The Cold Email That Close a Giant

⏳ Read Time: Less than 4 min.

I’m thrilled to welcome you back to The Winning Edge, where we break down proven tools and tactics to sharpen your communication game—and build serious influence.

Have you ever felt like you’re invisible in a room full of decision-makers? Like you’ve got something great, but no one’s giving it the time of day?

This week’s success story is about a little-known startup founder who turned a cold pitch into a Fortune 100 partnership—and the storytelling strategy that made it happen. Plus, we’ve got a communication power move, a new AI assistant that boosts your sales presence, and a quick mindset shift that helps you get noticed when it matters most.
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This Week’s Insights

✅ How a “Nobody” Landed a Fortune 100 Deal Through Storytelling
✅ Why the Best Stories Aren’t About You—They’re About the Listener
✅ 3 Framing Tricks That Make People Lean In
✅ AI Tool of the Week – Turn buyer objections into instant sales scripts
✅ Recommended Read: The subtle art of making people care about your message

THE MAIN EVENT
🎤 The Cold Email That Closed a Giant

A few years ago, a quiet but scrappy startup called Scenthound—a wellness company for dogs—was trying to break into the corporate world. The founder, Tim Vogel, had no big brand name. No VC buzz. Just a vision for helping dogs live longer, healthier lives.

💥 Then he sent a cold email to Walmart's innovation division.

But he didn’t pitch features. He didn’t throw stats.

Instead, he told a short story:

“My dog’s name is Max. He hates the vet. I built a business that helps dogs like him get care without stress. I think this could work inside your stores—and your customers would love it.”

That story opened the door. They landed a pilot.

🛒 Today, Scenthound is in over 150 locations and partnered with national brands.

QUICK HITTERS: Fast Wins for the Week

💡 Tip of the Week: People won’t remember your resume. But they will remember your story. Make it personal, and make it count.

📊 Stat of the Week: Messages delivered as stories can be up to 12x more persuasive than data alone. (Harvard Business Review)

🎭 Power Move: When you're trying to build rapport, start with a “Why I care” statement. People listen harder when you share a reason that feels human.

📖 Recommended Read: “The Story Advantage” by LJ Bloom – A smart, no-fluff guide to crafting stories that cut through corporate noise.

WEEKLY DEEP DIVE
The Strategic Power of Success Stories

You’ve probably heard that “facts tell, but stories sell.” But let’s go deeper: Success stories are your most powerful credibility tool—especially when they’re not about you, but about the transformation you helped create.

Here’s how to make your success stories land with impact:

🔹 1. Choose the Right Hero 
Make your client, customer, or team member the hero of the story—not you. Frame it like this:
Before → Challenge → Action → Result.

🔹 2. Highlight the Turnaround
Good stories include friction. What wasn’t working? Why did it matter? Let your audience feel the stakes.

🔹 3. Tie It to the Listener’s World
Make it relevant to the person or room you're in. End the story by linking it back to their world: “That reminds me of what you’re dealing with right now…”

🔹 4. Keep It Tight
No one wants a 10-minute success monologue. You’ve got 60–90 seconds to make it stick. Be clear, be human, and be done.

🎯 Try This:
Pick one recent success you’ve had with a client, colleague, or campaign. Craft it into a 4-part mini story and practice it this week. Use it in a conversation—and watch how people respond.

AI TIP OF THE WEEK

📌 Tool: Replier.ai

🚀 What It Does: This AI tool analyzes your buyer’s objections or questions and generates custom responses or sales scripts based on emotional tone, context, and buying stage.

🎤 Winning Edge Use Case: Use Replier to prep for high-stakes meetings, write better follow-up emails, or test how different messaging lands with different audiences. It’s like having a persuasive copywriter in your pocket.

WINNING WITH AI: The Future of Sales Proposals and Presentations

AI isn’t just for tech geeks or big corporations—it’s transforming how we sell, present, and communicate. The best sales teams are already using AI to:
✅ Generate compelling, tailored proposals in minutes (not hours).
✅ Turn data into engaging, visual stories that capture attention.
✅ Automate tedious tasks so they can focus on closing deals instead.

This isn’t the future—it’s happening right now.

Get your copy of my ebook here!

ACTION STEPS & COMMUNITY QUESTION

✅ This week’s challenge:
Turn one pitch, idea, or offer into a success story. Share it in a meeting, a LinkedIn post, or a conversation.

📩 Community Question: 
What’s a win you’ve been sitting on that could inspire others if told right? Hit reply and share it—you may be featured in a future issue.

P.S.
Next week’s issue is all about Productivity Hacks—from reclaiming your calendar to ditching decision fatigue. Simple tweaks, big time wins.

Keep building your edge—one conversation at a time.

YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

If you have more feedback or just want to get in touch, respond to this email, and we’ll get back to you!

Thanks for reading!

Until next week!

Mary Beth