People don't buy products. They buy the story of what their life looks like after.
The 3-Part Story Framework:
1. Before (The Problem): What was happening before they had the solution?
2. The Shift (The Solution): What changed when they implemented it?
3. After (The Result): What does life look like now?
Story 1: Vacation Rental Property
Before:
"You've got guests checking in at all hours, and you're either sitting there waiting or they're calling you at 2 AM because the lockbox isn't working."
The Shift:
"We installed a booth where guests could check in 24/7. Keys, instructions, everything they need—all in one secure spot."
After:
"Now they check themselves in. No more late-night calls. No more confusion. And guests love it because it's convenient."
Story 2: Hospital Security
Before:
"Hospitals were dealing with theft, people wandering into restricted areas, and security guards spread too thin."
The Shift:
"We installed guard booths at key entry points. Now there's a visible presence without needing to hire more full-time staff."
After:
"Theft dropped. Patients and staff feel safer. And the hospital saved money compared to hiring more guards."
Every time you've recommended a restaurant to a friend, you told a story. "We went there last week, and the service was amazing. We didn't wait long, the food was incredible, and it wasn't even that expensive."
Before → The Shift → After. You do this all the time. Sales just gives you permission to use it intentionally.
Action Step:
Think of something you've bought or recommended recently. Write out the Before → Shift → After for it. Practice telling that story out loud. That's the skill.
The best salespeople I know don't wing it. They have a library of go-to stories they can pull from at any moment. Not scripts—stories. Real, practiced, polished stories that they can adapt to any conversation. I want you to start building yours right now.
You need five types of stories in your library. Each one serves a different purpose, and together they cover every situation you'll face in sales. Here they are:
1. The Transformation Story
This is a client success story. Someone who was struggling, found your product or service, and their situation changed. This is your most powerful sales story because it lets the prospect see themselves in it.
Template: "[Client name or role] was dealing with [specific problem]. They were [feeling/impact of the problem]. After [what happened/the solution], they [specific result]. Now they [new reality]."
Example: "A facilities manager at a hospital was getting calls at 2 AM because their security coverage had gaps. Her team was burning out. After we installed monitored guard stations at key entry points, nighttime incidents dropped by 80%. Now she actually sleeps through the night."
2. The "I Get It" Story
This story shows the prospect you understand their world. You've been in their shoes—or you've worked with enough people in their shoes to know what it's really like. This builds trust fast.
Template: "I've talked to a lot of [their role/situation], and the thing I hear most often is [common pain point]. It usually shows up as [specific symptom]. Sound familiar?"
Example: "I've worked with a lot of property managers who are handling 10+ locations. The thing I hear most often is that the guest check-in process is the one thing that keeps them tied to their phone 24/7. It's the thing they'd fix first if they could. Sound familiar?"
3. The Proof Story
This one has numbers. Data. Concrete results. It's for the analytical prospect who needs evidence, not just emotion. Keep it specific and verifiable.
Template: "We worked with [type of client] who was [measurable problem]. Within [timeline], they saw [specific metric improvement]. That translated to [business impact—saved money, saved time, increased revenue]."
Example: "We worked with a regional hospital group that was spending $120K annually on temporary security staffing. Within 6 months of our installation, they reduced that to $45K. That's $75K back in their budget every year."
4. The Future Vision Story
This story paints a picture of what the prospect's life or business could look like after they say yes. It's forward-looking. It helps them see beyond the purchase to the outcome.
Template: "Imagine [their specific scenario, improved]. Instead of [current frustration], you'd [new reality]. That's what this looks like six months from now."
Example: "Imagine it's next summer. Instead of getting frantic calls during check-in time, you're at dinner with your family. Guests are checking themselves in. Your phone is quiet. That's what this looks like six months from now."
5. The Origin Story
This is YOUR story. Why you're in this industry. Why you care. What brought you here. This humanizes you and creates a personal connection that no product brochure can replicate.
Template: "I got into this because [genuine reason]. Before this, I [previous situation]. What I realized was [insight]. Now I [what you do and why it matters to you]."
Example: "I got into sales after years in retail. I loved helping people find what they needed, but I was burned out from the hours and the pay wasn't cutting it. When I discovered remote B2B sales, I realized I could use the same people skills but with way more control over my schedule and income. Now I help businesses solve real problems—and I do it from my home office."
A story is only as powerful as the way you tell it. I've watched talented salespeople ruin perfectly good stories with these mistakes. Let's make sure you don't.
Mistake #1: Being Too Long
Bad: "So let me tell you about this client we had. They originally reached out in January—no wait, it was February. Anyway, they had this building, and it was in a rural area, and the building had these specific dimensions..." (5 minutes later, the prospect has checked out mentally.)
Good: "One of our hospital clients was dealing with break-ins in their parking lot. Staff didn't feel safe. We installed guard stations at key entry points, and within a month, incidents stopped. Their HR team told us employee satisfaction scores went up." (30 seconds. Done. Impact delivered.)
