To Sell is Human: Post #9--Serving

Serve: Taking a serve-don’t-demand approach to leadership changes the game. So, Ask-don’t-Tell sets up the right chemistry to influence people. The author advises us to make it personal and purposeful. 
a.    Make it personal. When radiologists were given photos of patients, they had more empathy for the patients, were more thorough, and were more likely to uncover important underlying health issues. So, give people your cell phone and home phone numbers, and have your photo on Facebook to “make it personal.”
b.    Make it purposeful: People respond better to health and safety messages that are focused on others who more vulnerable than themselves. We do things not for self but for pro-social reasons. Purpose-focused volunteer fundraisers who read stories about how scholarships had helped students more than doubled the donations they raised. Big Message: prime people before having them raise money. Make it purposeful.

To Sell is Human: Post #8--Improvising

Improvise: Taking his cues from comedy improv, Pink instructs us to pay attention to how comics do it. The basic structure of improv is 1) to hear “offers”;  2) Say “Yes, and”; and 3) Make your partner look GOOD.
a.    Hearing offers is about tuning in to the other person. In a conversation, most people politely wait to speak, rather than really listen. Considering anything a person says as an “offer” means you’re on the right track to hearing. “Sorry we can’t do business now” might mean that we CAN do business later when the economy comes back.
b.    Say “Yes, and” is based on positive buoyancy and is a lot different from “Yes, but.”  So, “Yes, and” builds on your partner’s investment, and “yes, but” negates it—threatens your partner. “Yes, and” finds a way to figure it out.
c.    Make your partner look good: Think win-win (not win-lose). We should always take the other’s perspective and figure out how to make them win. One good response is “That’s an interesting idea…,” which can give you think time and time to learn…not argue. Take 5 seconds—to pause and think.

To Sell is Human: Post #7--Pitching

Pitch: Two researchers at the U. of California studied “pitching” (selling screen plays) in Hollywood. Their central finding: It’s as much about the “catcher” (the studio exec) as the pitcher (the writer/agent).  Execs see passion and wit as positive and creative but slickness and hard selling as negative and uncreative. With so many distractions today, we need more types of pitches available, and Pink supplies six such pitches. For example: 1) The one-word pitch: just pick a word you want to be known for and then “own it.” When anyone thinks of you, what’s the word you want them to associate with you or your product?  2) The subject line pitch: The subject line in an email IS your pitch…choose those words carefully. People respond based on utility, curiosity, and specificity. 3) The Pixar Pitch follows the rules for every Pixar film narrative: Once upon a time... Every day… One Day…Because of that…Until finally…. Finally, after your pitch, ask yourself, what do you want people to know, feel, and do?