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Facts Tell, Stories Sell By Krystal Pease, CPA Delivered by Daniel McMaster, CPA

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We have all been in a seminar at some point in time, where the presenter provided fact after fact, statistic after statistic, but never really helped you get to a point of true understanding. Charts, graphs, and facts are great data, but do not really move you from information to knowledge, and from knowledge to understanding and application.

We have all met people in our networking lives that do the same thing. John gives us the fact that he is in a mechanic. Daniel tells us he is a financial planner.

• What do they really do?
• Why does that matter to me?
• How do I know whom I should refer?
• What should I listen to and hear that will cause me to make that referral?

The best way to convey to your network how you can help is through stories. The more examples you can give about a specific situation or problem and how you helped resolve it, the stronger your message will be.

For example, I can say, "Mark can help you get a mortgage." While this sounds great, I have not really given you anything to which you can personally relate. Worse, I may have stirred the memory of those annoying dinner phone calls asking you to refinance your house. Now you see Mark as a slimy dinner interrupter that never leaves you alone!

However, if I say, "Let me tell you about my friend Joe. Joe told me he was wishing he had the money to buy a house. He had always wanted to buy a home, but never knew how, and really felt he could not afford it. He said he was tired of paying rent into what seemed like a bottomless pit. I sent Joe to Mark, and Mark explained the application process, the lending criteria, and even helped Joe go through his credit report. Mark identified areas Joe should address to make his borrowing position stronger. He helped him set a goal to save for the down payment and six months later, Joe was able to buy his first home."

Now, you feel like you know Joe, you can personally relate to his pain, and when you hear a story that sounds the same, Mark will be the first to come to mind. While the fact is that Mark makes mortgage loans and fills out the paperwork, the story of Joe's home purchase is much more powerful.

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