Mistake #2: Not Making It About the Listener
Bad: "We designed this amazing product and it has all these features and our engineering team worked so hard on it and we won this award..." This is about YOU. Nobody cares.
Good: "A property manager just like you was dealing with the exact same problem you described. Here's what changed for them." Now the story is a mirror. The prospect sees themselves in it.
Mistake #3: Skipping the Emotion
Bad: "We reduced their costs by 30% and improved efficiency by 45%." Numbers are great, but they don't make people feel anything.
Good: "Their facilities manager told me she finally stopped dreading Monday mornings. For the first time in two years, she felt like things were under control." THAT makes someone feel something. And feeling is what drives decisions.
Mistake #4: Not Having a Clear Point
Every story needs a reason for existing in this conversation. Before you tell a story, ask yourself: "Why am I telling this right now? What do I want the prospect to take away from it?"
If you can't answer that in one sentence, don't tell the story yet. Save it for when it's relevant.
Here's a challenge for you: can you tell a powerful, compelling story in under 60 seconds? Because in sales, that's often all the time you have. Whether you're in a cold call opener, an elevator pitch, or a quick networking conversation, you need to be able to deliver impact fast.
The 60-Second Story Framework:
Hook (1 sentence)
Grab attention with something unexpected, relatable, or intriguing.
"One of our clients was about to lose their biggest contract because of a problem they didn't even know they had."
Problem (2 sentences)
Set the scene. What was happening? What was at stake?
"Their employee parking lot had become a target for break-ins. Staff morale was tanking, and three nurses had already given notice because they didn't feel safe coming to work."
Shift (1 sentence)
What changed? What was the turning point?
"We installed monitored guard stations at their two most vulnerable entry points."
Result (2 sentences)
What's the outcome? Make it tangible.
"Within 30 days, break-ins stopped completely. All three nurses withdrew their resignations, and the hospital saved an estimated $200K in rehiring costs."
Practice this framework until it's second nature. Time yourself. Tell the story to a friend, to your mirror, to your dog. The more you practice, the more natural and conversational it becomes. The goal is for it to feel like you're just sharing something that happened—not delivering a rehearsed pitch.
Real Talk from Katherine:
My first attempt at a "story" in a sales call was a disaster. I rambled for four minutes about a project we'd done, included every detail I could think of, and by the time I finished, the prospect said, "That's interesting. So... what was your price again?" They'd completely tuned out. That's when I developed the 60-second rule. If I can't tell a story in under a minute, it's too long. I practiced my five core stories until I could deliver each one in 45-60 seconds. Now they're the most powerful tools in my kit. Prospects lean in. They ask follow-up questions. They say, "That sounds exactly like us." That's when you know your story landed.
Your story exercise for this week:
Think of one time you solved a problem for someone. Now tell it using the Before → After → Bridge format:
BEFORE:
What was the situation? What was the pain point, the frustration, the problem that existed?
AFTER:
What changed? What was the outcome? What did life or work look like on the other side?
BRIDGE:
What was your role in making that happen? What did you do, say, or provide that created the change?
Write this out. It’s going to become your interview answer for “Tell me about a time you helped someone.” It’s going to close deals. Start building it now.
What you just learned shows up differently depending on which sales path you're exploring. Click your path to see how this applies to you specifically.
B2B storytelling is where data meets emotion—and you need both. Your prospect is going to present your solution to a committee, a board, or a CFO. They need a story they can retell. One that has numbers strong enough to survive a spreadsheet review AND emotion strong enough to get a VP to nod along in a meeting.
Your B2B stories should focus on business outcomes: ROI, efficiency gains, risk reduction, time savings. "Before: they were losing $50K per quarter to manual processes. After: we automated the workflow and they recouped that within six weeks." That's the kind of story a procurement manager can take to their finance team. But don't strip out the human element—add a line like, "Their operations director told me it was the first quarter in two years where her team wasn't scrambling at month-end." Now it's both logical AND relatable.
In B2B, your Proof Story and Transformation Story will get the most use. Build multiple versions for different industries and company sizes. A story about a 500-person company won't resonate the same way with a 20-person startup. Customize the context but keep the framework identical.
Pro tip: always ask permission before sharing a client story. "Can I share what happened with a similar company?" This positions you as respectful and professional, and it creates a micro-commitment—they've agreed to listen, so they'll pay more attention.
Before you move on, let's make sure the key concepts really clicked. Answer all questions correctly to unlock the next lesson.
1. What are the three parts of the basic story framework taught in this module?
2. What is the biggest storytelling mistake in sales?
3. What are the four parts of the 60-Second Story framework?
4. Which of the five story types is YOUR personal story about why you're in this industry?
5. Why does Katherine say you already know how to tell sales stories?
Complete the Knowledge Check above to unlock the next lesson.
Next: Objections →