What to do if your interlocutor does not allow you to say a word to the point? What will attract the client's attention? Read and find out.

There are often cases of business meetings with a person who stubbornly “pushes his line”, completely unwilling to pay attention to what you want to tell him. You are already nervous, you feel like you are wasting your time, you just can’t move the dialogue in the right direction... Such situations can be reduced to nothing using the advice from this article.

Calmness and politeness are important!

Of course, people who are unable to listen and engage in long, one-sided monologues can unsettle even the most patient person. It is worth remembering that in the business world it is not emotions that rule, but profit. Try to think about what you will achieve if you stay positive and focus on the essence of what you need to tell the chatterbox.

Even if the interlocutor is running wild and doesn’t want to listen to you, you shouldn’t interrupt him. In any speech, sooner or later there come moments when the interlocutor pauses briefly to take a breath: at this moment it is time to attract attention. During such pauses, it’s time to decisively enter into a dialogue and do it best with a question (this can be a clarifying question, a reminder question, etc.)

Taking aim: reminder questions

To get the client back on track, use the method of leading questions that return the thought to the essence of the discussion.

Examples of such questions:

• “What if we assume...”
• “You will, of course, agree that...”
• "You probably don't want..."
• “If I understand correctly...”

With the help of leading questions, not only attention is attracted, but also, directly in the process of negotiations, it becomes clear (or repeated) what interests the person most about the subject of conversation. Replies to “tips” can be excellent tips in case your interlocutor needs to be “hooked” not just with benefits, but with things that are interesting to him specifically.

Right on target: getting the point across

At the right moment for a verbal “shot”, aim for the main thing, without getting distracted by the details. There will be time left for them when a person hears the most important things and is already interested in finding out the details.

"What's in a name?"

According to research by psychologists, the most pleasant, and therefore most noticeable combination of sounds for a person’s consciousness is his name. In negotiations, it is a powerful weapon for attracting attention.

If you need to quickly draw the attention of your interlocutor to yourself, call him by name: almost any person will react to this, with the exception, perhaps, of those who are already very high in the clouds.

With this technique you can kill two birds with one stone. This way you can force someone to listen, and at the same time win over your interlocutor, showing that for you he is not just one of many: by pronouncing his name out loud, you will distinguish him from the crowd of others.

The ability to quickly and accurately draw attention to yourself can also come in handy during negotiations with people who are prone to excessively lengthy arguments. What else should you do to correctly end someone else’s protracted monologue - read!

Once the agent has prepared his offer, he needs to present it to the client. This can be done in three ways:

During the visit;

By phone;

In the form of a letter (regular, fax or email).

One might assume that smaller companies find it easier to sell over the phone (fewer parts required). Medium – by email or regular mail (more details required). Large – during personal meetings (a lot of details are required).

If we talk about the effectiveness of ways of presenting a proposal, then we can start from the following figures.

Telesales typically have about a 10% positive response rate. That is, if an agent presented (and discussed) his proposal over the phone to 100 clients, then he will receive 10 orders.

Personal selling typically has about a 25% success rate. That is, every fourth meeting should give the agent an order.

However, it should be emphasized once again that all these figures are averages. If the agent has poorly prepared his proposal, then the percentage of orders received will be lower. If the agent has prepared well, the result may be slightly higher.

The advertising seller chooses a specific path depending not so much on the size of the advertising company or the expected effectiveness, but on the result of preliminary work to establish contact. After all, sometimes it turns out that coordinating advertising with another small client takes more time and effort than the same operation with a large one. It happens that some clients do not like to talk on the phone, regardless of the size and profile of the company. Others throw all the mail they receive into the trash without reading it. Still others do not like personal meetings and prefer to discuss all issues over the phone, etc.

Thus, we can say quite definitely that the way the proposal is presented does not directly depend on the type and type of activity of the client, it cannot be determined in advance and it is usually clarified during the entire sales process.

Very often, sales involve elements of various methods. That is, you can sell only by telephone or mail, or you can sell by telephone and a personal visit, or by mail and a personal visit, or by telephone, mail and a personal visit.

Obviously, the way the proposal is presented depends on the situation that arises when communicating with each specific client. Therefore, an agent focused on selling advertising opportunities to a specific client will not “get hung up” on any one method. He will creatively apply all possible ways of presentation or their elements.

The cheapest way to present an offer is through telephone sales. They cost 20–30 minutes of conversation plus telephone charges.

Next comes a more expensive type: presenting a proposal by fax and e-mail - up to several hours to prepare a letter plus communication fees. Submission by regular mail – also up to several hours to prepare the letter plus payment for postage.

And the most expensive thing is presenting the proposal during personal visits. It may take several days to prepare for it. The equipment and materials necessary for this method of presentation may also be expensive.

In sales, the first contact with the advertiser is very great importance. At other stages of communication with the client, something can be corrected or adjusted, but the first contact either provides an opportunity to present a prepared proposal, or takes it away.

In this regard, the agent must seriously prepare for contact with the advertiser. First of all, he needs to assess the situation and choose the most appropriate type of contact.

In small companies or private entrepreneurs, you can, without further ado, walk straight into the office without any warning. The probability of catching the right person on the spot in this case is quite high. If he is not in the office or is very busy at the moment, then you can immediately clarify the time of the next visit to meet with the person making advertising decisions.

In medium and large companies, the likelihood of getting to the right person right away is extremely low. People in such organizations typically have meetings scheduled for each day and will not be distracted by an unscheduled meeting unless it is ordered from above or is extremely important.

Alas, a visit from an advertising agent has no such significance. And he will have to “fit” into the meeting plan in advance. The best way to do this is to talk to the right person on the phone. This, however, is not always easy, since in the vast majority of cases the client is prepared to receive calls from stupid and useless advertising agents. That is, another telephone conversation with an advertising salesperson is considered undesirable for him. This means that the agent should not be initially surprised by the inhospitability; he should be prepared to overcome it.

To do this, the agent must be deeply convinced of his usefulness to the client, of the value of his offer, on which he has seriously worked in advance.

Sending an offer by traditional mail, e-mail, or fax should be resorted to in any case if personal or telephone contact was not possible. It is easier for people to study an offer without obligatory feedback when they should not respond or take any action. And if they liked the offer, then they are much more willing to make further contact with the advertising agent.

Therefore, it is worth calling those who do not require too much “telephone” effort and time. For everyone else, send a written proposal (without prior contact).

This may seem like a somewhat slow way of making contact and starting a sale. However, all clients are different - with some things work out quickly, with others slowly. The main thing is that there are a lot of contacts – both oral and written.

Naturally, experienced agents start with a telephone presentation. Further, depending on the developing situation, they either limit themselves to this, or resort to presenting the proposal by mail or during personal visits. On the following pages we will look at ways of presenting a proposal in reverse order: first during visits, then by telephone and lastly by mail. This is due to the fact that presentation during visits is the most complete form of presentation. A telephone presentation is like a truncated “visiting” with a small amount of its own specificity. Postal is also like a truncated “business card”, but has a greater share of specifics in comparison with telephone.

