Good Day Brewers - Pang here! ☕

You’ve been tricked your whole life!

People don’t buy benefits…

They buy emotions!

Don’t believe me?

Just think about the last ten items you bought!

How many were on impulse? Did you really need those items?

Or did you buy it because you felt fearful of missing out on a good deal?

Or was it because you took pity on that old lady who lost her son in a car accident and had to fend for herself now?

Oh, and that’s not all!!

Find out how you can participate in an exciting giveaway that took me 15 hours to create! Grab it at the end!

Estimated reading time: 2,399 words - 10 mins 5 secs

Rice Cooker

“Alright then! Give us one of these!” My dad finally gave in.

What just transpired?

This is absolute madness! We came here to get the other model!

A few moments ago…

We stood amidst the grand aisle of the walkway within Harvey Norman—a realm of domestic provisions. A symphony of pots and pans, rice cookers, and an array of electrical marvels adorned the meticulously arranged shelves.

In front of us was a woman, in her 60s — evident from the wrinkles on her face and white hair. She might as well look 600 as her face exuded an aura of wisdom. She was clad in a floral blouse and blue denim jeans.

“Looking for a rice cooker?” She asked with a beaming smile on her face.

We've struck gold!

My father swiftly produced a crinkled newspaper snippet that showcased the enticing promotions housed within the store.

Our desire for a rice cooker had long simmered. The non-stick base had worn off and a good chunk of rice would stick at the bottom of it — leading to wastage.

“Where can we find this rice cooker?” My dad gestured towards the Model X Panasonic rice cooker depicted in the advertisement.

“Follow me!” She said, leading the way.

The store was like a huge labyrinth. We traversed left, then right, and yet another left before finally reaching our coveted destination

And there it stood before us, a traditional rice cooker, adorned with a modest price tag of $99, a remarkable reduction from its regular retail price of $169.

“This is the rice cooker you’re looking for. Basic cooking function with a non-stick coating layer on the surface of the inner pot,” she explained.

But she had more to reveal…

“I can show you a better one. Come with me.”

Directing us back to the same aisle where we stood earlier, she directed our attention to the rice cooker that now held her gaze. Model Z.

“This my friend, is the ultimate rice cooker. The inner pot is made of stone and non-stick, which helps retain the nutrients and minerals within the rice,” she said with practiced confidence.

My dad looked at her, not entirely convinced by her theatrics.

Undeterred, she continued...

“The rice cooker also uses induction heating, which ensures consistency across each grain of rice. You can even select your preferred way for the rice to be cooked. Either firm, moderately soft, or tender!”

With a flourish, she retrieved a cloth from her drawer and diligently cleansed the inner sanctum of the pot.

“Simply rinse with warm water and wipe clean! That’s it!” A satisfied smile graced her lips, basking in the triumph of her persuasive presentation.

I glanced at my dad, observing the undeniable gleam in his eyes. He was getting sold at how incredible the rice cooker was. Its benefits were beyond incredible.

“How much is this?” My dad inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.

“Just $169 for today. It usually retails at $239!” She replied.

Now, the moment of the decision drew near. But my dad couldn’t make that decision without my mum’s approval seal. After all, it’s undeniable that this model is significantly pricier, almost double that of the other model.

So my dad responded: “I’ll have to wait for my wife to make that decision.”

But this woman wasn’t ready to give up her only opportunity on closing a potential customer.

“You see. Before this, I was using a traditional rice cooker. It didn’t last for two years because the non-stick coating wore off. The worse part about using the traditional rice cooker is that the rice I cooked was usually uneven. On some days, the grains are tougher, while on the luckier days, the grains are more tender.”

She persisted, her voice filled with conviction. “But now, I’ve been using this for close to four years and it’s still fully functional. If you prefer your rice to be soft, you could use the controls to do that. But you can do way more, like making porridge, steaming fish, and even baking cakes!”

At this point, I’m thinking to myself how extraordinary the rice cooker was. My mum used to complain about the texture of the rice sometimes being too hard. But with this rice cooker, we could finally solve this problem, while achieving so much more.

Both my dad and I were thoroughly captivated.

Thus, we found ourselves surrendering an additional $70 on that day, securing a superior rice cooker while ensuring the saleswoman earned a heftier commission.

In the end, it's not just about the features or price tags; It's about finding a solution to our problems and unlocking new possibilities.

So, the next time you're in the market for a product, remember the power of storytelling. Connect with your customers on a deeper level, understand their needs, and share how your product can make a difference.

Because sometimes, it's the story that sells.

Story Arc for PERSUASIVE Story

#1 - Roll in with foreshadowing

But do not reveal too many details.

Make your readers curious to find out what transpired within the story.

• Do you prefer to start with a dialogue?

• Or roll in with an action?

— —

“Alright then! Give us one of these!” My dad finally gave in.

I could change the above sentence to an action and it’d have worked perfectly as well. 👇

The woman gently handed me the brand-new Model Z rice cooker and gestured us in the direction of the cashier.

What just transpired?

This is absolute madness! We came here to get the other model!

#2 - Flashback

Move back to a point in time where the story unfolds.

• Where were you?

• What happened earlier?

• Where should the story begin?

To draw you into the story through imagination, I put you at the scene where it all happened by describing the surroundings.

I chose to begin the story when it first mattered — me standing in front of the saleswoman.

— —

We stood amidst the grand aisle of the walkway within Harvey Norman—a realm of domestic provisions. A symphony of pots and pans, rice cookers, and an array of electrical marvels adorned the meticulously arranged shelves.

