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V O L . X X V I I I N O. I I I F E B R UA R Y 7 , 2 0 2 2 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E Mass. Jessica Estes and Drew Sigfridson of the Boulos Co., repre- sented the seller in the transaction. RAM, founded by Goldenfarb in 1971, is best known as the firm that helped spur the revival of the Old Port District, taking derelict buildings and redeveloping them at a time when many had given up on the area. Costco eyes development site at Downs Costco Wholesale Corp. (Nasdaq: COST) aims to open its first loca- tion in Maine at the Downs, bring- ing the company's membership warehouse concept to the grow- ing development in Scarborough. e Issaquah, Wash.-based retailer submitted its proposal to the town of Scarborough. Costco wants to open a 161,000-square-foot retail warehouse with a separate gas sta- tion, according to documents filed with the town. e store, if approved, would be at the intersection of Payne Road and Scarborough Downs Road. Costco declined to comment, saying it only confirms new loca- tions within two to three months of their opening. e retailer currently operates 828 warehouses, including 572 in the United States. At least for A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y B o b L a B r i e o f L a B r i e T r a i n i n g & C o n s u l t i n g The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a non-profit association of independent consultants who value "Success through Collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. Q: I just delivered a carefully prepared, 20-minute PowerPoint presentation to a client prospect, sharing product metrics, specifications, and pricing information. The prospect's representatives nodded politely and thanked me for my time. I thought I did well, but I've heard nothing since. Any suggestions for next time? ACE Advises: If you launched right into a product description, you missed a golden opportunity to engage your prospect in a story, the most natural form of human communication. In business, we assume that facts, figures and logic alone are persuasive, and forget the power of storytelling. According to Roger Jones, international sales consultant and author of "The Storytelling Pocketbook," no sales story should be more than two or three minutes in length, and each story should have one of three objectives: One, to engage the listener; two, to differentiate your offering; and three, to enroll the customer." To engage, you should tell a story that resonates with the prospect to build rapport and trust. Stories explaining why you do what you do brings your business to life and can be used to build engagement. To differentiate your offering, tell a story of how you've helped a client or customer overcome a challenge. To enroll the prospect as a customer, you can develop stories that will overcome objections to the sale. This is called story closing or simi- lar situation closing. You can put the prospect in the picture or tell a story about someone in a similar situation, helping them understand the consequences of inaction. This makes the situation more personal and real to the prospect. Good luck! Bob LaBrie of LaBrie Training & Consulting, has over 30 years' experi- ence in sales and self-motivation. He is based in Gorham, and can be reached at bob@max-po-nlp.com For more on this topic, see "Story Closing" at consultexpertise.com/blog/12183499 @ WORK ING T OGE T HER, W E 'LL DO MORE. For more than 50 years, Penobscot General Contractors has led the commercial construction industry as a trusted partner known for our expertise, our commitment to quality and collaboration. Join us as we build a better Maine. penobscotgc.com

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