Picture this: A video pitch with the speaker seated between rows of bottled cleaning products on a table in front of her and shelves of products behind her. Only her head and shoulders are visible. Though she mostly makes good eye contact, she seems a bit frozen for the first several minutes.
The story starts with the tale of her son’s illness and how it motivated her to create her line of safe, green cleaning products. She tells us about being a single mom and then she finally moved on to her great business stats – how much her business and income have grown.
The idea for a video pitch is a great one and I applaud her bravery for putting the video in public place and asking for comments. What I saw made me think some more about how we decide to pitch, what kind of advice we get, and also more about typical gender differences.
Kristen Becker has an impressive business model and story. But much of the power was lost for me in the telling. Not entirely lost, but it's certainly not as compelling as it might be and that had a lot to do with energy and the shape of the story telling. How we tell our stories needs to be carefully crafted. As this video unfolded I thought, maybe this is a good way to describe what you do to a group of women who might be thinking about starting a business or a group of moms. Though not a very scientific study, the comments from other women entrepreneurs on the website were all very positive. There was not one bit of feedback that made any suggestion about changes. I guess you might call me crazy or harsh. But I think it’s partly the nature of women to support. And this is a great tendency. But most of the funding out there for small businesses comes from men, so we need to be able to talk to all kinds of audiences. And we need to be aware of how the way we put forth our message may be minimizing not only our results but also our sense of power.
So there’s the shape of the message: story about what motivates you and there’s the business case. And then there’s also the energy that you bring to the presentation. If you want to convince people you are a powerful person, you can’t be sitting behind a wall. You need to stand up and demonstrate your power. This can be very personal, stylish and brand appropriate. And it needs to radiate. Deciding to share that oomph in all of your message can significantly affect everyone who comes into contact with you.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
It's not just business, it's personal
There’s a customer for every sales person. I got my first glimpse of this when I sold 14th-19th century books on the history of science and exploration and early maps to individual collectors and institutions. Some people knew what they wanted and looked for a deal, some people wanted to buy the most exquisite piece in the best condition, some people just wanted to be browbeaten into buying the highest priced item. Three maps or books might be identical in all respects other than the fact of price and sales person. Due to the vagaries of human nature each item found a home.
And this provides some insight into how crafting your personal powerful pitch must be personal first, in order to be truly powerful. If you’re not by nature someone who might be characterized as a hard selling type then there is no way that a hard sell pitch will ever be powerful coming from you – it will fall flat. The falseness will be all that anyone will hear. Designing both words and style that are most precisely about you and what you have to say is your first challenge.
To get more insight into how people who pitch for business on a regular basis operate, and to share what I discover with you, my readers, I decided to go out and start talking to people.
Last week, I caught some time with a very busy colleague who works in Private Banking at a well known Global Financial Institution. She had some interesting insights. Whether it’s a cold or warm call, “you have to rely on your instincts and maintain some control of the conversation. Be prepared, bring ideas and but let the client ask for what they want.” “Men,” she’s found “like firm recommendations.” Women on the other hand tend to be more conversational and want to hear a variety of perspectives. What sets my colleague apart? Well, she makes every contact personal. Not only does she keep in touch (that’s persistence, every needs that) she makes sure her contacts are not just about matters that are only financial. She is renowned for remembering small details about the whole person and is able to keep that connection growing in order to build an initial contact into a client.
I think this is a very important and interesting point. Keep it personal. The more you can make each client a human being with a real life, the more depth the relationship will have and over time that’s bound to be more satisfying and more beneficial for everyone.
And this provides some insight into how crafting your personal powerful pitch must be personal first, in order to be truly powerful. If you’re not by nature someone who might be characterized as a hard selling type then there is no way that a hard sell pitch will ever be powerful coming from you – it will fall flat. The falseness will be all that anyone will hear. Designing both words and style that are most precisely about you and what you have to say is your first challenge.
To get more insight into how people who pitch for business on a regular basis operate, and to share what I discover with you, my readers, I decided to go out and start talking to people.
Last week, I caught some time with a very busy colleague who works in Private Banking at a well known Global Financial Institution. She had some interesting insights. Whether it’s a cold or warm call, “you have to rely on your instincts and maintain some control of the conversation. Be prepared, bring ideas and but let the client ask for what they want.” “Men,” she’s found “like firm recommendations.” Women on the other hand tend to be more conversational and want to hear a variety of perspectives. What sets my colleague apart? Well, she makes every contact personal. Not only does she keep in touch (that’s persistence, every needs that) she makes sure her contacts are not just about matters that are only financial. She is renowned for remembering small details about the whole person and is able to keep that connection growing in order to build an initial contact into a client.
