Making A Presentation

When it comes to good movies, how many of us can actually remember them based on their twists? When was the last time you actually saw a film and had it stuck to the back of your mind for days, weeks and even years, up till this moment? I am certain by now most of the world’s movie going population have feasted their eyes on the movie “Six Sense”. Can you remember the storyline and the events that led up to the movie’s breath-taking climax? I personally liked the movie and I thought the entire movie was well-paced and did not fall short of its premise.

Now imagine making a presentation to market your products or services the same way. Similarly, a strong presentation should have a strong, great plot. Be it a live presentation at a podium or a deftly created Powerpoint presentation, it will appear to be more memorable if you treat it like your own award-winning movie. What you need is a strong hook that pulls your audience right into your story, a series of key elements (or product/service benefit) that will build the climax and finally an ending or conclusion that will sell your audience straight on the spot!

Now the next time you want to create your own marketing presentation, imagine being a director and winning at your very own marketing presentation Oscar!

Making Or Breaking A Product

Last month, I was given a free book of coupons to spend at my niece’s school charity carnival. She, along with her classmates, was selling ice cream cones for $5 each. All proceeds went to the local orphanage so that they could afford new computers for their school going kids. Arriving at the carnival, I looked appreciatively on as a large crowd gathered around their stall, all eager to purchase one or all of their tri-flavoured confectionary. Moving closer, I discovered that a cute blonde schoolgirl (whose name was Jessica, my niece told me later) was singing a specially-composed short ditty about the ice creams they were selling, to the delight of parents. Needless to say, their items sold like hot cakes, or rather, cold ice creams!

What makes or break a product or service depends on the skills we employ. When selling to customers these days, we can follow little Jessica’s example and employ right-brained skills to attract them. In marketing, it is not sufficient to stuff too much information into customers’ minds. We need to empathise with them while understanding what drives and inspire them and building great relationships. Too much sobriety or seriousness can lead to bad marketing moves. You should inject more fun and play when selling your goods or services, just like the way little Jessica did at the carnival. She clearly knows that merely standing around shouting “Ice cream for sale! $5 each!” will not help get sales they need.

There’s always a little bit of Jessica in all of us when it comes to marketing. Remember that the next time you want to sell something.

Talking To Customers

My elder sister, who was married with 2 beautiful kids, recently related to me an amusing story that got me chuckling for days after that. She told me how her teenaged son had asked her for more allowance because he needed the extra cash for a ticket to the upcoming Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert. She flat out refused, telling him that he should’ve managed his monthly pocket money better. Then he said: “But mom, didn’t you swear to yourself that you’d never do this to your kids, when you sneaked into a concert back when you were a kid like me?” Needless to say, he enjoyed his concert later on, courtesy of my sister, his blushing mother.

See how easy it was changing a resounding NO to a YES in seconds? Likewise with marketing, all you have to do is to start asking great and related questions that would make your customers think twice. Your customers also have got a clear idea of what they DON’T want, but your job is to help them say what they DO want, seeing how most have trouble admitting and expressing that.

You should also appreciate your customers saying NO, but don’t give up yet! Give them a sense of entitlement and treat them with genuine honesty. People also take a lot more precautions to avoid unnecessary pain than to gain pleasure so you should tell your customers how they are missing out if they don’t take action now!

Lastly, don’t shut out your prospects. Hear what they have to say and steer the conversation slowly but surely to your objective. That way, you don’t conform to the Babbling Salesman syndrome!

Understanding Your Customers

Sometime last week, I was on my way out to run important errands when I was inundated with calls from a pesky insurance agent who was trying to sell me the latest package with excellent Personal Accident coverage. I explained to him nicely that I was unable to continue the conversation but he stubbornly persisted. I had little choice but to slam down the phone and proceeded with my errands.

Later on I sat down to think about what happened earlier on. When it comes to marketing your products or services, how far do you really understand your customers? Do you really know the agony and pleasure they go through daily? What about how your products or services can help alleviate their pains and whether they will take to it like bees to honey? The answer might be a resounding yes but how often did you personally spend time to fully comprehend your customers’ needs?

You need to ask your customers if there will be drastic changes to their lives if they no longer purchased your goods or services. Get their feedback and ask if they would also recommend your company to their friends and family, and if not, why? You can also ask them what it takes to recommend your products or services to people that they know.

Generating profits might be the first agenda on every company but understanding your customers and getting to know their wants (as well as their don’t-needs) are essential to a marketer’s success.