Humans are far more receptive to emotions and stories than facts. When you’re making the case for representing someone in a real estate deal or partnering in another business transaction, use these three tips to craft a compelling story that bolsters your position.

Include Suspense

Tell your audience up front what the story is about but don’t reveal the details. For example, “Last month, I sold a nearby house for my clients’ asking price after two days on the market.” Your potential new clients know you sold the house, but now they’re engaged and want to more.

Keep it Personal

Repeating someone else’s story, no matter how good it is, doesn’t move people as much as telling your own. Be authentic. Talk about your experience and your feelings: “The sellers were in a huge hurry to move, and I felt a great deal of pressure. I’d never had to close a transaction so fast before.”

Get to the Point

Keep your story short enough to maintain your audience’s attention. Typically, that means you have a minute or two. Also, focus your story on what the audience cares about without getting bogged down in unnecessary details. Continuing the above example, you might list all the ways you marketed the property, helped your previous clients prepare it for showings, and double-checked the paperwork to ensure the transaction wouldn’t get derailed by a mistake.