Keep all eyes on deck--your PowerPoint deck, that is. Since laser pointers first appeared in the early '90s, these real-world light sabres have become beloved of pitch-makers. Trouble is, the novelty has worn off. How to stay ahead of the dark side...er, the competition? Ditch the boring green- or orange-light pointer and arm yourself with one of these Aquarius indigo wands. Blue lasers, made with hard-to-grow gallium nitride crystals, are still rare and exotic enough to draw oohs from the audience, although it's the same basic technology used in new Blu-ray high-definition DVDs. This pen-sized unit from Toronto-based Laserglow comes in models with output power ranging up to an ant-frying 25 MW. The beam is an impossibly thin 1 mm in diameter. The Aquarius pointers, which run on a rechargeable lithium ion battery, are rated to last 3,000 to 5,000 hours, so no worries about it running out of juice before you do. The product even looks high luxe--in deepest blue, naturally, with solid brass accents, nestled inside its own tiny steamer trunk. $490 to $2,000.
GERRY BLACKWELL
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NUMBERS DON'T SELL
"Sticky Idea Principle #4: Help people test your ideas for themselves. When trying to build a case, most of us instinctively grasp for hard numbers. But this is exactly the wrong approach. In the presidential debate in 1980, Ronald Reagan could have cited innumerable statistics demonstrating the sluggishness of the economy. Instead, he asked a simple question that allowed voters to test for themselves: 'Ask yourself if you are better off today than you were four years ago.'"
Chip Heath & Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
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STEAL THESE PITCH TRICKS
Forget the lucky tie. Leading pitchmen and women share their top tricks for bringing the client closer and the deal home.
Craig Silverman
Find big opportunities in small deals "If you're in it just for the money, get out. I largely deal in high-end homes, but a woman came to me and wanted to buy something that was in a lower price range. Her father showed up in paint-splattered clothes and said he'd help her with the deposit. When I went to her father's office to pick up the deposit cheque, it turned out he was the owner of a major company. Because I was empathetic to his daughter's situation, the family has since referred me business. Sometimes you've got to get the dollars out of your mind and just help the cause."-- Barry Cohen, top Re/Max Canada salesperson two out of the past three years
Stop hearing, start listening "A sale has to benefit both parties. In the book business, which has returnable product [so a sale isn't always final] good salespeople are good listeners as well as good talkers. Is the client telling you every personal detail or are they more reserved? Take the cue from them about how to proceed." --Ann Ledden, vice-president of sales for book publisher McArthur & Co.
Sell yourself "Relationship building is the big thing. You've really got to sell yourself. I use my product knowledge to give customers the best value for what they need, and I always keep in touch by checking they were pleased after delivery. I'll send people to another store if I can't give them what they need. They appreciate and reward that honesty [by coming back]"-- Jim Mieske, sales associate with the Brick in New Glasgow, N.S., and a former car salesman
Offer something beyond product "Every customer has their 'thing.' I try to figure out what they need and then relate that to the product. When I was selling for a manufacturing company, I had one customer who didn't want to talk business--he wanted to have fun. So I always took him to an amusement park, and I always got the deal."-- Naomi Assaraf, partner in Montreal's Spa Dermacella and a former tech saleswoman
Get the first sale "[For a start-up] you should try to make a product that is 100% right for a few customers, as opposed to something 75% right for 100% of the market. The first customer is the most important one. Close them at all costs so they become a reference." -- Gino Coutu, CEO of Montreal ad network NetWorldMedia and a former top salesman at Cisco
Earn the right to proceed "A former boss told me that. The idea is that you can't skip steps [in the pitch]and move to close the sale if the client isn't ready. There's no free ride to the finish line. If you skip ahead, you'll lose them." --Jon L. Purther, COO of Toronto business intelligence firm Corbin Partners and a former financial-services salesman
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BACK OFFICE
Clothes for closers
Now that you've gone over your pitch with a fine-tooth comb, it's time to apply the same process to yourself.
Do spend the bucks on a classic dark suit Wool wrinkles less than linen and lasts longer than synthetics. For women, Holt Renfrew image consultant Christina McDowell suggests Canadian designers Lida Baday and Pink Tartan for fashionable office wear: "They do great classics with a modern twist."
Do fine-tune your silhouette Men especially are prone to this problem--wearing a gorgeous suit that's short on the wrists, loose in the shoulders or tight in the rear (choose a flat-front or three-quarter jacket if baby's got back). Once you've picked your essential threads, spend a bit more and visit a tailor to get the perfect fit.
Do start from the bottom Ladies, open-toed sandals and anything strappy are no-nos; go with a classic style and mid-height heel. Fellas, long, slightly pointed toes are hot right now, but your old kicks will do if they've got new soles and laces.
Don't wear Dad's vintage tie Unless it's a mint-condition mid-century Yves Saint Laurent. Pay attention to loose threads and fading or fraying. Ladies, avoid jangly earrings or other loud accessories. That includes scents.
Don't ignore your audience You want your personal style to show through, but for a sales pitch, it's about them, not you. Finance-related industries are the most staid, followed by sales and marketing. If you're talking to designers, most likely anything goes, but faking hip is bound to backfire. --DENISE BALKISSOON
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DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER
Salespeople aren't the only ones with well-worn phrases. Prospects have a bag of objections they dip into when listening to a pitch. Here is how to handle usual brush-offs.
"Let me think it over" Bob Hooey, an Egremont, Alberta, sales trainer, recommends taking a moment to sum up the features and benefits you've discussed, and to verify they apply to the prospect's business. "Then ask, 'What did I leave out? Did we miss something here?' That will open up conversation again," he says.
"I can't afford it" People will say this even if it isn't true. "They use it because it seems like such a concrete, non-negotiable thing," says Shane Gibson, president of Knowledge Brokers International, a Vancouver-based sales-training company. Use this objection as a chance to dig deeper and see if it masks a different issue. Take money out of the equation and ask if something else about the product or offer is a concern for them. If it really is about the cost, Gibson suggests asking what they can afford or offering to work out a payment plan.
"You're too small" Ah, the bane of the small business owner. But this is an opportunity to convey that small is beautiful. Gibson suggests focusing on the things a small supplier can do well, such as customer service. "Tell them that you do an exceptional job with your customers because they're more important to you than [they are to]the big guys," he says. Also, be sure to list any industry awards or certifications to assuage concerns about product quality.
"I'm already using your competitor" This is a genuine opening because it tells you the prospect is in the market for what you're selling. Gibson suggests saying that "having a secondary supplier can put you in a stronger negotiation position with your existing supplier when getting quotes." Try to arrange a test order.
"I'm not interested" Sometimes this is the true end of the conversation, but it doesn't mean you need to stop cold. "I wouldn't just walk away," Hooey says. "Even if I thought it was legitimate, I would ask a few more questions." For example: Were some parts of the presentation of value or interest? Would a different product or feature work better for you?
CRAIG SILVERMAN
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THE ART OF SHAKING HANDS
Palm down Message: "I'm in charge." If you feel strong, you'll offer your hand palm down. This forces the other person to offer it palm up, putting him or her in the underdog position.
Palm vertical Message: "Let's work together."The most generous way to offer a handshake. It sends the signal of co-operation.
Palm up Message: "I am at your service." Salespeople often go this route. It says that you (the customer) are in charge. To further emphasize that, extend your hand vertically, and slowly turn it till your hand is palm up.