Do You Know …
The one skill that’s considered to be an absolute “must have” in the complex sale?
The Definition
The complex sale typically refers to a high-value purchase, $150,000 and higher, involving a buyer’s committee consisting of anywhere from five to 20 people … or more. The sales cycle is long – from 12-36 months – and involves multiple stakeholders.
And … multiple decision-makers, all with different viewpoints, agendas and usually radically different personalities.
It’s a Science – It’s an Art
To win at the complex sale, one must be a storyteller, master tactician, strategist, cajoler, evaluator, philosopher, psychologist, bean counter and techno-geek. Yup. All rolled into one. But, even with all of that, there is one skill that is an absolute “must have” in the complex sale. Without it, success is always a delayed sales cycle away – with a morbidly high improbability rate of closure ranging from 0 to 10 percent.
What is that one trait that’s an absolute “must have” to win the complex sale in today’s competitive sales environment? I’m sure you’re thinking some highfalutin, corporate gobbledygook, acromoronic description is coming your way now.
You’d be wrong.
The skill is critical to your success – in business or life. You must be
“Good in a Room.”
What does that really mean … to be “Good in a Room?” To find out I asked someone that had sat on the other side of the fence. A buyer. But not just a buyer of any high-value product or service. A buyer of ideas. Concepts. Words. A buyer of screenplays and stories. Each one a high-value purchase triggering the complex and bewildering process that may eventually lead to the big screen. And, as you’ll see, no movie ever gets started without someone having mastered the “art of the schmooze” and being …”Good in a Room.”
Enter Stephanie Palmer
Good in a Room founder Stephanie Palmer was named one of the “Next Generation: Top 35 Executives Under 35” by The Hollywood Reporter. As the Director of Creative Affairs at MGM Pictures, she acquired screenplays, books and pitches and supervised their development. Some of her projects include “Be Cool,” “Legally Blonde,” “Sleepover,” “A Guy Thing,” “Agent Cody Banks,” and “Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London.” Prior to MGM, she worked in development at Jerry Bruckheimer Films on “Con Air,” Armageddon,” and “Enemy of the State.” Her first job in the business was as an intern on “Titanic.” She is also the author of the book “Good in a Room.”
Ten Tips for Being “Good in a Room” – Stephanie Palmer
You’ve worked for months (or years!) on your project, and a buyer is interested. The meeting is set, and there’s a lot at stake. You’re going to get one chance to effectively communicate the value and uniqueness of your project. Many people get nervous at this point.
The best of the best, however, follow these ten tips. If you learn them, you can join the ranks of those who know that they are “good in a room.”
1. Silence is the strongest start of all.
Don’t start talking until the decision-maker is ready. If there have been a lot of people popping in, urgent phone calls or other interruptions, ask the executive if he or she is ready for you to begin. Make eye contact. Then, start slowly and deliver your first line. Make sure it is dynamite. Pause. Gauge the executive’s response. Then proceed with your presentation at a relaxed pace. Remember, even though you’re intimately familiar with your project, the buyer will be hearing it for the very first time.
2. Understand the buyer’s secret dream.
Even though top-level buyers can seem cold and recalcitrant, this is the result of seeing a seemingly endless stream of poorly prepared and emotionally needy sellers deliver mediocre pitches. Decision-makers don’t wake up thinking, “I can’t wait to disappoint people and pass on 30 projects today.” Instead, they hope today will be the day they discover their career-making project. Thus, you must position yourself and your project in a way that differentiates you from the masses and speaks directly to the buyer’s highest-priority needs.
3. Build rapport. Then, build some more.
People want to work with people they like. Think about what you have in common with the decision-maker you’re meeting. Be ready to share a few brief, personal stories which demonstrate the attributes you believe will be most attractive to the buyer. Be prepared to ask a few open-ended questions that will encourage the buyer to speak about a non-business interest in a positive light.
All else being equal, you will have the edge if you can establish a personal connection.
4. Make your pitch repeatable.
Though you are selling your project to a decision-maker in the room, after the meeting, the buyer – if interested – becomes the seller and must pitch your idea to their colleagues or superiors. In Hollywood, this is known as the “logline.” If you can’t summarize your project in a brief, compelling statement, you haven’t thought about it enough.