When presenting his proposal, the agent needs to convince the client (person or group of people):

Take or refrain from any action;

Accept or change a position or opinion.

This is quite a difficult task, given that the agent's desire to provide information usually exceeds the client's desire to receive it. In addition, as a rule, the advertising seller addresses people of higher status and cannot demand attention from them, he can only earn it.

Often presenting a proposal is complicated by the fact that you have to deal with not just one client representative, but several. In this case, the agent must remember that the interests and arguments of different employees of the same client may differ from each other. Therefore, it is necessary, on the one hand, to keep in mind the reaction of all participants in communication, but on the other hand, to focus your efforts on who is most influential in terms of making advertising decisions.

As a rule, a personal meeting, compared to other forms of communication, gives the agent more time and opportunity to present the proposal. This happens due to the fact that the visit allows the advertising seller to convey maximum useful information, influencing a person through all his senses - channels of information perception (vision, hearing, taste, touch, smell).

Accordingly, an experienced agent must master the art of influencing these channels.

First of all, you should plan the presentation of the proposal, that is, determine how much time (space) it will take as a whole and in individual parts:

Introduction;

Main part;

Conclusion.

In accordance with this plan, he sets out his proposal. The more time he has for the entire presentation, the more time he can devote to this or that part, this or that problem, give more examples, references, etc.

EXAMPLE

The agent prepares an outline of the offer during a personal meeting. He plans to submit all the information in 40 minutes (100% of the time). The main parts of the presentation are:

For introduction – 20% of the time (8 minutes);

For the main part - 50% of the time (20 minutes);

For conclusion – 30% of the time (12 minutes).

When preparing for the visit, the advertising seller must also analyze information that has no obvious connection with the meaning or ideas of the offer itself to the advertiser. That is, the agent must imagine and understand what the client is thinking, looking at him, listening to him, communicating with him.

One of the most important perceptions is visual. No wonder they say: “I liked him (or didn’t like him) at first sight...”

In order to make a good visual impression on the client, the agent should pay attention to his clothes (“one is greeted by his clothes”), business accessories, appearance, and gestures.

So, it is better not to wear tight, uncomfortable or new clothes to a meeting. It will interfere with the agent's concentration. Always, regardless of the type or style of clothing, you need to dress in such a way that you feel comfortable, relaxed, and behave with dignity.

If an agent is well dressed, then he demonstrates self-confidence. The client will most likely treat such a person with respect. If the agent dressed “anyhow,” then the attitude towards him is appropriate.

It’s good if the agent knows how the client himself dresses. The fact is that people like people who look similar to themselves. And you can take advantage of this.

For example, if a client wears a formal dark business suit, then the agent should choose something in that style. If the client wears jeans to work, then he will most likely like the agent also in informal clothes. Just don’t try to copy the client in everything. Firstly, it may be perceived as mockery. Secondly, every person wants to have something special - a special expensive fountain pen, original cufflinks, etc. And yet, you should not dress “richer” than the client. This may put pressure on him and interfere with negotiations.

In any case, it is not recommended to wear knitted items. People associate them with a person’s need to smooth out, rather than solve, their life problems and failures. That is, a client, looking at a man in knitwear, will accordingly not expect a complete solution to his business problems from him.

If an agent has a need to appear older, then it makes sense to wear something tailored. A jacket is always appropriate. Dark neutral tones and a black suit will add solidity.

When choosing clothes, you should abandon fashionable extremes, “bully” designs, an excess of large patterns, bright colors or color spots, from excessive openness, from other details that can distract the client’s attention or, even worse, irritate him.

Of course, you need to follow fashion, but you shouldn’t follow it in everything. For a personal meeting with an advertiser, it is better to wear something that corresponds to the main fashion trend, but is not devoid of individuality.

Agents also need to be careful when using jewelry. They should not be abused by either men or women.

The same applies to religious jewelry. In a country where there are many different religious movements and movements, you don’t always know in advance who you are dealing with and how tolerant (or intolerant) the interlocutor is of someone else’s faith.

For women, correctly applied cosmetics are also important, i.e., those that are noticeable only from a very short distance. During a business meeting, female agents should avoid irritating clanking or clinking jewelry and brightly shiny items.

You should not wear dark glasses to a personal meeting. They hide their eyes, and the client may suspect the bespectacled agent of insincerity.

Ordinary glasses, as a rule, give a more intelligent look. (One of my colleagues, who has excellent eyesight, ordered glasses with regular lenses. This way he looked more impressive and, most importantly, felt much more confident in the glasses.) At the same time, glasses can be very shiny and distract attention. Therefore, if an agent with vision problems is not concerned about the lack of an intelligent appearance, it is better for him to use contact lenses.

If an agent wears a double-breasted jacket to a meeting, he only unbuttons it while sitting.

The shirt cuffs protrude one or two centimeters from under the jacket.

The shirt cannot be darker than the suit or tie.

The tie should be exactly waist length. Under no circumstances should it be tucked into the belt. The tie is chosen to match or contrast with the suit. Don't wear it with jeans.

Socks should preferably be the same color as shoes and trousers.

The color of shoes should not be lighter than the color of trousers or skirt.

You should always have a clean, simple handkerchief with you and not use paper napkins. It is better to choose a scarf not exactly to match the tie or shirt, but to harmonize with them.

Women, in addition to a cosmetic bag, should have a spare pair of tights with them.

All business attributes for both men and women - a notebook, pen, folder, briefcase or handbag - should be sufficient High Quality. An agent needs to be “brand new” in everything. There should be no room for even the slightest manifestation of sloppiness in his appearance. A client, looking at an agent, is simply obliged to think: “Yes, this person is attentive to any business...”

As the proposal is presented, the client will also evaluate how the agent behaves, how certain of his features change, and what gestures he uses. The bulk of this information is perceived by a person subconsciously, but the agent must nevertheless control the course of perception. To do this, he needs to at least know the meaning of the following signals sent to the client by one or another part of the body.

Head:

Hanging - hopelessness, lack of will, apathy;

Inclined – subordination;

Raised - freedom, self-confidence in one’s actions;

Uplifted - inaccessibility, arrogance;

Leaned back - helplessness or relaxation;

thrown back - impudence, protest, superiority over the interlocutor;

Nodding - approval, agreement, encouragement of the interlocutor;

Pointed forward – interest (but there may also be a threat);

Slowly turning - arrogance, swagger;

Turning away - loss of interest, disagreement, denial;

Tilted to the side - sympathy, approval;

Swaying - doubt, uncertain agreement, denial.

Wrinkled - attention to the topic, lack of understanding of something.

Wrinkles

Vertical - determination, stubbornness, willfulness, dissatisfaction or irritation;

Horizontal – observation;

Wavy (combination of vertical and horizontal) - helplessness.

