Did you answer NO to my question?
THEN HOW CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT MIGHT UPSET YOU?
If you have a website, have video on your website, send emails or communicate via telephone – You are selling to and invisible audience.
For over 16 years I have guest presented on the UK’s premier shopping channel QVC and sold £millions worth of products ranging from technology to Christmas trees.
For a considerable part of that time I coached 100’s of others to do the same, in essence ‘selling to an invisible audience’.
I worked with celebrities such as Lulu, Nigella Lawson, Tess Sanderson and many East Enders cast members along with brand managers, designers, and inventors,
Although many of them knew how to present in their own field of activity they realised that when selling via video or on TV it needed an entirely different approach.
Here’s another thought for you: –
“The second most used search engine after Google is YouTube”
If you do not have video on your website you are missing a golden opportunity to sell to your audience and you are also being over looked by the search engines. So –
“IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING USING VIDEO ON YOUR WEBSITE YOU NEED A HIGH LEVEL OF PRODUCTION VALUES OTHERWISE YOU’RE WASTING YOUR TIME”
My unshakable contention was that a high level of production values, professional lighting, carefully considered backdrops and superior sound quality were the keys to ensuring that the message came across. Only then can ‘sales’ be maximised, brand values supported and public perceptions maintained.
I WAS WRONG – Have a look at the quality of videos on YouTube, My Space or Vimeo and you will see that professional quality is not the most important factor in many cases
THE KEY TO PERSUASION AND INFLUENCE, IS ALWAYS FIRSTLY, THE MESSAGE
What is most important is the message. It can be quirky, it can be controversial but it must be relevant, compelling, and well-crafted and delivered with authenticity, passion and conviction.
My Grandfather always used to say “If you can’t smile don’t open a shop”.
What I now understand him to mean is that, if you are not passionate about what you are saying or selling how can you expect anybody else to be passionate, engaged, enrolled or be persuaded by you.
It is certainly true that the more professional the offering the more hits it will receive but it must resonate with the public mood, offer a compelling message and resonate in their world
HAVE YOU MASTERED THE TECHNOLOGY OR HAS THE TECHNOLOGY MASTERED YOU?
With the growth of video on websites, the technological ability to shoot your own short videos and video blogs with a smartphone, record podcasts via a webcam and connect with your customers/clients in a virtual face to face medium using Skype you need to understand the basis rules.
I have seen so many videos that in my opinion are abject failures, where they destroy a company’s reputation rather than enhance it.
There are some basic facts that must be understood and adhered to ensure the maximum influence and persuasion are achieved: –
PEOPLE ARE MOTIVATED TO BUY FOR TWO BASIC REASONS:-
- To move from a position of PAIN to a position of PLEASURE.
- They buy EMOTIONALLY they decide LOGICALLY.
Do you know what your clients, customers and prospects real pains and emotional needs are?
If you can’t answer that question with absolute conviction you need to get your clients and customers to answer it for you.
Don’t commit yourself verbally, in writing and certainly on video until you can.
Have you ever tuned into the Radio Station W.I.F.M?
I’m teasing you it’s not a radio station it means
What’s In it For Me? (Your audience)
“Seek firstly to find out what your customers, clients and prospects needs are and then ‘sell’ into that need”.
SOME TIPS ON CREATING A VIDEO THAT ‘SELLS’
In terms of presentation style is it better to ‘sell’ your message down the barrel of the camera?
I believe it should it be a shopping channel style conversation which is almost like an overheard conversation between friends.
If you don’t have a partner willing to appear on camera with you get them to ask questions of you off camera.
Alternatively, demonstrate the product and talk at the same time. This will need practice.
We hate being sold to. We love being engaged and motivated.
When QVC first appeared on our screens in the UK the company thought that their customer motivation was the belief that the brand values were Quality, Value, and Convenience.
Through extensive customer and focus group research they discovered very different brand values.
Trust – Information – Easy.
They trusted the presenters to tell the truth about the products they were selling, they sought the information to make help them make their buying decisions and knew that it was easy to buy and easy to send back with a 30 day no quibble money back guarantee should the product not meet their expectations.
In short a circle of trust.
There is now a new realisation. Customers’ need to be: –
Engaged – Enlightened – Entertained.
DOES THAT RESONATE WITH YOUR OFFERING?
When you present your product, service or personality are you enlightening them to ‘buy’ based on your clear and deep understanding of their needs?
Do you engage them in a dialogue that speaks in their language, experience and perceptions?
Do you entertain them so that they feel part of the process or just offer an online brochure and outmoded concept of what you think they want?
I have personal mantra:-
Today it is not enough to be technically brilliant at what you do you need to a Mater Influencer.
DON’T JUST SELL – INFLUENCE WITH STYLE
SO, PLEASE SHOOT SOME VIDEO but do it well with style, make your message compelling that resonates in their world and offers true value to them emotionally.
A good presentation entertains – a great presentation moves us to ACTION.
