employees and customers alike, the American fashion retailer turned to storytelling. They asked their employees for their favorite examples of customer service rendered. They called them Nordy Stories. For example, one employee shared the story of a customer who came into the store with items they’d just purchased at rival store Macy’s. The customer development because they spend very little time trying to sell or pick up new business. Instead of hunting for new customers, they babysit existing customers … no one defaults to prospecting mode.” While customer retention is vital, that’s a job for the customer retention team, not the sales team. Weinberg holds up a mirror to reveal the unflattering truth, but in addition to showing what companies are doing wrong, Weinberg outlines what your business must do to get sales right. Some strategies are simple, like urging sales reps to make time in their calendars for business development activities or perfecting a proactive phone call. Other improvements demand an overhaul on the way sales reps see their customer interactions. Take chapter seven, where Weinberg highlights the value of creating a compelling sales story in your sales arsenal. He isn’t referring to the “art of storytelling.” Sales reps must organize their elevator
dark-haired daughter. Each picture was its own personal story.
Bright and her team knew it was a risky move, but Dove executives were deeply affected by the pitch and gave her their resounding approval. Dove subsequently overhauled its marketing strategy.
It’s a sweet story in its own right, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that Dove’s profits doubled
BOOK REVIEW ‘New Sales. Simplified.’ Take Your Sales Team Off the Endangered Species List
From the Book: “I feel obligated to warn that the worst myth being perpetrated by the 2.0 crowd is that we no longer need to make proactive telephone calls to prospects.”
Businesses across the world face a mass extinction. Inbound marketing, content marketing, and social media reinvented how we attract protective customers, and many companies consider sales teams to be an endangered species. These same companies might be surprised to learn that HubSpot, the celebrated “King of Inbound Marketing,” has a large outbound sales team. They even make cold calls! If you believe inbound marketing will make traditional sales go the way of the dinosaur, then it’s time to pick up one of HubSpot’s Top 20 Sales Books of All Time: “New Sales. Simplified.” by Mike Weinberg. In a book that doesn’t pull any punches, Weinberg brings his blunt honesty and sharp humor to the page and explains why your sales plans fail. “A lot of salespeople think they’re not responsible for creating their own demand anymore,” Weinberg explains. “Salespeople fail at new business
pitch to address client issues, explain the offer, and show what your differentiators are. The order of these points is non-negotiable, and your sales team should first address the client's’ interests in every interaction. As Weinberg points out, “Prospective customers are not interested in what you do. They are only interested in what you can do for them.” Inbound marketing, social media, permission marketing, and the like are all useful tools, but they should not become a crutch. In “New Sales. Simplified.” Mike Weinberg gives sales teams in every industry the tools they need to rediscover their role, realign their goals, and rework their entire approach to sales in order to get results.
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