Eyes

Staring - admiration, surprise, desire to absorb more information;

Wide open - openness, willingness to make contact;

Open – normal perception of the environment, optimism;

Downcast – fatigue, boredom, indifference;

Squinted – concentration, comprehension, non-perception of received information, defense;

Squinted eyes with a movement to the side - slyness, impatient anticipation;

Squinting one eye - confidence in understanding the background of the conversation, in taking the initiative;

Winded up and to the left - full attention to information;

Closed - the end of the perception of information, reluctance to continue the conversation.

Sight

Direct – interest and respect;

Point blank - distrust, superiority;

From top to bottom - arrogance, imperiousness;

From bottom to top – subordination, distrust;

Oblique from top to bottom - condescension, contempt;

Oblique from bottom to top - servility;

Wandering – evaluation, resentment, general interest or lack thereof;

Fixed on the interlocutor – awareness of one’s own strength.

Wrinkled - hostility, embarrassment;

Touching the tip - self-control, reflection.

Crooked - contempt;

With drooping corners - disappointment, skepticism, irony, gloominess;

With clenched teeth and lips - restraint.

Lips

Inflated - self-will;

Protruding - hostility;

Tucked in - fear;

Compressed - powerless anger, lies;

Trembling, twitching - nervousness, readiness for aggression.

Shoulders

Elevated - uncertainty;

Omitted - confidence, self-control;

Sagging - forward weakness, despair;

Retracted - masculinity, strength, enterprise;

Put forward - fear;

They fall and rise – thoughtfulness, doubt, an expression of not knowing the answer.

Hands

Palms up - expectation of approval, a necessary decision, demonstration of good intentions;

Palms down - protection, containment;

Fist – defense, aggression, inability to influence the situation, mental concentration;

Fingers not fully unclenched - indecision;

Grasping fingers - stubbornness, desire for self-affirmation, timidity;

Hands behind your back - waiting, contemplation, passivity;

Hands in front of you - the desire for self-affirmation;

Hands in pockets - uncertainty, arrogance;

Hands under the table - uncertainty;

Hands on the table - readiness to make contact;

Hand in hand - nervousness, excitement, embarrassment, stiffness, confusion;

Hands crossed on the chest - uncertainty, protection;

Hands sandwiched between thighs - protection;

Hands on hips - audacity, challenge;

Hands pressed to the body - subordination;

Hands unbutton a jacket - openness;

Hands button up the jacket - protection, end of contact;

Release of the collar - thoughtfulness;

Hands rest, as when standing up - the desire to get up, to leave;

Rubbing hands - satisfaction;

A hand covering the mouth for a while - uncertainty, release from external pressure;

Stroking the chin, covering the mouth, touching the nose, rubbing, pinching or scratching the cheek, ear, eyebrows, touching or stroking the hair on the head - lying, confusion, embarrassment;

Propping the head - a desire for peace and security;

Resting the chin on the palm, with the index finger along the cheek and the rest below the mouth - criticality of perception;

Pinching the bridge of the nose - deep concentration, reflection;

Forehead girth – concentration;

Rubbing the forehead is an attempt to drive away obsessive thoughts;

Scratching the chin - making a decision;

Bending the ear - attention;

Scratching under the earlobe with the index finger of the right hand - doubts, uncertainty;

Pulling on the lobe is a desire to speak out yourself;

Raising your hand is a desire to take the floor;

Tapping fingers - impatience;

Tapping to the beat is a desire to gain the upper hand;

Irrhythmic tapping – discomfort;

Shaking off imaginary specks of dust is rejection;

Stroking objects is delicacy;

Playing with objects – nervousness, inattention;

Removing points is a desire to gain time;

A strong handshake means self-confidence.

Legs

Standing:

shifting - anxiety;

stepping over - impatience;

firmly on both feet - the desire for self-affirmation, defending one’s position;

swaying menace;

retreating - maintaining distance, desire to leave;

Sitting:

elongated - peace;

bent - readiness for action;

crossed or pressed against each other - helplessness, isolation;

spread apart - carelessness;

one on top of the other - carelessness;

on the edge of the chair - readiness to jump up;

turned towards the door - a desire to leave.

Frame

Turning away - the desire to leave.

Smile

Relaxed - recognition, agreement, encouragement;

Delanaia - hypocrisy, embarrassment;

Sugary - flattery;

Smile – skepticism, condescension;

A crooked smile is feigned politeness;

A grin is arrogance, deceit.

Other

The face turned red - excitement;

The face turned pale - fear;

Sweeping movements – confidence, openness;

Restrained movements - stiffness, caution, cunning;

Moving facial expressions – slight excitability;

Sedentary facial expressions – calmness, prudence, reliability;

Sameness of poses – coincidence of positions, presence of a common language.

In addition to visual signals, the agent also sends audio signals. He pauses, strums or taps some object, sighs, coughs, laughs. When an agent speaks, he changes the volume, timbre, and rhythm of speech. The client also pays attention to all this.

Inhalation means the desire to take the floor;

Sigh - boredom, regret.

Laughter

On “a” (“ha-ha”) - release from tension, agreement;

On "e" - arrogance;

On “and” - malice, gloating;

On “o” – surprise, doubt, mockery, protest;

Starting with “u” – fear.

The sense of touch is of great importance to the agent. For example, a handshake conveys a lot of information. People do not like wet, weak or, conversely, too strong palms. The agent should also remember that the client does not need to be patted on the shoulder, thereby demonstrating his own superiority.

People often get used to their own smells. A stranger will immediately smell a new smell in his office - kitchen, sweat, cigarettes, cologne or perfume. Of course, the most preferred scent is perfume. However, it must be used quite carefully - applied in small quantities and preferably several hours before the visit, so that there is no strong odor.

In general, information about a person obtained through observations of his facial expressions and behavior, as we noted earlier, is perceived mainly subconsciously. Only professional psychologists can control and understand most elements of human behavior. But a good agent is always a bit of a psychologist, and therefore he needs to know and be able to use the basics of behavioral language. An advertising seller must be able to hide his feelings or imitate unexperienced ones. This can be achieved if a person has the ability to recognize situations and adjust to them accordingly.

During the meeting, the agent should not allow actions of a negative nature. Perhaps the advertising seller has some congenital or acquired defects that cannot be corrected. You should not be embarrassed or highlight your shortcomings. It is worth trying to compensate for them by focusing on your merits, on what will make a favorable impression on the client.

It is also important not to give absolute assessments of external factors, to consider any aspect of behavior not separately, but in the context of the situation, in conjunction with what was said or shown, with other gestures, etc. As a rule, any expression or gesture is ambiguous, and therefore is always considered in complex.

When working on your appearance and behavior, you should look closely at people who have already achieved success. Most likely, they have a lot to learn from the point of view of the ability to “present” themselves.

