Stop Selling Services, Features, and Benefits. Do this instead.
- Shawna Suckow
- Dec 4
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
If you’re a small business wanting to attract more customers this season — don’t start with discounts.Don’t start with what you do.
Start with a story.
Every business says they offer great service. Every website claims trust. Every brand lists features and benefits. That’s all noise now. What people do notice — and remember — are the stories that feel human.
Here’s a stat that proves it.
In a 2025 study published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics, researchers found that when people are shown both statistics and stories, the effect of the stats fades by 73 percent after just one day. But the effect of personal stories? It drops by just 32 percent.Translation: stories stick. Source
And yes, this is especially true in crowded markets — where trust is low, skepticism is high, and everyone’s saying the same things.
Here’s an example I gave to an audience of auto care shop owners:
“Nina came in because her brakes were squealing. But what she was really nervous about? Driving her grandkids to a holiday play on icy roads. We fixed the brakes and gave her peace of mind for that trip. That’s the kind of stuff we love doing.”
That’s not a pitch. That’s a story. It builds trust. It positions the business as human, not just transactional. And it works across any industry.
No matter what you do, your business isn’t about products or services. It’s about helping real people with real lives. And every week, you have a chance to capture and share those moments.
Want to become the go-to choice in your market — especially in tough times?
Share customer stories.
Highlight the small moments.
Show the humans behind the brand.
Tell us what you did, but more importantly, why it mattered to someone.
It takes a little practice. But it’s one of the most powerful (and cost-effective) ways to stand out and build trust in today’s noisy world.
This winter, try this simple plan: once a week, capture one short story. Write it down. Snap a photo (with permission). Share it.
If you keep that up — for 8 weeks — you might be surprised at how much more memorable your shop becomes.
P.S. - If you want to offer a discount, make it related to the story, like Nina’s above. That tie-in to the story makes everything more memorable: your story, your business, and the discount. SO much better than just announcing “10% Holiday Discount!” That’s what all your competitors do in the Sea of Sameness. Good thing you’re better than that!
