A successful CSM is also a good storyteller.
Very simple. Your product and organizational experience are the building blocks of your unique narrative when engaging customers and stakeholders.
HBR published a fascinating article about five different story types. Any CSM should read it, and if you are short on time, please find the synopsis below.
1️⃣ 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫y
This is when you share information about yourself. You expose a challenge, vulnerability, or lesson learned, and others will be inspired to reciprocate, creating a virtuous circle of trust. The same applies to our engagements with customers. We build trust by being honest about the expected journey, challenges, and outcomes and relying on our experience and professionalism.
2️⃣ 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
Stories that allow you to simplify complex topics by providing easy-to-follow guidelines, models, and frameworks to improve behavior and skills.
When it comes to customers, It is a continuous challenge to spark and maintain curiosity. Stakeholders are constantly busy with multiple priorities. Questions leading to increased adoption and feature requests are generally a good indication of growing interest. Other “teaching stories” can be shared via training, webinars, and customer communities. I like the product advisory boards as a conduit for a” two-way” learning experience.
3️⃣ 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
This is the opportunity to inspire action, leaving the audience thinking about their next step. This is the CSM's “bread and butter”. Driving customers to take the correct actions toward the desired outcome. The action story should lead customers to follow a set of activities efficiently and with minimal effort.
4️⃣ 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
It is the type of story a leader tells when promoting a team to buy into the organizational value. Reflecting on Customer success, it goes without saying that CSMs tell (and “uptell” ) the value story.
The other intriguing aspect is whether customers wish to buy into a vendor’s core values, mainly when the vendor’s solution successfully drives the expected results. Or do customers expect the vendor’s solution to align with their values?
5️⃣ 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
These are the famous vision stories told by leaders. Churchill in WW2 – “We Shall Never Surrender” and “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King.
When dealing with customers, vendor’s value stories typically focus on roadmap, technology advancements, and new and innovative ways to make customers successful.
Is it a joint vision? It will be a great testament to the excellent customer-vendor partnership if such vision exists.
Summarizing:
Vision stories inspire a shared one. Values stories model the way. Action stories can spark change. Teaching stories transmit knowledge and skills to others. And when you share your own story, you build trust and encourage the heart.
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