When working on manners and gestures, it is also important for the agent not to overdo it, so that his appearance does not prevail over his performance. After all, he came to the office to solve the advertiser’s problems, not to demonstrate himself. And therefore, remembering all the important details, the agent should concentrate during the meeting on presenting his proposal.

On the eve of a personal meeting with a client, it is better for the agent not to consume heavy food or alcohol. You should get a good night's sleep in order to come to the advertiser's office cheerful, full of strength and energy. If you suddenly feel unwell, it is better to reschedule the meeting.

You should come to the client at exactly the appointed time. Although this is a truism, agents are often late for important business meetings, in general, because of little things. And punctuality is not just a show of respect for the client, it is also one of the factors in the sum of the components for a positive decision by the buyer.

The elder offers his hand when meeting. Therefore, it is up to the client whether he and the agent shake hands or make do with a verbal greeting.

It is initially better to address the client as “you” and call him by his first name and patronymic. Perhaps in the future he himself will offer to switch to “you”. It depends on many factors. Including how it is accepted in the client’s company. As a rule, the more dynamic the company, the more democratic its procedures and the less formalities in communication. However, in any case, the decision to apply is best left to the discretion of the client.

In the first minutes of being in someone else’s room, you need to get used to it so that, if necessary, you can move without problems and demonstrate visual aids.

Intimate (up to 60 cm);

Personal (60-120 cm);

Public and business (120–300 cm);

General (more than 300 cm).

During business meetings, of course, you should maintain a social and business distance. Do not move away, as if there is nothing connecting the client and the agent, and do not approach (unless the interlocutors are close friends).

The agent’s very entrance into the office, the office where the meeting is taking place, and movements around it should be calm, not reminiscent of aggression or intrusion. The client should always feel that he is the master of the space, the master of the situation, that the guest does not threaten him in any way.

Perhaps the client and seller will begin the meeting sitting in armchairs. However, it is better to present the proposal to the agent while standing straight on both legs, separated by 10–15 cm.

At the same time, it is better to keep your head straight, maintaining eye contact with the listener so that he feels that he is being addressed, and not to someone abstractly. Good eye contact does not mean staring or devouring. You don't have to look a person in the eye all the time. For good visual contact, you need to meet the other person's gaze 60–70% of the entire conversation. In this case, it is better to look not behind (through) the eyes and not between them, but into the eyes, to transfer your gaze from one eye of the interlocutor to the other.

Shoulders should be straight. Breathing is smooth and deep. Your arms can be lowered freely along your body. (You can also bend one at the abdominal area. Or bend both and bring them together in front of you.)

Before starting a conversation, you should allow the listener(s) to look at themselves for 15–20 seconds. Then, if possible, you can smile and... begin presenting the proposal.

At the very beginning of the speech, you should also try to win over the client by using an unobtrusive joke related to the case or the weather. You can say something frank about your feelings at this meeting. This approach helps to emphasize that the agent is the same person as the client and does not have any superiority over him (in practice, agents, unfortunately, often get carried away).

It wouldn’t be superfluous to say something like: “I’m glad you found the time...”, “I’m glad that you met halfway...”, “I hope that you will not regret the time you spent on me...”, etc.

However, you should limit yourself to one phrase - you can’t waste time.

The main thing is to maintain contact with the client throughout the presentation of the proposal. That is, the agent needs to constantly maintain his interest, focusing on relevant needs and problems. To do this, you need to use words that will attract the client’s attention - “you”, the client’s name, the name of his company, the name of the boss or owner, the name of the company’s products or services, the names of competitors, as well as the words “money”, “profit”, “efficiency” ", "success", "career", "journalists", "rating", etc.

If several client representatives are present at the meeting, then you need to address them as one person. Then each of them will feel as if they are speaking only to him personally.

A person must be in constant attention to what the agent says and shows. Therefore, an advertising seller should not read his prepared proposal, nor should he try to recite it after learning it by heart. In this case, the listener will have a question: “Why was it necessary to meet if it was possible to get all the information in writing and not waste so much extra time?”

However, quotes should not be avoided completely. Reading small references and figures gives the agent's information greater credibility.

And the agent himself must express complete conviction in the correctness of what he is expressing. Confidence transfers. If the advertising salesperson makes strong arguments, but in an uncertain voice, then the client may suspect that something was hidden from him. And he will either try to find out what exactly, or, without bothering himself, he will reject the offer.

Uncertainty is easily revealed by the use of pompous or hackneyed expressions when describing cases, designed to create a special impression, for example:

Agent:

“Our newspaper, the best not only in the region, but in the entire region, advertises to the most selected clients. We conduct great advertising campaigns. Many companies only dream of such results. And it costs us nothing..."

It is important to change the pace of your speech as you speak. This gives it expressiveness. At such moments, listeners become more animated and better perceive what is being presented.

The agent must keep in mind that the listener's attention level varies over a forty-minute period. At first he is tall. Then it slowly decreases over the first ten minutes. Then it quickly decreases until the thirty-fifth minute. And in the last five minutes it rises sharply, again reaching a peak.

Accordingly, the main facts that the listener needs to remember should be stated at the beginning and end of the speech. But attention will not increase at the end if the listeners are not aware that the end of the speech is nearing. That is, you need to say something like: “And in the last ten minutes we will talk...”.

In the middle of the speech (between the 10th and 35th minutes), you should in every possible way avoid monotony, which leads to boredom, insert more examples and interesting illustrations.

It is better if no more than one and a half hours are allotted for the entire meeting, including the presentation itself and subsequent discussion. This is the time during which people can concentrate on discussing problems with relative ease.

In the case of a long presentation - up to 3 hours - it’s a good idea to take one or two breaks of 5-15 minutes so that the listeners think about what they heard, exchange opinions and simply relax.

Typically, 20–40 minutes is enough for a high-quality presentation of a proposal.

The presentation of individual important points follows the same pattern as the proposal as a whole: announcement, story, summation of what has been said, for example:

Agent:

– Now I will show you the publication schedule...

– You see how publication dates are related to...

-Have you seen the graph that...

In this way, it is possible to increase attention and perception of important points. This applies to both large individual topics and specific points.

Throughout the presentation of the proposal, the agent should try to speak evenly and calmly, in a firm voice. It’s better if the tone is slightly lower than usual, then it sounds smoother, firmer and more convincing.

You should speak loudly and clearly enough so that every word is heard and understood. However, you should not raise your voice unless necessary. Also, don’t push the volume to the detriment of the duration of the sound. Usually in such cases unpleasant harshness occurs.

At the same time, the clarity of speech should be monitored. It will not do the agent any good if, during the course of the presentation, he mutters, speaks through his nose, stammers, clatters, squeals, gnashes, whispers, slaps his lips, deafens his speech, breaks off sentences, phrases, words; lower your voice at the end of each sentence, creating an atmosphere of boredom, chatter or, conversely, draw out your words.