Remember, the more you say, the less people hear.
Choose your words carefully.
5. Acknowledge the competition.
Be prepared to answer questions such as, “What does my project have in common with other successful projects in the same industry? What were the last projects that the company purchased, and were they successful? Which of their projects is most similar to my own? What makes me the best person for this project?” Answering these key questions early in your presentation demonstrates that you have done your homework.
This will encourage them to listen to what follows more closely.
6. The best meetings are conversational and interactive.
Many professionals make the mistake of performing an over-rehearsed spiel that sounds like an infomercial for their idea. Instead, pause frequently, especially when there is an opportunity for the buyer to give you a reaction or ask a question. In an ideal world, you’d spend more time in a dialogue with the buyer, than performing a monologue.
7. Start from the beginning – always.
Even if you had a long and productive conversation the day before, you’d be surprised how much can change in the buyer’s mind. After all, you’ve been thinking about the meeting and they have, too. Assume that they’ve done more research, talked to some people and something has changed since the time you last spoke. It’s your job to figure out what that is. After some initial rapport building, do another information-gathering session. If appropriate, ask for a recap from their perspective.
8. Watch for hidden opportunities.
The buyer’s goal for the meeting may not be the same as yours. In addition to hearing your idea, the executive may be evaluating you to see if you would be a good fit for another project. Remember, when you are in the room, you are selling minimally two things: your project and yourself. Even if the meeting doesn’t result in a “yes,” making a favorable impression can be the beginning of a long-term professional relationship.
9. Don’t claim your expertise – demonstrate it.
Don’t just talk about your experience, show your expertise by positioning your project as it relates to the competition. Don’t brag or boast about past wins. If you must mention a past success, do it off-handedly and with humility. This is similar to the common rule about storytelling, “Show, don’t tell.” Remember a lot of people talk the talk. Those who are “good in a room” are focused on meeting the needs of the buyer and not on boosting their own ego.
10. Save a surprise for the end.
Plan multiple strategies to exit gracefully. Some techniques are to have a callback to a personal topic that you discussed at the beginning of the meeting, thank them for a specific, useful contribution they made during the meeting, or leave them a polished piece of material that they haven’t seen previously. Use a summary statement that you design specifically to be remembered and repeated. Remember, last impressions last.
Surprise! Bonus tip.
11. You are always in the room.
Develop your skills so that you can handle meetings that occur unexpectedly, like on a plane, at a party, or in a waiting room. More business starts from casual interactions than formal meetings across a conference room table. The polished professional who is “good in a room” is ready for anything. But don’t feel the need to talk business in all situations, often the best move is to say, “Why don’t we just enjoy the party, and I’ll follow up with you on Monday.” To sign up for Stephanie’s free monthly column “Inside the Room,” Click HERE
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CONTACT:
Stephanie Palmer
Good in a Room
10845 Lindbrook Drive, Suite 200,
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Phone: 310.481.3987
Fax: 310.388.0818
Email: [email protected]
Pitch:
A quick, concise communication meant to persuade someone to do something – buy a product, service, idea, etc.
A pitch is a story told with the goal of getting someone to buy into your idea; it’s your request for action. You want them to do something. You appeal to their reason and emotions. They want you to do something too. Don’t be stupid, waste their time or insult their intelligence with lame words drained of meaning.
We all pitch. Everyday. To our friends, family, business, clients, etc.
Good-to-Great
There are good-to-great pitches. They’re informative, entertaining and on occasion, wonderfully inspiring. They connect with you emotionally and ride the road of reason and common sense to their intended destination―the “decision.” And, more often than not, the decision is right.
Boring-to Bad
Then there are the boring-to-bad pitches. Lame ideas, poorly packaged, with an even worse delivery. Wasted words and wasted time―yours and theirs. But, on the upside, you do get to the intended destination― the “decision”―much quicker. It’s no. A quick no. Then there’s the…
Worst Pitch Ever
I have first-hand experience with this one. How? Why … I did it. Me. Fessing up to it.
