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In
general, we Australians do not see ourselves as
great communicators, especially when compared to,
say, the average American. We tend to think that the
‘gift of the gab’ does not come naturally to us
and so presenting ourselves professionally –
whether it’s to one client or a room full of
people – will always be more difficult for us.
Often, to win a client we have to sell ourselves –
something that many people feel uncomfortable doing.
They think they are ‘big noting’ themselves –
another trait seen as ‘un-Australian’.
A
Natural Skill
Yet,
there is one communication skill that does come
naturally to most Aussies – storytelling. ‘Spinning
a yarn’ has always been one of our great national
traditions.
And
storytelling is one of the most effective
communication skills, because simply by telling a
story to illustrate our point we simultaneously-
- Show
our experience and expertise. This enhances our
credibility in the eyes of the client.
- Make
the point of our story more likely to be
remembered by the client.
- Make
our presentation more interesting.
So,
next time someone questions you about your
experience or capabilities, tell them the one about
the time you saved a client thousands of dollars and
months of delays because of your specialised
knowledge. In your time in your profession, you
would have had many funny experiences – some of
which may be appropriate to relate to a client.
Telling
a story is a great way of informing a client of our
experience, expertise and ethics without ‘big
noting’ ourselves. So, next time you want to make
a point that counts…tell them a story! |