Sluggish speech almost always indicates lethargy or laziness of the speaker. Listeners lose patience, waiting for the end of the statement and fearing losing the meaning. Haste and speed, caused by the speaker’s timidity or indifference, also irritate them. That is, you need to speak dynamically, but not quickly, giving the client time to perceive the information.

Being confident and persistent, the agent needs to remain polite and well-mannered. People don't like to be spoken to in a mentoring tone. Therefore, the agent needs to beware of using instructive and edifying notes, such as “I know what I’m saying. Listen and do...”

For better perception, the use of generally accepted images is very useful. For example, when talking about the consumer’s target audience, one can say “if the mountain does not come to Mohammed...”. In other cases, proverbs would be appropriate: “You’re chasing two hares...”, “If I knew where I’d fall, I’d lay down straws,” etc.

It is always better to speak in normal “human” language rather than in printed language. Even the text of a sentence written in advance will come to life if it is retold “in a human way.”

In order for the language to “come to life”, you need:

Use more verbs rather than nouns - they are specific;

Use less adjectives - they have a personal connotation;

Try to use active voice verbs more often than the passive. This is due to the fact that the passive voice has an impersonal effect. It carries minimal emotional load and creates a distance between the speaker and the listener.

Thus, the phrase “The schedule needs to be reviewed” will be perceived better than “the schedule needs to be reviewed.”

It is also preferable to do without the formulations “According to this one can understand,” etc.

It is better not to use large numbers such as 15,384,742 rubles or 38 ads in 1/32 for three and a half months (they are easier to show using visual means).

The subjunctive mood should be avoided: “I would like...”, “I would say...”, “I should...” In this case, a distance is created between the speaker and the perceiver.

Competent agents justifiably avoid “yakan”, i.e. words such as “I”, “me”, “mine”, etc.

During a business visit, you should not talk about your personal affairs and problems. Gossiping and displaying know-it-all behavior would also be inappropriate.

It would be correct not to use words such as “stupid”, “stupid”, “blunders”, “morons”, etc., not to mention indecent words. Sometimes indecent words and expressions are provoked by the client himself, who uses them freely on or without occasion. But you shouldn’t be like... Besides: “What is allowed to Jupiter is not allowed...”

You should also try to avoid foreign words. Not all advertisers know the words that an agent uses to “shine”. Without understanding a word, the client will most likely feel irritated.

Experienced agents correctly note that negative language should be avoided.

Example:“We will make a profit” is certainly better than “We will not incur a loss.”

The agent needs to talk simple sentences(from 8 to 15 words) without using “and”, “since”, “that”, “because”, “due to the fact that”, etc., etc. Such sentences are easy, without tensions are perceived.

Example:“Let's look at this graph. It is easy to notice some trends in it. One of them...” will be better than “Consider this graph, in which it is easy to notice trends such as...”

Simplicity must be maintained in the proposal itself. That is, use a clear word order in a sentence. The main verb should come first, and then all the details.

Example:“The graph indicates a drop in interest depending on the distance from the two main sales centers, as well as the preference for the eastern zone...” is simpler than “The graph indicates a drop in interest depending on the distance from the two main sales centers, as well as the preference for the eastern zone.” .

To avoid numerous digressions and clarifications, you can use phrases such as “in general”, “mainly”, “except”, “in particular”.

When presenting a proposal, it is important not to overestimate the knowledge of your listeners (as well as to underestimate it). Otherwise, clients may feel that the agent is “making” them idiots. It is not uncommon for advertisers to be unaware of terms such as "GPR" or "CPM."

Makes it easier to perceive information and use comparisons.

Example:“If your company is like a ship in the ocean of business, then advertising in our newspaper is your new big sail...”

“The goods will be sold like hot cakes...”

Metaphors should be used for the same purpose.

Example:“Wipe the noses of all your competitors...”

Example: You can say:

“Three publications of 1/8 of a page with an interval of two weeks will give us 30% coverage of the male part of the target audience...”

But it will be better for perception:

“To reach 30% of the men in our target audience, we will run three ads. The most suitable size would be 1/8 strip. Publications will be published at intervals of two weeks..."

In the course of presenting a proposal, it is useful for the agent to use rhetorical questions, that is, first pose questions and then answer them.

Example:“The question is: is print advertising really effective in this case? Yes, indeed, this can be seen from..."

“Will this problem be solved by posting videos on local television? No, because...", etc.

You should also ask routine questions to check the client's attention and determine whether he agrees with what is being said.

Example:“There are three large companies and about a dozen small companies operating in this market. The competition is more than worthy. Do you agree?"

By requesting a response, the agent builds support for his proposal from the client, thereby ensuring the client’s participation in its creation. That is, the proposal no longer becomes only the “business” of the advertising seller, but the joint work of the two parties. Naturally, after such “shared work” the chances of a positive commitment from the client increase.

The above questions, and similar ones, help the agent monitor the client's position on various aspects throughout the meeting.

After good, strong offers from a sales point of view, the agent should stop his speech and pause. This gives the client time to evaluate the importance of what was said. Pauses are like paragraphs in spoken text. For example:

Agent:

First of all, you are interested in your target audience. It can be reached through various newspapers in our region. Three newspapers: “Evening Dawn”, “Morning” and “New Day” - reach 35% of your audience. And our newspaper “Sun of the Plain” unites 42% of your potential buyers... ( Pause.) etc.

Benefits can be emphasized through a variety of effective approaches.

Using Questions

“Why are your competitors selling more? Because they use the capabilities of our newspaper in their advertising...”

“How else can you increase the number of buyers? By placing an advertisement in our newspaper..."

“Do you want me to talk about new effective ways to promote products in our consumer market?...”

Offering options

“Eight ways to increase sales of your products.

Usage imperative mood(no kinks)

“Place an ad and count your extra profit!”

Using a narrative opening

“Mr. Petrov was one of the smallest car dealers. And it seemed that nothing could make his company one of the leaders in our region, but he concluded a long-term and extremely profitable agreement with our newspaper...”

Using comparisons

In order for the presentation of the proposal to go in the direction the agent needs, you should constantly keep the thread of the conversation in your hands (own the initiative).

Agent:

Let's talk about circulation?

– Let’s discuss the quality of printing...

– Let's go back to sociological research... etc.

At the same time, it is necessary to control yourself and not “step over” into the command zone. The man doesn't like orders at all. The advertiser's representative puts up with the orders of his superiors, but he will rebel if an outsider tries to command him. So, the following phrases with a very high degree of probability may not be liked by the client.

Agent:

Buy this research now...

– You must place three advertisements...

- Ask your boss...

When working with visual aids, it is better for the agent to stand facing the client (client representatives), so that what is being shown is on the left. Accordingly, point to objects with your left hand while facing the audience.

It's best not to try to write or draw and talk at the same time. The speaker will be hard to hear. It’s better to silently finish or finish drawing and then comment.

After what is shown is explained, it is better to remove it (erase what is drawn). Otherwise, it will interfere with the perception of new information.