It was horrible. A crime against logic, reason and the human language. A stinker of epic proportions. But in the end, it enriched me beyond belief. And it all started with …
A Flea Market Miracle
I was book shopping at a high-end flea market (we have them in Ohio) when I ran across a book called “Making Miracles” by Dr. Paul Pearsall. It was in the $2.00 bin, usually out of my economic range, but looked exceptionally interesting. So, I saved up for three weeks and bought it. The fact that it was still there three weeks later was a miracle unto itself. A sign I thought. It was meant to be. In the cards – so to speak.
This little snippet on the cover was intriguing,
“I died three times. I’m back.”
The book was a mixture of physics, spirituality, hope, action and a genuine reverence for all four. It delved into the evidence for a finely-tuned, aware, universal intelligence with some inexplicable quantum quirkiness. That was my take on “Making Miracles.”
I contacted Dr. Pearsall about doing a story and interview with me. Here was the pitch – almost verbatim.
“Hey, uh, yeah, uh, I, umm … bought your book “Making Miracles” in the discount bin at a high-end flea market here in Ohio. Paid two bucks for it, which was a pretty high price considering how old it is. I don’t really know anything about you or your concepts of non-linearity, observer participancy, synchronicity or meaningful coincidences — but it sounds quantumly cool.
Probably a story there. I’d like to interview you.
Interested?
Can You Do Any Worse Than That?
Could any pitch be worse than that? Could you do more things wrong? If that isn’t the worst pitch of all-time, I’d love to hear one that’s worse. After I pitched him and realized how lame and unprepared it must have sounded I expected a resounding NO. A “NO” at Tachyon speed (faster than the speed of light).
What Happened?
Well, what do you think happened? Isn’t it obvious?
Dr. Pearsall was an internationally known bestselling author of 18 books at that time. Many of them were New York Times bestsellers. He was a licensed clinical neuropsychologist and one of the most requested speakers in the world, having delivered over 6,000 keynotes. And he was also a frequent consultant to national television appearing on “Dateline,” “20/20,” CNN, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Today Show,” and “Good Morning America.”
And some doofus like me pitches him from a flea market in the Midwest about a book he’d written 12 years ago?
That’s when I first came to the realization of …
The Power of Asking
Dr. Pearsall was great. Unbelievably he said yes. But he didn’t want to do the “Making Miracles” story; he wanted to talk about his book, “The Beethoven Principle.” So we did. And it was soulfully enriching beyond any expectation. And – lucky you – he also showed me the secret to world’s greatest card trick. It will be unrevealed at the end of this true story. But you have to travel a little longer with me to get there. First, we have to get over some…
Adversity
Overcoming adversity is never simple. Ever. Sometimes, despite Herculean efforts, you still don’t win. You’re crushed, mangled, and left feeling like a little dark spot in the middle of the road that vehicles continuously run over. One spot that used to be a living, breathing organism experiencing the joy of life.
Thrivers
But what about people who not only triumph over adversity but also astound you by propelling themselves to a higher plane? They face life’s inevitable challenges head-on, grow stronger, more vital, and in the end, savor the sweetness life has to offer. Against all the odds, expectations, or beliefs, they thrive. What drives these “Thrivers?” What shared traits do they have? What can be learned? We’re going to find out.
Death, Dying, Dignity and … Humor?
Dr. Pearsall ( Dr. P.) was one such person – a “thriver.” He had an approach to adversity I much admired. He faced death (four times) with dignity and humor? Yes. More on that shortly. But he also left a legacy, the sharing of his life’s work and the people he touched – like me. The miracles he made continue. Because of Dr. P., I became acquainted with a 22-year-old woman. She had just begun her life.
She had just started teaching English Literature in high school. Then … she was struck down by a drunk driver and was left pentaplegic (unable to move her arms or legs and unable to breathe on her own.) She was on a ventilator.
Life for her was over, right?
Wrong.
At that time, she was writing a book about her experiences. Writing a book on the computer that had been specially adapted to allow her to operate the keys with a stick held in her mouth.
A stick held in her mouth. Let me say that one more time.
She was operating a computer with a stick held in her mouth.
And what did she say about it?
“You don’t have to feel screwed. You can construe. Trust me, that one word has very special power. The dictionary says it means to discover and apply meaning, and what a power that is.
It means your life is all in your mind. I am actually happier and more productive now than I have ever been. I sure have more friends and, as you can easily see, I am totally free from multitasking.”
