[Legacy post: Small Business Talent] Think about this for a moment — did your last talk, workshop or presentation engage people on an emotional level? That’s a good question to ask if you want your audience (even an audience of one) to take action.

It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? People are much more likely to do something when they feel something. Well, my guest today has some great advice to share with you — on how to use the power of true stories to move people to take action and buy your services.

The backstory: David Lee has been a self-employed consultant, speaker and corporate trainer since 1995. He’s an internationally recognized authority on optimizing employee performance — and in that capacity, he’s served a variety of interesting organizations, including large international companies, like Accenture and Unum Life Insurance, government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and educational institutions, including Southern New Hampshire University and others.

David has authored nearly 100 articles and book chapters on business and employee performance that have been published in trade journals and books in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. And he’s also the author of the recent book, Powerful Storytelling Techniques, published by ASTD Press.  This book is based on his 20 years of experience with storytelling in business and a variety of other settings.

In this content-rich interview, David Lee shares practical information on how to:

• begin a client presentation with an engaging story
• provoke your audience without being confrontational
• influence your audience both consciously and subconsciously
• persuade prospective clients while remaining ethical
• build the right story to drive your key message home and prompt action

Enjoy this episode of the podcast — I hope that you use the powerful techniques David teaches to attract more of your ideal clients!