Using Value to Steal the Show with Michael Port – 063

Michael Port is the author of six books and a New York Times best-selling author. The Boston Globe commented, “He is an uncommonly honest author.” He has been called a marketing guru by the Wall Street Journal and a sales guru by The Financial Times. His seventh book, Steal the Show, is due this fall.

Podcast: Download

Subscribe: RSS | More

“Book Yourself Solid” Sales System

• What is the most important thing you can share about pricing?
  • People buy to express their values.
  • If you look at the sum of what we purchase, you get a clear picture of who we are.
  • Your price is about the buyer, not you or your services.
  • It is about how the purchase of the product or service makes them feel about themselves.
  • It gives them an opportunity to express their values, what they want other people to recognize.

•  What is the Book Yourself Solid sales system?
  • Book Yourself Solid outlines a simple sales system.
  • Marketing is not what gets you business; it just gets people aware of you.
  • What you do after someone becomes aware of you is what books the business.
  • Sales offers should be proportionate to the amount of trust you have earned.
  • If you have the sales conversation at the right time, it is easier to book business.
  • If you design your sales system properly, you will have no problem making the sale.
  • The 4-part sales system asks these questions:
    1. What does your customer want to achieve?
    2. Why does the customer want to achieve it?
    3. Does the customer want help to achieve the goal?
    4. Would you like me to help you, because you are my ideal customer?

• If the customer finds you, should you assume they want your help?
  • There is an implication that they want you if they have sought you out.
  • However, it is a good idea to ask them to articulate and confirm it to avoid tire kickers.
  • You want to get an intentional yes from the customer.
  • If you focus on the customer, you do not have to prove that you can do the work.
  • Customers want to know what you stand for and what your philosophy to make a buying decision.
  • Control how you are known in the world.

• In Part 3 are you asking, “Is this a problem you want to solve right now?”
  • Yes, and it is probably a concept with which people are more familiarity.
  • Having different ways to process information helps the audience understand it better.
  • Every person should use their own language to convey meaning.
  • Having structure gives you a process to follow, without needing a script.
  • Understand how the process works, and then determine how it works for the individual.
  • Being process-oriented helps you understand the big picture to fill in between the lines.
  • Understand how things work from a basic standpoint; then you can geek out on the details.

Improvisation As a Sales Skill

• Why is improvisation an important sales skill?
  • If you sell something, things you do not expect are going to happen.
  • You need to be able to manage the situation, in the moment.
  • The structure allows you to improvise.
  • Improvisational comedy structure is based around the concept of “yes, and….”
  • Rehearse to prevent being nervous.
  • The better prepared you are, the easier it is to improvise.
  • You can be free and more authentic if you know the structure well.
  • It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time. – Winston Churchill
  • Build a strong chain, one link at a time. Then you can have a successful sales conversation.
  • Learn how to read what your customer is and is not saying to adapt your conversation.
  • The most effective salespeople have sophisticated social intelligence.
  • Social intelligence is a skill that you can learn.

• What is the role of emotional and social IQ in sales?
  • Emotional IQ is being able to manage yourself and your feelings.
  • Social IQ is being able to manage other people‘s feelings in certain situations.
  • The way we show up tells the world something about us.
  • Be aware of how other people see you.
  • Salespeople can get too caught up in trying to make things happen.
  • Being self-aware is the first and most important ingredient in self-expression.
  • The sales process is artistic, not scientific.
  • You can measure what improves conversion online, but it is harder to do so face-to-face.

Learn From Your Pricing Mistakes

• What is one of the biggest pricing mistakes you have made?
  • The biggest general mistake was believing that his customers bought based on price.
  • He doubled the price for 6 months as a test and had the exact same number of people sign up.
  • Another mistake was just following what other people did.
  • He offered 3 options for virtual training and figured everyone would go with the second choice because of framing (and they did).
  • They ran the program again and just increased all the prices except the most expensive.
  • Almost everyone went with the most expensive option the second time, even though the price was the same as before.

• What is one of your best stories about creating value for a customer?
  • His master class on public speaking and performance attracts a wide range of people.
  • Every now and then, someone comes to feel more confident in themselves.
  • A female CPA, Lori, came to one of the events. She was meek, small and shy.
  • She just wanted to find her voice – not give speeches.
  • She walked to the front quietly with notecards and she started speaking.
  • He took away her notecards and he asked her to tell her story.
  • Her mother once slapped her and told her “no one wants to hear from you”. It stayed with her for 40 years.
  • Lori now helps others find their voices.

About Michael Port

• Website: StealTheShow.com
• Twitter: @MichaelPort