I think this is a very important and interesting point. Keep it personal. The more you can make each client a human being with a real life, the more depth the relationship will have and over time that’s bound to be more satisfying and more beneficial for everyone.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Learn to Stop and Listen
This is a tough concept, especially when you’re pushing hard to achieve stretch goals, working hard to get clients and build your business. But it’s especially important to do if you’ve got a sense that things are not working out as you hoped. The most basic tool of ongoing quality improvement is about process check in and customer listening. This time, I’m suggesting that you listen to yourself as well.
How’s that pitch working for you? How does it feel when you give it? Are you bored? Or worse yet, are you uncomfortable, not truly committed, not believing it? Are you excited to share what you do? If you’re not, then it’s time to stop and listen to what’s holding you back.
Are you fully committed to the product or service that you’re offering? Are you convinced that you are uniquely qualified, especially talented or called to perform in this area? In order to convince anyone that what you offer is valuable, useful, effective and important; you’ve got to be wholeheartedly certain yourself. That’s why you need to listen to how you deliver your pitch, and not just your words. Because any doubt, uncertainty or concerns that you have will leak out to the world.
That’s why its so important to have a person or group of people that you can depend upon to honestly let you know what they see, hear and feel about your pitch. Don’t just include your friends on this board of advisors, sometimes they’re not clear sighted or brave enough to give you a true response. One of the best indicators of what’s true for you is to learn to listen more closely to your internal indicators of what’s truly going on. These gut messages can be subtle but they are the most accurate truths we have once we become adept at listening.
This kind of listening does not come naturally to most of us. And it’s certainly not something we were taught in school. In fact, we may have had it un-taught. So here’s an introductory lesson on learning to observe what your body already “knows.”
1. When you have just had a conversation, take a minute to sit quietly.
2. Scan your body from head to toe. Do you find any tension? Where?
3. Do you feel a sense of rushing or speed? Where?
4. Note these sensations and keep track for several days about what you find.
5. After a week look at the trends and see what you discover about particular events and your reactions to them.
How’s that pitch working for you? How does it feel when you give it? Are you bored? Or worse yet, are you uncomfortable, not truly committed, not believing it? Are you excited to share what you do? If you’re not, then it’s time to stop and listen to what’s holding you back.
Are you fully committed to the product or service that you’re offering? Are you convinced that you are uniquely qualified, especially talented or called to perform in this area? In order to convince anyone that what you offer is valuable, useful, effective and important; you’ve got to be wholeheartedly certain yourself. That’s why you need to listen to how you deliver your pitch, and not just your words. Because any doubt, uncertainty or concerns that you have will leak out to the world.
That’s why its so important to have a person or group of people that you can depend upon to honestly let you know what they see, hear and feel about your pitch. Don’t just include your friends on this board of advisors, sometimes they’re not clear sighted or brave enough to give you a true response. One of the best indicators of what’s true for you is to learn to listen more closely to your internal indicators of what’s truly going on. These gut messages can be subtle but they are the most accurate truths we have once we become adept at listening.
This kind of listening does not come naturally to most of us. And it’s certainly not something we were taught in school. In fact, we may have had it un-taught. So here’s an introductory lesson on learning to observe what your body already “knows.”
1. When you have just had a conversation, take a minute to sit quietly.
2. Scan your body from head to toe. Do you find any tension? Where?
3. Do you feel a sense of rushing or speed? Where?
4. Note these sensations and keep track for several days about what you find.
5. After a week look at the trends and see what you discover about particular events and your reactions to them.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Know your target
Be prepared before you open your mouth. Do your research but don't let keep you from staying alert to the response you get in the moment.
Whenever you pitch – and by now you’re probably realizing I mean speak up – you need to know who you are speaking to. This doesn’t mean you hide who you are and what you have to offer. But it does mean that you finely tune what you have to say to the most pressing needs of the recipient.
You can do this in several ways. You get to know them by doing some research.
1) Know who you are speaking with: Scope them out online. Don’t get creepy about it, but it’s public information and really expected now to get to know where they’ve worked, what kinds of projects they’ve handled, what industries they’ve been involved in, where they went to school etc. See if anyone you know has any connections. Don’t do it with the intention of creating a fixed picture in your mind of who they are and what they think. Do it with the idea that you can understand better how you can best work together.
2) Of course, get to know the company and what their major accomplishments and competitive challenges are. Consider what you can offer them in terms of knowledge, experience, energy and creativity. Evaluate your own connections and see who can help you get an insider’s viewpoint.
3) See if there are any geographic or cultural insights you need to look into. I remember once hearing from a friend that a morning meeting he attended in New Orleans went a little differently than the kind he was used to in Boston, for instance.
4) Ask for help. You know a lot of people. Don’t go it alone. Remember that excellent pitchers are part of a team. They depend on the entire team.