All complex illustrations and samples must be explained sufficiently for the client to understand.

Agent(pointing to the illustration): You see the number 15,897,000. That is, we practically have 20% of the market - 1/5. Is it a lot or a little? From the point of view of competitors - a lot, but from your point of view? Not enough...

If an agent uses a projector when presenting his speech, he must ensure that he does not block the screen. You should also not turn around every time you change frames to make sure that the illustrations are in the correct sequence.

It's important to remember that even interesting visual aids can hinder the presentation if there are too many of them or the agent uses them poorly.

Of course, presenting a proposal over the phone is more limited than presenting it during a meeting. The client can perceive it only by ear. Visual aids, gestures, and the agent’s appearance do not “work.” Only words and voice. And what the client may not have attached much importance to during the meeting may be noticed or noted by him during a telephone conversation as worthy of special attention.

When presenting an offer over the phone, the agent is limited in time. Therefore, it is important to prepare everything you need in advance. The agent should not be distracted by searching for information or any necessary items during the conversation.

You should have ready-made forms of all parts of the proposal, as well as all necessary materials and documents, clippings that may affect the client, reference books, reviews, paper, pen, clock, calendar, own schedule for the coming week, month, half year, year.

It is important to position yourself at the table and in the chair so that you can easily reach everything you need with your hands. Of course, first of all to the most important item - the phone.

Which side it stands on and which ear to listen to depends on your habit and the state of your hearing. There are considerations that it is better to listen to business conversations with the right ear, since information from this ear is perceived by the left hemisphere, which is responsible for logical thinking.

(Personally, I used both my right and left ear in various offices, I picked up the telephone receiver with both my right and left hand - as a rule, the choice was dictated by the location of the furniture in the office.

However, I felt best when my phone was on my left. He picked up the phone with his left hand, dialed the number with his right, looked up or wrote down something during the conversation.)

Of course, you should learn how to use your device in advance, and not try to master it while talking with a client. This is not at all an unnecessary remark, given that telephone devices are becoming more and more complex.

If you don’t have self-confidence before starting a conversation, then you can, as in a personal meeting, stand up and talk to the client while standing. It might make sense to simulate showing some visual aids while explaining them verbally.

It is said that the interlocutor can “hear” the posture in which the agent is during a conversation. Therefore, it is better for the advertising salesperson to sit and act as if he is speaking in the presence of the client. Then he will not suspect that the agent is distracted by something else while communicating with him.

To get rid of unnecessary anxiety, before picking up the phone, it is advised to take a few deep breaths and relax. It doesn't work for everyone, but it can't hurt to try. The main thing at this moment is to imagine a positive outcome of the conversation. As a rule, this inspires a call.

When sitting down to use the phone, you need to really assess your well-being and mood. If a person is healthy and in a good mood, then he is confident and convincing. Such an agent will “infect” the client with his optimism and confidence in profitable cooperation. Otherwise, it is easy to convey uncertainty, skepticism to the client, or even ruin the mood. It is clear that in this case it will be difficult to talk about further cooperation. People do not like to communicate with those on whom they need to spend their mental strength.

During a conversation, the part of the handset with the microphone should be kept as close to your mouth as possible. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for the interlocutor to hear. It is possible that you will not hear the agent at all, but some extraneous sounds.

Due to the specific nature of telephone communication, it is worth speaking more clearly into the handset than in a personal conversation. To make your voice more pleasant and lively, you can try singing it beforehand or drinking a glass of hot tea before speaking.

It's best not to try to have two conversations at once. As you know, “if you chase two hares, you won’t catch either.”

You should not try to cover the microphone with your palm when speaking to the side. It is also better not to eat or drink anything during a telephone conversation. Everything will be heard even through a hand pressed to the microphone. Therefore, you should not comment or discuss the client’s words until he hangs up.

The process of presenting a proposal over the phone should be shorter than presenting it during a meeting. This means that the agent does not need to say more than is required.

In accordance with the prepared proposal, the strongest arguments should be made and then the necessary commitment should be sought.

The greeting should not be drawn out. There is no room for pauses or waiting for a reaction from the client, who has nothing to react to yet.

It sometimes seems to new agents that the mere mention of the name of their popular newspaper causes the advertiser to shudder. And such a seller pauses during a telephone or personal conversation to give the advertiser the opportunity to “quiver.” But the advertiser is already accustomed to being constantly approached by representatives of various media mass media. And if he endures the agent’s pause, it is not at all because of “trepidation,” but simply waiting for what, in fact, will be discussed next.

Experienced agents know that it is generally unusual for an advertiser to pause. Having heard the word “advertising agent”, the client, bullied by an army of illiterate advertising salesmen, will try to use the slightest opportunity to say: “Thank you, we don’t need advertising...”

Therefore, the agent should, after quickly expressing a greeting, immediately move on to the question that is obviously of interest to the client. To prevent the client from interrupting the presentation of the sentence in the middle, it is worth making pauses shorter than usual. Stop only when the advertiser's statement is truly required.

If during the conversation the connection is interrupted, then the one who called first, i.e. the advertising agent, calls back.

If the other side unexpectedly hangs up, then the agent should think about whether he provoked such a course of events. Did he piss the person off with his own impudence, imposition of views, manners or vocabulary? If not, then you should try calling again in a few minutes, saying something like: “We seem to have been disconnected? The last thing we discussed was..."

It is possible that there really was a communication breakdown. The person may have hung up. And it is possible that over the past few minutes he has calmed down and will now be able to explain the agent’s mistakes.

It is also possible that the client will hang up again or stop answering the phone. At this point you can stop trying to cooperate with him. But if the advertising seller is not sure that this is a completely unsuitable client for a joint business, then it is worth making another attempt - sending your proposal by fax, regular mail or e-mail.

It happens that such a presentation of a proposal has to be resorted to at the end of a normal conversation. The client would like to consider the agent’s offer slowly and therefore asks: “Fax me your offer...”

It is possible that in this way the client simply wants to get rid of the agent. But in this case, the advertising seller still has a chance to awaken the client’s interest with his written proposal. In any case, it’s much better than hearing: “Don’t call me anymore. I am not interested in your services...”

If the presentation of the proposal was successful and the conversation is over, then the agent, having said goodbye, must wait - the client hangs up first.

The likelihood of hitting the right person right away is low. Clients who are tired of advertising agents often hide from them with the help of secretaries, other company employees and answering machines.

A competent advertising agent must be able to overcome all these “obstacles.” Having dialed the client’s number for the first time, he must be prepared for the fact that at the other end of the line there will be someone completely different from the one he needs, and the answer will not be what he would like to hear.

Perhaps the secretary or another employee will answer the agent:

– Mr. Ivanov is very busy now. Call back later…

- He's not in now. Call later…

- He's on a business trip. Call back in a week...

- He is sick. Exactly when it will be is unknown...

