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Obama and Friends On Stage - Implications for the Sales Force

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Dave Kurlan is a top-rated speaker, best-selling author, sales thought leader and highly regarded sales development expert.

There is a lot of buzz surrounding those who took to the podium this week at the Democratic National Convention - and Barach Obama hasn't had his turn yet.

Once again, I will not make a political statement in this article - just a sales opinion.

If the speeches by Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were sales presentations, every one of their prospects would have bought from them. You're not so sure?  Well a quick visit to Baseline Selling would remind us that we don't begin presenting until we reach 3rd Base and by that point, our prospect has compelling reasons to buy (2nd Base) and is completely qualified (3rd Base).  If we're following the process, we're presenting to a closable prospect only.

Back to Denver. Why would those presentations close all of their prospects?

It met all of the rules for a Baseline Selling presentation:

  • It was compelling
  • It was needs appropriate
  • Unless you earn more than $250,000, it was cost appropriate
  • Even if you earn more than $250,000 you may be willing to pay more to buy their solution
  • They were likable
  • They engaged you
  • They said what you wanted to hear and meant it
  • They were authentic
  • It didn't sound scripted
  • They told stories
  • They were believable

Whether you are a raving Democratic fan or a staunch, anti-Obama republican, you would do well to examine the five-star speeches that were delivered on this historic week in Denver Colorado.

(c) 2008 Dave Kurlan


Posted by Dave Kurlan on Thu, Aug 28, 2008 @ 07:37 AM

COMMENTS

In your article “Obama and Friends on Stage” you bring attention to  
 
 They were authentic  
 
 It didn't sound scripted 
 
 They were believable 
 
 
 
When interviewing candidates for our clients I always start the interview with, “May I ask you some questions about your resume’?” 
 
With that I always get a yes. My next statement is “before we start the interview I am kind of curious, why are you in the job market and why now”. This is when the candidate gets the opportunity to be authentic and believable. If they have prepared for the interview they now have to be unscripted. 
 

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 8:56 AM by Al Turrisi


You're totally right. I bought.

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 11:51 AM by peter caputa


Pete, what did you buy?

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 11:58 AM by Al Turrisi


In business a client who doesn't pay is worse than one you didn't close. A sales company can close the deal and not deliver. 
 
 
 
Talk is cheap. 
 
 
 
If you do a a good job in Baseline Selling you are the only one presenting. If I am not I would rather be last not first, in this example the party with the later convention has a leg up.

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:41 PM by Bill Ziercher


Some times you buy but you may not if you know the salesman's performance history, character and credibility. I can't say that I would buy just because they have a great sales pitch... maybe I am still on first base but I know I have to buy something when November comes.

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:47 PM by Emre Schveighoffer


@ Bill - you are 100% correct. In a traditional selling situation, you would prefer to be the only one presenting, although that won't always be possible. 
 
In this case, as presentations go, I wanted to point out why these were such good presentations. The audience was composed of thousands of qualified prospects so their compelling presentations closed those in attendance and millions more on TV.

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 1:23 PM by dave@objectivemanagement.com


@Emre - I agree with what you said too. I wrote about this, as it pertains to the candidates, here back in January. 
 
You made the right point. You wouldn't buy just because someone has a great sales pitch. But if you were on 3rd Base when they made that great sales pitch, you would absolutely buy. Most of their democratic audience was already on 3rd Base while most of their Republican audience was between 1st and 2nd Base.

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 1:26 PM by dave@objectivemanagement.com


With all this talk about sales I had to put my two senses in. 
 
I just received a call that went like this. 
 
 
 
Them: “We have called because we want to lower your interest rate on your credit card.” Please press 1 to speak with your representative.”  
 
 
 
First of all we pay our credit card in full each month so interest rates really do not matter. BUT, I had the impression this was my credit card company and did not understand why they would want to lower our rates. I pressed 1. The person on the other end of the phone answered and said,  
 
 
 
Them:” Can I help you?” 
 
 
 
Me: I don’t know you called me. 
 
 
 
Them: What was the call about? (Strike 1 -They are moving into trouble here) 
 
 
 
Me: You called me and want to know what this call is about? You said you wanted to lower my interest rate on my credit card. 
 
 
 
Them: Oh yes, we can lower your interest rate on your Visa or Master card. (Strike 2) 
 
 
 
Me: I don’t have a Visa card. 
 
 
 
Them: Oh, we can provide you with one. (Strike 3) 
 
 
 
Me: How do you know? 
 
 
 
Them: Hung Up 
 
 
 
Now I don’t what base they thought I was on. I was wondering what planet they were on. 
 

posted on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 2:25 PM by Al Turrisi


Dave, 
 
I bought for all the reasons you mentioned. 
 
A week later I had buyers remorse and returned the product.

posted on Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 11:50 AM by tony cole


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