Whenever you pitch – and by now you’re probably realizing I mean speak up – you need to know who you are speaking to. This doesn’t mean you hide who you are and what you have to offer. But it does mean that you finely tune what you have to say to the most pressing needs of the recipient.
You can do this in several ways. You get to know them by doing some research.
1) Know who you are speaking with: Scope them out online. Don’t get creepy about it, but it’s public information and really expected now to get to know where they’ve worked, what kinds of projects they’ve handled, what industries they’ve been involved in, where they went to school etc. See if anyone you know has any connections. Don’t do it with the intention of creating a fixed picture in your mind of who they are and what they think. Do it with the idea that you can understand better how you can best work together.
2) Of course, get to know the company and what their major accomplishments and competitive challenges are. Consider what you can offer them in terms of knowledge, experience, energy and creativity. Evaluate your own connections and see who can help you get an insider’s viewpoint.
3) See if there are any geographic or cultural insights you need to look into. I remember once hearing from a friend that a morning meeting he attended in New Orleans went a little differently than the kind he was used to in Boston, for instance.
4) Ask for help. You know a lot of people. Don’t go it alone. Remember that excellent pitchers are part of a team. They depend on the entire team.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Stay centered
What do you do if your opener doesn’t work exactly right (as you had expected/hoped or intended?) Don't give up, settle yourself and try again. Perhaps you say something different. Or not. Take a moment to focus inward and collect yourself.
Staying balanced and “organized” is key to being clear and precise about what we pitch, how we pitch and what we offer. Much of the ritual we see athletes go through is the externalization of the rituals they use to regain their center. Each time they pitch, serve, go to the mat, face off, they need to be fresh. They need to be focused. Their heart rate needs to be as close to a baseline as the first time. In the martial arts or for the great meditation teachers this would be coming back to center. How invisible it is to us is a sign of how expertly they manage it – not by any means a sign that they never need to do the work.
So let’s say you’ve finally gotten your five minutes with an important potential contact. You’re really excited. You start off and you can see that you are not making the contact you want to make. What do you do? How do you salvage the situation? What’s the plan? What’s your “bottom of the 8th, bases loaded, 3 balls, no strikes,” strategy?
What all the great teachings and teachers say is you need to hush the relentless critique of the brain and become grounded in your physical being. There are many techniques for doing this. And the single most important one is that you have to be prepared before you get into a difficult situation. That means you need to have practiced before you get that meeting. You need to be familiar with your personal habits under pressure so they don't derail you. Rather than listening to my harangue on this now, stay tuned for future pieces on how to practice.
Staying balanced and “organized” is key to being clear and precise about what we pitch, how we pitch and what we offer. Much of the ritual we see athletes go through is the externalization of the rituals they use to regain their center. Each time they pitch, serve, go to the mat, face off, they need to be fresh. They need to be focused. Their heart rate needs to be as close to a baseline as the first time. In the martial arts or for the great meditation teachers this would be coming back to center. How invisible it is to us is a sign of how expertly they manage it – not by any means a sign that they never need to do the work.
So let’s say you’ve finally gotten your five minutes with an important potential contact. You’re really excited. You start off and you can see that you are not making the contact you want to make. What do you do? How do you salvage the situation? What’s the plan? What’s your “bottom of the 8th, bases loaded, 3 balls, no strikes,” strategy?
What all the great teachings and teachers say is you need to hush the relentless critique of the brain and become grounded in your physical being. There are many techniques for doing this. And the single most important one is that you have to be prepared before you get into a difficult situation. That means you need to have practiced before you get that meeting. You need to be familiar with your personal habits under pressure so they don't derail you. Rather than listening to my harangue on this now, stay tuned for future pieces on how to practice.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
What do you do when your headline screams typo?
Yesterday, my headline had a bad typo. I'm sure you noticed it. You may not have noticed that I corrected and re-posted the headline within five minutes. Thanks to automated technology feeds the bad5 ways to P U, forever in cyberland. I'm sure people will wonder what that means. I thought about ignoring it, but since it will never go away, and as this is just the kind of thing (written or otherwise) that happens to everyone, I thought, might as well get some mileage out of it.
We make mistakes. Things we say are misconstrued or taken out of context. The unique intersections of right and left brain activity bring language and image together in unique and sometimes curious ways. This can create perceptions in that need corrections. If we don't address actual errors and potential misunderstandings openly and in a timely manner, we can create more difficulties.
Often when we have an important conversation or meeting we don't want to directly address a potentially difficult topic. We don't want to look stupid or seem inexperienced. But I've discovered there is no down side to outlining your understanding of a situation or rephrasing for clarification or even just asking the “dumb” question. More often than not, someone else needed to hear it again, too. So if you think about it, a typo is actually a gift. It's something obvious that needs work, and it's a reminder that things that are not obvious also need attention and discussion.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Let your power shine - 5 ways to turn on the juice.