If a person is on a business trip or sick, he will have to wait. Sooner or later he will return to his place workplace. Even if the illness is serious, the company will hire another employee for this job - temporarily or permanently. And after some time, there will still be a person with whom you can discuss advertising issues.

If the person who “will be there later” does not show up at work on principle, it means that the employees of this company have an attitude not to contact advertising agents in general or with a specific advertising agent in particular. (Perhaps such behavior is generally the working style of this person. He enters into contact not of his own free will, for example, only by order of his superiors.)

In this case, you can try to say that there is very important and urgent information for the company:

- He’s not there? To whom then should this information be conveyed? Your company could lose a lot of money...

Perhaps the agent will be told:

– He no longer wants to deal with any agents...

– Unfortunately, our director no longer wants to work with your newspaper...

In this situation, you can try to call at lunchtime, when the secretary and other employees who answer the phone first are having lunch. Or try calling after official working hours or on Saturday before lunch. It happens that managers stay in their offices until late or come for half a day off to work in a quiet environment. And then, perhaps, the right person will pick up the phone himself.

To overcome barriers in the form of a secretary or other employees, agents have developed a lot of simple, but quite effective tricks.

EXAMPLE

You can simply ask the secretary:

– Could you make an appointment for me with Grigory Petrovich, or maybe you can put me in touch with him now?

You can try to simulate your close acquaintance with the client:

- Grigory Petrovich, please...

- Is Grisha at home? Please connect. Who is asking? Sergey Vasilevich. Don't you recognize?...

– Is Grigory Petrovich there? Connect with him immediately. This is very important for your company. On what issue? Grigory Petrovich knows on what issue...

- They asked me to call Grigory Petrovich... Who? Unfortunately, i do not know. They just handed me the phone. He is apparently waiting for this call...

- Grisha, is that you? Who? Ah, secretary. Please give me Grisha, and Grigory Petrovich for you, of course...

Of course, you shouldn’t resort to obvious deception, but sometimes you have to use certain tricks. After all, the client is unlikely to be offended by the way the agent got to him if he made a really good offer.

For “punchy” work, it’s a good idea to find out the name of the secretary or employee who answers the phone and address him by name. You can always resort to a business compliment:

– It’s nice that you are so dedicated to the company...

– Grigory Petrovich knows how to select employees...

– What are your responsible employees...

As a rule, the heart of any employee softens, and with him it is easier to find mutual language. Maybe not right away, but the employee will show you the way, how and when it is easier to contact the client: “From two to three you can find him in a cafe on the street...”, “Call at half past four, he picks up the phone at that time...” and etc.

The situation is more complicated with an answering machine – an inanimate thing. It's best to try to say on tape what the agent would say to the client in person over the phone. The message should be concluded by suggesting your own option for further communication, for example:

Agent(to answering machine):

Good afternoon, Sergey Ivanovich. You are calling from “Evening News”, advertising agent Sergei Petrov. I know that recently you are unhappy with the decrease in the number of customers in your stores. I have a few thoughts on how to attract new clients. I would like to present my thoughts in any form convenient for you: by phone, in the form of a letter or in a personal conversation. Unfortunately, I can't contact you right now. I'll call you back tomorrow at four...

If several such attempts have not yielded results, then all that remains is to send your proposals by letter (fax, e-mail) and, based on this message, try to make contact again. This can be done in the following form.

Agent:

Good afternoon, Sergey Ivanovich. An advertising agent for Evening News, Sergei Petrov, is calling you regarding an offer that I faxed to you. I hope you received it...

From the point of view of the first contact, a letter is perceived more easily by the client than a phone call or meeting. He can read it at any convenient time, in a convenient place, several times, in the absence of an agent waiting for a reaction.

However, not every piece of writing is effective. The desired result can only be achieved with the help of a letter that will really interest the advertiser. And preparing such a written message requires certain skills and effort.

First of all, it is based on a proposal worked out by the agent - introduction, main part and conclusion.

The appearance of the letter should not evoke despondency and should not indicate the efforts that will need to be made to read it.

To do this, it should look easy to read and concise, which is achieved by using simple, clear fonts and breaking the text into paragraphs, separated from each other by intervals of one or two lines, depending on the length of the entire text.

EXAMPLE

The lines of the letter in this case may look like this:

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

____________________

For the same purpose, a shift to the right of paragraphs containing additional information to the main idea will be used.

EXAMPLE

____________________

____________________

____________________

………………__________

………………__________

____________________

____________________

A written greeting consists of several elements: letterhead (an indication of the organization), the greeting words “Dear...”, the agent’s first and last name, job title, personal signature and date of writing.

Throughout the text, key words are highlighted that the client can glance at without reading the entire letter. To do this, you can use bold font, underline, ellipses, dashes, etc.

The letter can also be illustrated with graphs, drawings and photographs (Fig. 16), which, as is known, increases the level of perception of information.

Rice. 16. A drawing illustrating the difference in budget distribution and the benefits that the advertiser will receive

There is an opinion that short letters are read with more pleasure than long ones. In fact, the length of the message does not have a particular impact on its readability. Recipients enjoy reading long, interesting letters and do not read short, uninteresting ones. Therefore, the letter can be located not on one, but on two, three or four pages. As long as it stays on topic and fills the space with really useful information.

The most common and effective by postal letter is a two-page letter.

It is better to try to fit letters sent by fax on a minimum number of pages due to possible technical problems upon shipment.

Don't forget about P.S., or postscript. This is one of the most effective parts of any letter. This fact is explained by the specifics of the reader’s perception of the letter. As a rule, clients skim over the letter, snatching offset paragraphs, stopping at highlighted keywords and lingering at the end on P.S.

If the postscript manages to highlight the main idea of ​​the letter, then the reader can return to the beginning and read the entire letter.

You can also offer additional incentive in the postscript. For example:

« P.S. If you sign an agreement this week, you will significantly reduce your advertising costs without losing efficiency.”

« P.S. Of course, you are entitled to a test discount that other newspapers do not offer."

It’s worth “tinkering” with writing several versions of the letter. Firstly, several options will help you choose the strongest one. It will certainly contain the best arguments collected and successfully arranged.

Secondly, no two clients are the same. And therefore, it is better to prepare different options for different categories of your respondents, taking into account some specific features of the business area or the personal interests and preferences of the client.

In addition, if the agent did not achieve his goal with the help of the first letter, then after some time he can send a second, changed one, containing new, previously unused motives and arguments.

It is also important to choose an envelope and paper for an ordinary letter. It is known that cheap letters are simply thrown away unread. Expensive ones are stored for a very long time. That is, the quality, cost, and impressiveness of the letter are not things you should skimp on.

If funds or technical capabilities allow, then when preparing a letter it is worth using color, since two-color messages are usually more effective than single-color ones.

And keep in mind that a letter sent by regular mail is in most cases more effective than one sent by fax or email. This is due to the fact that regular writing allows you to influence the client’s vision, touch and smell. A letter sent by fax or e-mail affects only vision.

