092 John Livesay: Better Selling Through Storytelling

John Livesay, aka The Pitch Whisperer, is a sales keynote speaker where he shows companies’ sales teams how to turn mundane case studies into compelling case stories so they win more new business. From John’s award-winning career at Conde Nast, he shares the lessons he learned that turns sales teams into revenue rock stars. His TEDx talk: Be The Lifeguard of your own life has over 1,000,000 views.

Quotable Quotes

"that journey where you fumbled and where you don't want to share those feelings is what pulls people in."

"I am a firm believer that stories are memorable. And it also lets people into your story. When did you become a great storyteller people will see themselves in the story with you. And you're no longer having to worry about using all these gimmicks for people to pay attention to you"

"Selling is nothing more than story telling. journalist covering a need would get you all that questions too. Presenting something in a story format, right? And this big aha moment using storytelling to overcome an objection. And then of course closing the sale. After you tell a great story, the question is, does that sound like the kind of journey you'd like to go on?"

"part of the reason we like to lead with data and fast is because we don't want to be vulnerable. We're not sure it's safe to let anybody in go on in your world. So what that does is it prevents intimacy on any level, business or personal."

"your madnness is your method. where you fumbled, where you don't want to share those feelings that you'd normally don't talk about becomes part of your message. That's what pulls people in."

"Before I prepare any talks, I write down these three questions. What do I want the audience to think? What do I want to be like EO? And what do I want them to do? And I work on the ending of my talk first. And then I answered those three questions."

"the key to success is confidence. The key to competence with preparation"