Why Sales; isn't Persuasion enough?

By:  Monika Sugiarto

Here is my usual article in English. Hope it is of interest to you and will help you present better!

Why Sale, isn’t Persuasion enough?


Most people who present their products, thoughts, findings and services live in the illusion that they might have to master the skill of persuasion but never selling! Sale has nothing to do with public speaking, they say. Is that true?
Quite wrong! Let’s do a quick study of the meaning of these two words, shall we? In order to understand the terms fully, we are also going to look at buy, the antonym of sale. Sorry, I can’t find the opposite of persuasion, which makes this activity one-sided. The persuader states his plea as best as he can, without considering the outcome and its possible effects.

• ·         Persuasion = arguments, urging, advice, influence
• ·         Sale = trade, vending, deal, transaction. A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity.
• ·         Buy = get, obtain, procure, acquire, purchase, pay money for.

I hear you say: “Hugh! I do not like sales people. Sales people pester their customers and force them to buy products no matter what. I am definitely not a sales person and do not want to become one!” That’s not the kind of sales I have in mind.
When you speak you need to be a skillful sales artist. You have to be sincere, truthful, open, and have a win-win solution in mind. You have to want your customer get or obtain what he/she wants. That is the only way, sales people succeed in the long run. You as a presenter have to be able to help solve your audience’s problems. They have to get clear and proven solutions, tactics, ideas, techniques and strategies that will help them improve their lives, health or business.
If they get what they want, you will automatically get what you want: your audience will remember you long after you spoke, they will recommend you. They will promote you through mouth to mouth advertising; the best marketing there is. That is how you will climb the successful speaker ladder.
Persuasion in speaking is not enough anymore. Today you cannot stand in front, plead your case, present your ideas and hope for the best. In our fast paced, complicated, information overloaded era you need to be able to give your audience value. Something useful, easy, practical that will help them solve whatever they are struggling with.
The big question is: Do you know what solutions your audience is looking for? Most speakers do not! Do exactly as successful sales people would, prepare for the close! Before you even start putting your presentation together you need to ask yourself very important questions concerning the audience:

• ·         What do they already know about your topic, what would they like to know and what do they need to know?
• ·         Will they be positive or negative toward your recommendations, results, ideas and techniques?
• ·         What can you present so that they are open, understand and positively react to what you have to say?
• ·         How can they implement your plans, solutions, recommendations, so that they ‘win’?

Great speakers are successful sales people. They make sure their audiences win big, receive more than they expected and are able to make changes in their lives that bring them closer to their dreams. A successful speaker is remembered long after he/she has spoken. They understand the sales process and apply it to all their speeches; and this is how they become famous.

"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."

-- Winston Churchill, British prime minister

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Happy to serve
Monika Sugiarto
Rabu, 7 September, 2011 21:33