She still had a sense of humor in the darkest of times. A trait shared by many “thrivers.”
Meaningful Misery
Dr. P. introduced me to the possibility of finding hope and meaning in misery. He did this through Izzie.
Izzie was an 86 years old man, in robust health, vibrantly alive, happy as all get-out, and had a devilish twinkle in his eye. But Izzie also had, in his life…
- Watched his sister and parents be dragged away in the middle of the night.
- Watched his sister be raped.
- Watched as Nazi soldiers shot and killed his family … he ran away with eyes closed and fingers in his ears.
- Was tortured, starved to skin and bones.
- Slept for more than a year in human waste with the haunting, agonizing cries of his fellow prisoners.
The Silent Killer ―Languishing
Izzie should have been dead. Izzie should have been crazy. How could he find any meaning in that misery? Any joy in life after that? How could he even go on?
“Izzie not only maintained, but also enhanced his personal hardiness, natural happiness, capacity for healing, and unrelenting hope. All of us have these innate thriving skills, but we are often too busy surviving or languishing to be aware of and mobilize them.
Too often we are not fully awake and alive until something goes terribly wrong. The eighth deadly sin is “languishing.” It was originally listed as one of the deadly sins until Pope Gregory removed it from the list, but it still robs our life of its energy and joy. Languishing, in my research, turned out to be the silent epidemic of mistaking a busy and intense life for a meaningful and full one.” – Dr. P
Then Dr. Pearsall helped me understand the five reactions to life challenges and how they apply right here, right now.
FIVE REACTIONS TO LIFE’S CHALLENGES
When faced with a crisis, which one do you choose?
- Kindling—Make matters worse. React like kindling wood added to a fire.
- Suffering—Poor me.
- Surviving—Pretty essential, but don’t you want more?
- Resilience—Bouncing back to where you were before.
- Thriving—Flourishing not only in spite of the crisis but because of it.
Which one are you?
Not the one you want to be, but the one you truly are?
Are You a Thriver?
Dr. P opened my eyes to see that it’s possible, even in the worst of times, to not just survive a crisis, or in spite of a crisis – but thrive because of the crisis. Dr. P. developed a checklist of questions to see if you have the ability to be a “thriver.” The more items you check, the more likely it is you’re honing your thriving talent.
DR. P’S Thriving Talent Questions
- Do you feel more alive today than yesterday?
- Do people seem to be made happier by your presence?
- Are you laughing hard every day?
- Are you in love with life?
- Have you been made stronger by adversity?
- Do you often feel overwhelmed by the grandeur and beauty of simple things?
How did you do? Really? Not how you’d tell other people you did, but how did you really do?
I struggled with a lot of them. But just thinking about the questions has inspired me to do better.
Dr. P’s pointed me to Beethoven as a great example of a “thriver.” Beethoven turned tragedy and crisis into a harmonious unity that resonates to this day.
From Ode to Misery to Ode to Joy
Beethoven’s ninth symphony, “Ode to Joy,” was written when Beethoven was completely deaf. The chords and chorus were heard only in his mind. Was he crazy? Was he so crazy as to think that this musical wonder haunting his mind could be adequately expressed to others though he could not hear himself?
On May 7, 1824, at Vienna’s Kärtnertor Theater, “The Ninth Symphony – Ode to Joy” was first performed. Beethoven, being deaf could not conduct the premiere. But, he did stand next to the conductor during the performance to indicate proper tempi.
Weep Not for Me
On the final note of the premiere, the audience exploded with thunderous applause. But Beethoven, standing next to the conductor with his back to the crowd, looked straight ahead—he didn’t know.
He had heard nothing.
His “Ode to Joy” was received with rare, effusively raw human emotion. The kind reserved for awe-inspiring moments of a singular human’s triumph over seemingly unbeatable odds. And, most unusually, some of the players in the orchestra wept.
Raucous cheering. Yells and tears echoed, thundered.
None of which Beethoven could hear. He continued to conduct.
The solo contralto noticed Beethoven’s introspective incomprehension, and turned him around. One could only wonder what went through his mind at that moment. He could not hear.
But he could see. He bowed before the cheering crowd.