In front of us was a woman, in her 60s — evident from the wrinkles on her face and white hair. She might as well look 600 as her face exuded an aura of wisdom. She was clad in a floral blouse and blue denim jeans.

#3 - Introduction to Conflict

The build-up to the conflict matters!

• Any details you’d like to add before the conflict?

I explained how the nimble sales woman read our minds just like that!

— —

“Looking for a rice cooker?” She asked with a beaming smile on her face.

We've struck gold!

My father swiftly produced a crinkled newspaper snippet that showcased the enticing promotions housed within the store.

#4 - Conflict

Every story needs conflict!

• Why were you there?

• What’s the main problem?

The center of the conflict — we needed a rice cooker, and we’re not sure where to look for it!

— —

Our desire for a rice cooker had long simmered. The non-stick base had worn off and a good chunk of rice would stick at the bottom of it — leading to wastage.

“Where can we find this rice cooker?” My dad gestured towards the Model X Panasonic rice cooker depicted in the advertisement.

#5 - “Flawed” Resolution

Now, you’re sourcing for your initial resolution, which would be flawed in this story.

• What was your initial resolution?

• What’s the problem with that?

While the traditional rice cooker was less pricey, it had flaws such as uneven heating and poor durability. This meant that the texture of the rice was less consistent and the life span of the pot is short!

— —

“Follow me!” She said, leading the way.

The store was like a huge labyrinth. We traversed left, then right, and yet another left before finally reaching our coveted destination

And there it stood before us, a traditional rice cooker, adorned with a modest price tag of $99, a remarkable reduction from its regular retail price of $169.

“This is the rice cooker you’re looking for. Basic cooking function with a non-stick coating layer on the surface of the inner pot,” she explained.

#6 - “Perfect” Resolution

Next, we’re moving into the second resolution being offered to us.

• How were you introduced to the “perfect” resolution?

• In what way was this resolution superior?

The Model Z was way more superior, solving all issues of the previous model.

— —

But she had more to reveal…

“I can show you a better one. Come with me.”

Directing us back to the same aisle where we stood earlier, she directed our attention to the rice cooker that now held her gaze. Model Z.

“This my friend, is the ultimate rice cooker. The inner pot is made of stone and non-stick, which helps retain the nutrients and minerals within the rice,” she said with practiced confidence.

My dad looked at her, not entirely convinced by her theatrics.

Undeterred, she continued...

“The rice cooker also uses induction heating, which ensures consistency across each grain of rice. You can even select your preferred way for the rice to be cooked. Either firm, moderately soft, or tender!”

With a flourish, she retrieved a cloth from her drawer and diligently cleansed the inner sanctum of the pot.

“Simply rinse with warm water and wipe clean! That’s it!” A satisfied smile graced her lips, basking in the triumph of her persuasive presentation.

#7 - Objections

There’s always a cost involved in getting a superior resolution. Focus on that cost.

• What’s the objection here to this resolution?

• What’s holding us back?

But my dad wasn’t entirely convinced yet, due to its hefty price tag.

— —

I glanced at my dad, observing the undeniable gleam in his eyes. He was getting sold at how incredible the rice cooker was. Its benefits were beyond incredible.

“How much is this?” My dad inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.

“Just $169 for today. It usually retails at $239!” She replied.

Now, the moment of the decision drew near. But my dad couldn’t make that decision without my mum’s approval seal. After all, it’s undeniable that this model is significantly pricier, almost double that of the other model.

So my dad responded: “I’ll have to wait for my wife to make that decision.”

#8 - Getting Sold with a Story

This is the moment when a story is being sold. Talk about it, in detail!

• How did the party handle the objection?

• What was the narrative of her story?

• What changed after?

The woman handed the objection professionally by sharing a personal story that resonated with the experiences we had with our rice cooker.

Connecting on that note, we ended up making a purchase!

— —

But this woman wasn’t ready to give up her only opportunity on closing a potential customer.

“You see. Before this, I was using a traditional rice cooker. It didn’t last for two years because the non-stick coating wore off. The worse part about using the traditional rice cooker is that the rice I cooked was usually uneven. On some days, the grains are tougher, while on the luckier days, the grains are more tender.”

She persisted, her voice filled with conviction. “But now, I’ve been using this for close to four years and it’s still fully functional. If you prefer your rice to be soft, you could use the controls to do that. But you can do way more, like making porridge, steaming fish, and even baking cakes!”

At this point, I’m thinking to myself how extraordinary the rice cooker was. My mum used to complain about the texture of the rice sometimes being too hard. But with this rice cooker, we could finally solve this problem, while achieving so much more.

Both my dad and I were thoroughly captivated.

Thus, we found ourselves surrendering an additional $70 on that day, securing a superior rice cooker while ensuring the saleswoman earned a heftier commission.

#9 - Message

Don’t forget to leave your readers with a key takeaway or message!

• What’s the message of this story?

• What can your readers learn from this?

— —

In the end, it's not just about the features or price tags; It's about finding a solution to our problems and unlocking new possibilities.

So, the next time you're in the market for a product, remember the power of storytelling. Connect with your customers on a deeper level, understand their needs, and share how your product can make a difference.

Because sometimes, it's the story that sells.

This powerful message will stay in your reader’s head.

Oh and if you haven’t participated in my giveaway, please do so!

I’ll be sharing 24 TIPS I use in my stories.

These hacks will help you become a MASTERFUL storyteller in no time!

Quick sneak peek of what’s inside:

Hope you enjoyed this issue!

Have you ever fallen prey to a sales story?

I’d love to hear about it!

Send them my way and I’ll see you in the next one!

Your Barista,

Pang

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