Structure Your Sales Story The Pixar Way
Pixar was founded in 1986 by computer scientist Ed Catmull, computer graphics pioneer Alvy Ray Smith and Steve Jobs. Over the last thirty-six years it’s made 21 movies, won 14 Academy Awards, and was acquired by Walt Disney Studios in 2006.
Many factors contributed to Pixar’s success. One is the simple and effective story structure at the heart of almost every film it’s made.
It’s a structure you can harness to connect to your clients in sales presentations, pitches, or written proposals. What’s more, you can do it quickly and easily over seven steps.
1) In the beginning…
The traditional start to any story, this is where you outline what the world was like before you came along. How did things work? How and why didn’t they work? What were the challenges? Why were they challenges?
2) Everyday…
This allows you to add colour to the picture. You can also develop a problem that’s specific to the client or audience in front of you. Don’t skimp on the detail or the magnitude. The bigger the problem, the more impetus your solution will have.
3) Until one day…
This is where you turned up. What did you do that was different? Why did it work? Don’t be scared to introduce an element of struggle. It adds credibility and engagement for the audience. What was the pushback and how did you adapt?
4) And because of that…
What was the major change that happened because of your initiative? What benefits accrued? Again, go into some detail here, try to paint a picture.
If appropriate, introduce a competitor. Who tried to go up against you? How and why did you prevail over them? Remember, the greater the villain the more exemplary the hero.
5) And because of that…
How did the first major change lead to a second major change, preferably nearer the point at which you are pitching? Stories are about causality, so make sure there’s a connection here. Don’t just drop in another unrelated event or milestone. And remember to translate the event/s into a takeaway that means something to your audience.
6) Until finally…
This where you bring your story up to date. Where are you now and how do you serve your audience in a way that no one else does?
7) The Bridge…
Although not a stage in the Pixar structure, The Bridge is a necessary addition in a sales story. It’s where you cross from the general to the particular, i.e. tell your client or audience what you can do for them specifically in terms of their situation and goals.
Also worth remembering…
- The above assumes that you want to begin with a creds or origin pitch. It’s also very simple to use the structure to give a third-party or case-story example.
- Keep it moving. The first 6 stages lend impetus to the 7th. Don’t get too bogged down in your own story. Two causal stages (4&5) are almost certainly enough.
- This pitch structure doesn’t require you to go back to the formation of the business. You can start In the beginningat a point where there was a significant change in your company’s offering or structure.