Know your strengths and make it count.
It’s so tempting to tailor what you say about yourself to what you think your audience will want to hear. But every time you do that, you stray from what makes you a unique and powerful person. You “unbuild” your message and worse yet, you feel a little less important and strong.
So be who you really are and make the most of that.
Before you open your mouth, think about what you want to let people know about your work. Be clear about what excites you. And what you want them to be excited about. Get pumped. Here are a few tips:
1. Breath. Never underestimate the effectiveness of conscious breathing. Don’t hyper-ventilate, you’re trying to improve the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance in your body- or get out of fight/flight mode.
2. Visualize a place where you are happy.
3. Sense the support of your biggest fans, right behind you.
4. Wear a favorite piece of clothing.
5. Listen to a really great piece of music before you walk into the room.
It’s so tempting to tailor what you say about yourself to what you think your audience will want to hear. But every time you do that, you stray from what makes you a unique and powerful person. You “unbuild” your message and worse yet, you feel a little less important and strong.
So be who you really are and make the most of that.
Before you open your mouth, think about what you want to let people know about your work. Be clear about what excites you. And what you want them to be excited about. Get pumped. Here are a few tips:
1. Breath. Never underestimate the effectiveness of conscious breathing. Don’t hyper-ventilate, you’re trying to improve the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance in your body- or get out of fight/flight mode.
2. Visualize a place where you are happy.
3. Sense the support of your biggest fans, right behind you.
4. Wear a favorite piece of clothing.
5. Listen to a really great piece of music before you walk into the room.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
5 Tips from professional pitchers
Batter Up – No, how about Pitcher Up
The grass has been cut once, the birds are singing, so it must be baseball season. And that makes me wonder, what sets a professional pitcher ahead of the pack: how about speed, precision and the ability to remain cool under pressure?
Great pitchers also are renowned for control. They deliver the perfect pitch to each target (most of the time) based on their knowledge of how the hitter hits and the overall strategy of the game. They practice daily. I’ve never heard of any pitcher or any professional performer of any kind, that doesn’t practice daily. This means that no matter how good they might be at what they do, they know that they need to keep their skills fresh and keep the body attuned to what makes it feel natural.
This is a simple summary of some deeply valuable lessons that apply to how we pitch our work to others. So in the spirit of the season let me use this as an opening day kind of entry.
When we prepare our pitch we need to keep these five simple points in mind.
1) Know your strengths and make them count or be who you really are and make sure you make the most of that.
2) Know your target: Be prepared before you open your mouth. Do your research and be alert to the response you get.
3) Stay centered: If your opener doesn’t work exactly right, settle yourself and try again, perhaps something different, perhaps the same thing, but from a different place. Take a moment to focus inward and collect yourself.
4) Practice. Practice everyday. Practice what you are good at, practice what you’d like to be better at. Practice alone, practice with others. Practice when things are going well. Practice when things aren’t going well.
5) Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you play the game. Get out there and start talking to people.
More on these topics and others to come.
The grass has been cut once, the birds are singing, so it must be baseball season. And that makes me wonder, what sets a professional pitcher ahead of the pack: how about speed, precision and the ability to remain cool under pressure?
Great pitchers also are renowned for control. They deliver the perfect pitch to each target (most of the time) based on their knowledge of how the hitter hits and the overall strategy of the game. They practice daily. I’ve never heard of any pitcher or any professional performer of any kind, that doesn’t practice daily. This means that no matter how good they might be at what they do, they know that they need to keep their skills fresh and keep the body attuned to what makes it feel natural.
This is a simple summary of some deeply valuable lessons that apply to how we pitch our work to others. So in the spirit of the season let me use this as an opening day kind of entry.
When we prepare our pitch we need to keep these five simple points in mind.
1) Know your strengths and make them count or be who you really are and make sure you make the most of that.
2) Know your target: Be prepared before you open your mouth. Do your research and be alert to the response you get.
3) Stay centered: If your opener doesn’t work exactly right, settle yourself and try again, perhaps something different, perhaps the same thing, but from a different place. Take a moment to focus inward and collect yourself.
4) Practice. Practice everyday. Practice what you are good at, practice what you’d like to be better at. Practice alone, practice with others. Practice when things are going well. Practice when things aren’t going well.
5) Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you play the game. Get out there and start talking to people.
More on these topics and others to come.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Not just the numbers
We all know that buying decisions are not just about the numbers. But many people try to convice investors they're worthy based solely on the financials. Here are some musings and tips on how you can become more deeply acquainted with what your truly powerful pitch needs to include. What really makes you and your business both incredibly attractive and a force with which to contend?
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