However, a regular letter is more expensive than one sent by fax or email.

An email is cheaper than a fax. In addition, the quality of text and illustrations when using e-mail is much higher, and therefore the level of perception is higher. (It is easier to send an email to clients. And for an advertiser who has computer mail at his disposal, it will not be difficult to send a small reply message. Convenience is determined by the specifics of electronic technology.)

How to convey information correctly and what it gives

Very often, in speeches, presentations, reports and conversations, we get bogged down in details, afraid of missing something important. And in vain: as a rule, in order to convey your thoughts to others, it is more important not what to say, but how.

The ability to present oneself is one of the main qualities of a careerist. How many times have you wondered why your less intelligent colleague is in such favor with his superiors just because he talks non-stop about his achievements?

Success is achieved by those who know how to interest their interlocutor. At the same time, the content of your message is not so important for the listener. And if you are pursuing the goal of charming your colleagues or partners and convincing them to make the decision you need, you should not be afraid to omit details that are not interesting to anyone. Instead, you need to generalize, reduce, and even speculate a little.

Highlighting the main thing, placing emphasis and making the complex simple - these are the secrets of successful
speeches or presentations. Don't be afraid to do this, and any listener will become yours.

Time is money

Not everyone has to speak in front of clients or colleagues as part of their job. That is why, having received the task from their superiors to create an effective presentation, many people fall into despair.

Employees with an analytical mindset experience particular difficulties associated with work that does not involve constant communication. Such people think that only logical argumentation can convince a person. They collect as much information as possible on the topic, organize it for a long time, and finally publish the data on 100 slides. Of course, this work, if used skillfully, will not go anywhere and will be useful to the employee in order to impress management. But if you decide to retell all the collected information from beginning to end, you will certainly “bury” your speech.

Your presentation should be short, interesting and understandable. Otherwise, you are only wasting your colleagues' time: they will forget most of the points you just talked about. Scientists have calculated that the listener perceives from 40 to 65% of the information that they initially wanted to tell him, and remembers even less - only 6-20%. Even if it is a written report, not every boss will study it from beginning to end - many just need to look at the last page.

What remains in the minds of your colleagues depends entirely on your ability to influence others. So don't put so much emphasis on the content: make it easier on yourself and shorten the speech, leaving the most illustrative examples.

True lies

“Public speaking does not always imply absolute honesty, and it is not important, unless we are talking about a scientific conference,” comments the head of the career counseling department of the Center for Humanitarian Technologies. — In other cases, it is not the content of the speech that plays a big role, but the speaker’s ability to convince the audience. A successful speaker is a kind of entertainer who must interest the audience and attract their attention.”

Besides, your truthfulness does not always help. “The director instructed me to make a presentation to partners in order to convince them to become sponsors of our project,” says customer service manager Anatoly Astafiev. — I thought it would be nice not only to talk about the advantages of our cooperation, but also about the possible risks of the enterprise. In my opinion, this will have a much greater impact on the client. After all, we are not trying to pull the wool over his eyes—on the contrary, we are honest to the extreme. At the same time, we show ourselves as a company that cares about its partners and protects its reputation. The boss approved of my decision, but ordered the presentation “without fanaticism.” As a result, I got so carried away that describing possible problems took almost half of the time allotted to me. Needless to say, what happened next.”

Lightness of Being

As a rule, people do not have the time, energy and desire to delve into details and strain their brains. Remember this. Show them what has actually been done, focus the audience’s attention on achievements. The more positive information you provide to the listener, the better. This rule is especially true when communicating with management.

“When I propose a solution to my boss, I never talk about how exactly I am going to solve the problem,” says marketer Evgeny Trofimov. “I’m just telling you what my decision will bring in the future.” The fact is that my boss is the busiest person in the world, and in order to steal a minute of his time, I need to sign up for a queue. I always pretend to be an excited employee with sparkling eyes, completely captivated by the idea. The boss is only pleased with this attitude towards work, and he agrees to my proposal.”

Creativity

Making your presentation easy to understand is not that difficult. “You can learn almost anything, and anyone can become a good speaker,” believes. — There are many rules for effective speaking, and they are all well known. Speak in short sentences “from yourself.” Prepare stories and anecdotes - the main thing is that they are relevant. Don’t forget about feedback from the audience, ask questions. It would be nice to accompany the speech with visual information.”

“Once I had to present the results of the department’s annual work to my superiors,” says PR manager Svetlana Kozhukhova. “I decided to make it fun.” For example, I had one slide where I placed cartoons of all the employees of the department, and at the bottom I signed the main achievement of each of them. I briefly noted the results, praised my subordinates, and even told a funny story about how my employees hunted for an important client and followed him at events. The boss laughed for a long time and promised to give us a reward for our special zeal.”

The era of logic and technical approach will remain in the past, and effective managers of the future will necessarily be creative, right-brain people. So, if you want to win the favor of your interlocutors, try to make friends with them and establish an emotional connection, instead of burdening them with complex details.

Take care of your listeners

I started writing a long preface to this article, and then I changed my mind - I agree so deeply with everything Eric Sink says that there is no point in a long preface. Everything Eric Sink says is correct. Do as he recommends and you won't go wrong.

At some point in the business of small independent software vendors, the customer exchanges money for software. No column devoted to the commercial aspects of programming can be considered complete without discussing this magical event.

Start

To begin with, I would like to define the terminology. Before a customer makes a purchase, I usually talk about there being a “gap.” This gap represents the distance between a potential buyer and your product, and looks something like this:

For the sale to take place, this gap must be filled. Until this happens, it represents the entire set of problems and obstacles that prevent the client from making a purchase:

• The client has never heard of your product.
• The client does not have enough information about your product.
• Your product is too expensive.
• To complete a purchase, the customer must obtain consent from two levels of management.
• The product lacks the features required by the customer.
• The product does not interact with other client programs.
• The product has not yet had time to “ripen” and does not meet the client’s expectations.

For your company to continue to exist as a business, it must find ways to fill this gap again and again. There are exactly two possible methods:

1. Offset product to the right. Tell the world about your product. Improve your product so people want to buy it.
2. Move the client to the left. Find potential buyers. Convince them to buy your product.

Let's start with the second method - how to lead a client to your product?

We reduce the distance and time of product delivery to the client

Last month we looked at a concept I called "gap":

Gap represents the distance between a potential buyer and your product. As long as the gap continues, the client has fewer programs and you have less money. For a sale to take place, the gap must be filled. Until this happens, it represents the entire set of problems and obstacles that prevent the client from making a purchase.

Sales Manager

As your firm's top sales executive, you must decide how to fill the gap. There are exactly two methods:

1. Offset product to the right.
2. Move the client to the left.

Last time we talked about “active selling”, or “client shift to the left”. Now we are talking about another way to fill the gap: shifting the product to the right.

4. How best to convey the offer to the client