case for that new pair of designer jeans or shoes.
The case for spending the weekend with friends (it’s okay their parents know about it)
The reason you NEED a car
The justification for bad grades (the teacher was bad).
Washing the car should be worth at LEAST $15
Each of these and thousands more were your first attempts at Selling Ideas and Concepts through your Speaking Skills.
You learned how to speak AND sell, at the same time.
Every week I have an opportunity to work with incredible Trainers, Speakers, Coaches, Salespeople, and Executives. Many of them will tell me “I just don’t like Selling” or “I’m not good at Selling”.
In the end, it is that belief that keeps them from achieving everything they could. It’s not that they can’t sell; the issue is they don’t BELIEVE they can sell.
Take a look at what you are already selling:
Trainers—You are selling new ideas, techniques, and concepts all day long, not to mention the need for continued learning.
Educators (at any level) – You are selling the importance of new information, techniques, skills, and the importance of practicing those skills.
Speakers—Every time you are in front of an audience you are selling yourself, your message, and some course of action.
Salespeople – You are selling products and services to your customers.
Coaches – You are selling your services, your ideas, and the need for continued development and improvement.
Executives—You are selling business plans, objectives, company standards, policies to your employees, the company image, products and services, to those inside and outside your business.
If you were not already selling, you would not have your job because you would not be able to achieve the most basic objectives of your position.
You are already a Speaker and Salesperson
When will you become a GREAT SPEAKER AND SALESPERSON?
When I look back at the early days of my career, I would have told you that I would NEVER be a salesperson. What I have come to realize is that I have always been a salesperson.
By the time you were 16 your mother had already given you all of the insights you needed to be successful as a Speaker and Salesperson.
These simple timeless truths are often forgotten.
This book is for YOU, the person who speaks to others and sells ideas, concepts, products, and services to THEM.
For purposes of this book, “them” is whoever you are talking to which includes any and all of the following:
Your Staff
Your Management
Your Prospects
Your Attendees
Your Students
Your Family
Anyone else you talk to
Your Clients and Customers
I challenge you to take the time to think back to these gems your mother shared with you and re-evaluate them from a new perspective.
Speaking IS Selling and everything you need to know your mother tried to teach you. Now it is time to rethink those early lessons from a new perspective.
Start thinking about how Speaking IS Selling and watch for all the ideas, concepts, and plans you sell every day to the people around you.
1
You knew it was bad.
Your mother knew it was bad.
Out of your mouth came some
flowery explanation for
whatever you just did.
Eventually your mother gives
you that look, and says:
“Don’t Sugarcoat it”
When you are in front of “them”, do you try to soften your message or Sugarcoat it so it can be easily swallowed?
Sometimes people need to hear the hard message, and they would prefer to get the information straight up, nothing flowery, just the facts. Don’t be afraid, be professional and compassionate.
The same message applies when you are looking for feedback or providing feedback.
I can’t tell you how often I have had a speaker observe my presentations and at the end they are not able to provide any value. Here are some tips that will help you get more value from observing and being observed.
When Observing
Depending on the situation and your familiarity with the speaker you can:
Ask the speaker if they would like feedback
Ask if there is any specific feedback they would like related to overall style
Ask if there is any part of the presentation they would like you to pay particular attention to
Carefully evaluate the presentation style of the speaker
Watch for strategic elements in the presentation, the impact those elements have, and the linkages between sections of the presentation
As much as possible, observe how the audience is responding to the elements of the presentation
Take notes that are detailed enough to interpret after the presentation
After the presentation, ask the speaker if they would like feedback (even though they asked for it before the presentation, they may not want it at the end). Offer feedback in a constructive manner and in relation to what you experienced, NOT what you would have done.
The