Beethoven lived.
The Power of Listening to the Teacher
Dr P awakened me to the power of listening. Not to the profane trivialities of everyday life, but the power of listening where no sound treads and real freedom resides. He did this through Mosha, or as she was known by fellow prisoners “teacher.”
Mosha’s story is important. Why? Because in life, overcoming adversity doesn’t always mean winning, sometimes it means winning on one’s own terms. Terms that perhaps only you, yourself, can understand.
Listen… and Find Your Way to Freedom
Mosha was once a dark-haired beauty. But now, a black hollowness surrounded her eyes. She was death-camp, stick-figure thin.
She was death-camp, stick-figure thin because that’s where she was. Her face was swollen and bruised. Beatings were her daily bread.
Mosha was a classical piano teacher. Loved Beethoven. She had been teaching a student Moonlight Sonata when they came for her. They shot and killed her student but kept her alive. One needs classical music such as Beethoven’s, to uplift the soul and keep spirits soaring when working in a death camp. So they kept her alive.
The Nazi officers asked her to play for them.
She refused.
They asked her.
She refused.
Music was not for a death camp. And Beethoven was sacred to her.
So they placed both of her hands on a rock. Took turns, made a game out of happily breaking her fingers, one by one, with their rifle butts.
She could have played.
She could have given in.
Instead, she defied.
Music was so sacred to her.She made her stand, sprawled on the ground in agony. But she didn’t give up her sacred gift. She held onto it. Tighter than to life itself.
And when, through the haze of a misery beyond comprehension, her fleeing life heading toward death’s door, she would hear, Beethoven’s music being played in the officer’s club, she stirred, and would say in her teacher’s voice:
Shush! Be quiet now and listen to the deaf man’s symphony.
If you listen as he did, you will hear the way to freedom.” – Mosha
Finally, Dr. P inspired me. He talked the talk, walked the walk. He was a survivor and a thriver.
A “Charles Dickens” of a Life: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times
Dr. Pearsall barely survived birth, conquered among a litany of other obstacles, total blindness, and then finally, cancer – three times. Dr. Pearsall’s triumph over terminal cancer is the basis for his bestseller, “Miracle in Maui” (which when I picked it up for $2.00 it was called “Making Miracles”).
Survive Terminal Cancer?
Yes.
Doctors told him that he would die of an extremely rare type of cancer that strikes down young and healthy people in the prime of their lives. And, for a little extra good cheer, Dr. Pearsall was also told that even if his cancer went into remission, he’d die anyway. Die from suffocation caused by a deadly virus allowed to attack his lungs by his chemotherapy-and-radiation-weakened immune system.
Does it Get Much Better Than That?
Yes. Dr. P. was told this terminal good news on a Good Friday.
Geez, is that it?
Nope. That Good Friday, as he slowly traipsed down his driveway, the ache of cancer eating away at him, feeling lost and hopeless, he opened his mailbox and noticed an envelope marked “Urgent. Internal Revenue Service.”
Death and Taxes
Yup, you guessed it. Selected for a random compliance audit of State and Federal tax records for three years. How’s that for some good cheer on Good Friday?
How did he react?
He laughed. Laughed so hard he cried.
My kinda guy.
And when I read it I laughed.
Laughed so hard I cried.
(Reader Thought Bubble: So….)
We started with the worst pitch ever at the flea market. You promised to reveal the secrets of the world’s greatest card trick and a miracle that would enrich beyond belief. Wheres the beef?
You mean how did the worst pitch ever, of all-time, mine, eventually enrich beyond belief? Besides awakening me to everything contained above and the hopefulness it inspires?
That’s not enough? Here’s how.
Worst Pitch Ever Leads Reveals Secret to Greatest Card Trick of All-Time
Dr. P taught me the greatest card trick in the world.
It’s simple but can enrich your life beyond belief.
It’s meant to be passed on.
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards,
but of playing a poor hand well.”
– Robert Louis Stevenson
In Memoriam:
Dr. P died three times and came back.
The 4th time he didn’t.
– Steve
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Excerpt from “The Greatest Words You’ve Never Heard: True Stories of Triumph.”
Feature photo courtesy of H.Kopp Delaney
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