Comments on: Do We Talk Too Much?

By: Victoria Suominen

Victoria Suominen — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:56:21 +0000

Marksha, If I might answer your question – My first slide is a photograph of our building on a sunny day with the company logo overlaid in the center. I turn on the overhead before the meeting starts and leave it on. When the presentation begins, my next slide is a simple but tasty-looking flowchart showing the relationship between my company and the client company. Put your favorite ORIGINAL catchy phrase at the bottom, which says how the client plus your company equals success. Then, start your factual presentation based on the RFP (request for proposal). BRIEFLY review the client requirements, name the components of your system that meet them, and then emphasize customer service. Then shut up and engage the client. My presentation is never more than 20 slides MAXIMUM. Remember, the MIND can only absorb what the BEHIND can endure. 2 hours is max, so keep your presentation to less than 30 minutes and spend the next hour letting the client show you how to close the deal. Cut the meeting off BEFORE you reach 2 hours. If the client is excited, they will want to meet with you again.

By: Victoria Suominen

Victoria Suominen — Thu, 07 May 2009 08:45:16 +0000

Excellent blog. My sales dramatically increased when I shortened my presentation and asked the client how the product/service would benefit them. One question led to another. An experienced salesperson will tell you that it takes, on average, five attempts to close a sale before the deal is made. My sales experience was invaluable for my work later on as director of R&D for a technical firm. My presentations were brief, contained the pertinent information, and that left room for engaging the client as well as enough “breathing room” for the client to think. When a client thinks, it builds confidence because the product/service isn’t being shoved down their throat. If you listen carefully, a client will actually tell you what you have to do to close the sale. Sellers book “How to Close a Sale” is worthwhile and an enjoyable read as well.

By: Laura Bergells

Laura Bergells — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:03:34 +0000

Know a gal in PR — we call her “MiMi”.

It’s not her real name. It’s just that she can’t open her mouth without saying, “Me Me Me Me…”

Not a great listener, our MiMi. And a frequent interrupter.

On the other end of the listening spectrum, a client frequently asks me, “Are you still there?” when I’m listening to her on the phone.

I’m listening to her as she talks, so I’m not talking. This freaks her out, every single time.

She’s used to be interrupted. Constantly.

And of course, there’s every kind of listen/talk ratio along that spectrum!

(I probably should say “Uh-huh and mmm-hmm” more. Cell phones being what they are and all. Or get all Frasier and say, “I’m Listening”!)

By: Share Inspiration — AriWriter

Share Inspiration — AriWriter — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:39:01 +0000

[...] David Mullen´s last blog post..Do We Talk Too Much? [...]

By: Jen Wilbur

Jen Wilbur — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:03:55 +0000

Great post David, and a wonderful, thougthful reminder. This subject is one of the aspects of being a sole practitioner that really works for me. At agencies, I always felt like new biz pitches were sales jobs – and often success was quantity v. quality. Get the account! But, is it a good fit? Who cares, get those billings up!

As a solo PR pro, my first meetings with potential clients are filled with questions. I do research ahead of time, but I still inquire “from the mouth” info on challenges, strengths, competitors, etc.

I also like to ask questions that give me a sense of the company’s culture, too.

I love to talk (maybe a little too much), but I learn nothing if it’s just me.

The balancing act can be tough, but beneficial on both sides.

By: Melanie Thompson

Melanie Thompson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:09:48 +0000

I think the talk about yourself too much syndrome escalates as you move up in the ranks. Senior leadership gets so used to talking about themselves day after day that it becomes almost second nature. I’m not bashing leadership by any means. I think it simply comes with their job. But what will turn a good agency from a great agency is taking a second to pause and think of questions you can ask. It is fighting nature, but it wil pay off in the end.

By: Lara Kretler

Lara Kretler — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:39:44 +0000

Great post and comments as usual, David. Now here’s a question – say you’re going to talk more about the prospect or client than about the agency (80-85%), but you do still want to give them a little agency info (15-20%). Do you start with the client info and close with your info, or the other way around? This is something I wonder about every time we do a presentation.

By: Marshka

Marshka — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:49:21 +0000

Yes, good post, I’m really thinking much about this these days as I find my ghost-blogging position typical of what my I think my PR agency sold to its client. I can even figure out the meeting
PR agency – “so THIS is the web and YOU are here (somewhere NOT on the picture), we will get you IN the pic”
firm – “ow, but I…”
PR agency – “Yes you’re RIGHT, but we are RIGHTER !”.
As a result, after a month working on the ghost-platform for the firm, I can say it is totally irrelevant, and worst, I still don’t know what was the intention at the first level, and I’d say my Pr agency doesn’t know it either cause they didn’t listen.
Another connection, as I’m a reader of many psychoanalysis book, I’d say those firms willing to have some work done by a PR agency are actually like patients (not crazy patients, just patients having questions, as you say “that wake them up at night”), the PR agency being a psychoanalyst not listening to it (often the case) and edicting a treatment irrelevant to the “problem”.

By: Danny Brown

Danny Brown — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:54:12 +0000

Superb advice, David.

Let’s face it – you’ve been invited to pitch because the potential client already knows a bit about you. So why not go in, ask them what their ultimate goal is, what timescale is involved, what market they want and then say a simple phrase:

“Okay – let’s sit down and work together to create something great.”

The key phrase is TOGETHER – if the client wants to know about your expertise in that field, you can be sure they’ll ask.

Besides, how are you ever going to really know what your client wants if they never get a chance to speak?

By: Wendy Boyce

Wendy Boyce — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:53:41 +0000

Great post – and VERY true. When I do initial meetings with new customers – I generally make them talk about themselves, their business, goals, their roles and such… For me, the best way to develop a new relationship is to LEARN about my customer and what makes them tick. They need to know they are important part of the puzzle.

The best is when I catch them off guard because they think I’ll do all the talking. Always makes me smile.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!