Sell With Story: The Storytelling Systems Great Sellers Use
“Three years ago, my cat died, and I was devastated. He was a one-and-a-half-year-old cat, seemingly perfectly healthy. One day he was there, and the next day, he was gone.”
That’s how Daniel Rotman, founder of PrettyLitter, opened his pitch to venture investors.
A story.
Within minutes, the investors were fully locked in. Why? Because stories do something facts alone can’t.
They make people care. Attention rises, skepticism softens, and the audience becomes more open to receiving the underlying message.
PrettyLitter was later acquired by Mars, Inc. in 2021 for a reported sum of $1 billion, with Martha Stewart becoming the brand’s spokesperson – proof that the right story doesn’t just capture attention; it can shape real business outcomes.
In Episode 08 of Sales Reframed, host Eric Janssen breaks down the storytelling systems great sellers use to earn attention, cut through skepticism, and make their message land.
You’ll hear from Kellogg Sales Institute Executive Director Craig Wortmann, who built the “Story Matrix” framework that helps individuals organize and draw from stories on demand…
from Eric Silverberg and Eli Gladstone, Co-Founders of Speaker Labs, where they teach professionals how to wrap ideas in a story to cut through skepticism and make messages stick…
and from Miri Rodriguez, Microsoft alumna, CEO of Empressa.ai, and author of Brand Storytelling, who explains why your origin story may be your most powerful differentiator.
The takeaway is simple: great storytelling is always a great strategy for sales.
Reframe Takeaway
After listening, you’ll understand that storytelling isn’t a gift reserved for a few naturally charismatic people – it’s a discipline anyone can learn. When you stop treating story as something spontaneous and start building systems to collect, shape, and deliver stories intentionally, your ideas become clearer, more memorable, and more persuasive. The best sellers don’t rely on facts alone; they wrap their insights in narratives that help people see, feel, and understand why something matters — and feel empowered to act.
Episode Guests
Craig Wortmann: Executive Director of the Kellogg Sales Institute at Northwestern University; Founder of Sales Engine Inc.
Eric Silverberg: Co-Founder of Speakerlabs.
Eli Gladstone: Co-Founder of Speakerlabs.
Miri Rodriguez: Co-Founder & CEO of Empressa.ai; Microsoft alumna.
Top Episode Learnings
Storytelling Is a Skill You Can Learn
Great storytellers aren’t improvising every time they speak. They actively collect experiences, lessons, and examples they can draw on when the moment calls for it. Building a “story library” — much like Craig Wortmann’s Story Matrix — ensures you always have a meaningful story to clarify an idea or reinforce a point when it matters most.Start With the Point, Then Build the Story:
Many people tell stories and hope a lesson emerges. Effective communicators do the opposite. They decide what they want the audience to remember, then choose an experience that proves it. When the story's destination is clear from the start, the story becomes sharper and far more impactful.Authentic Stories Create Trust and Memorability:
People can sense when a story feels performative. When storytellers share real experiences, let the audience into what they felt, and bring it home with a clear takeaway, their message becomes easier to trust, easier to recall, and far more likely to influence decisions. Authenticity isn’t a style to copy — it’s doing it in your own way. And that’s what gives a story lasting impact.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Nazaré, Portugal (“Mount Everest of surfing”), world-record waves.
Since 2009, billions of dollars have been pledged through Kickstarter, but historically > 40% of campaigns have successfully met funding targets
Research: “Redefining success in innovative crowdfunding projects: Empirical evidence of effective mindful consumption promotion in Kickstarter”, article in the Journal of Innovation & Knowledge by Ana M. Gómez-Olmedo, María Eizaguirre Diéguez, and Jose Antonio Vicente Pascual
Research: “Persuasion in crowdfunding: An elaboration likelihood model of crowdfunding performance” article in Journal of Business Venturing by Thomas H Allison, Blakley C. Davis, Justin W. Webb and Jeremy C. Short
Research: “The Use of Narrative in Science and Health Communication: A Scoping Review” article in the Patient Education and Counseling by Matthew Z. Dudley, Gordon K. Squires, Tracy M. Petroske, Sandra Dawson, and Janesse Brewer.
Research: “Storytelling as a research tool and intervention around public health perceptions and behaviour: A protocol for a systematic narrative review” published in the BMJ Open by Becky McCall, Laura J Shallcross, Michael Wilson and Christoper Fuller
Book: What’s Your Story? by Craig Wortmann (2006)
Framework: Story Matrix created by Craig Wortmann
Case Example: “The pill in peanut butter” taught by SpeakerLabs
Research: “Telling an authentic story by aligning with your product type and price” article in the Journal of Business Research by Chin-Ching Yin, Yun-Chia Tang, Hung-Chang Chiu, Yi-Ching Hsieh, and Yi-Ting Lai.
Book: Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story by Miri Rodriguez (2020)
Framework: Superpowers and Superpassions (Talent Stack Exercise) – Episode 02 of Sales Reframed, “Unlock Your Hidden Value with Superpowers and Superpassions”
Case Example: Daniel Rotman, founder VC pitch story for PrettyLitter + Mars Inc. acquisition and Martha Stewart partnership.
About Sales Reframed
Sales Reframed is a podcast that redefines sales as the ultimate life skill. Blending research, storytelling, and strategy, it explores how influence, resilience, and purpose drive success in every field.
Developed by award-winning professor and entrepreneur Eric Janssen, and in partnership with Ivey Executive Education, the show makes sales human, practical, and accessible to everyone.