In my first post on Presentation Tips from Shark Tank, we discussed how to personalize your message.
The second tip from Shark Tank is that People Buy You.
There is a familiar adage in sales and marketing that says, “You are not the message, you are the messenger.”
I couldn’t disagree more.
Have you ever been to a used car lot and been hounded by a slimy, annoying used car salesman? You can’t tell me that the salesman doesn’t affect the sale.
This principle is true across the board.
-The students buy the teacher first.
-The audience buys the presenter first.
-The shark buys the entrepreneur first.
So let’s change the adage – “You are the first message people buy and you are the messenger.”
On Shark Tank you will often hear the sharks say, “I love you and I would love to do business with you…” What are they saying? They are saying that they have bought into the entrepreneur, which is the most important part of the pitch.
I recently spoke for a company who sells products door to door. As I spoke to their sales team I emphasized this point buy personalizing. I said, “If you knocked on my door and I didn’t like you or trust you – you wouldn’t ever get a chance to tell me about your product. So the first thing we sell in any presentation is our self.”
So what do people buy? There is another familiar adage – “People do business with people they know, like and trust.” I disagree with this as well. It isn’t necessarily wrong – but it is incomplete.
The truth is people do business with people they know, like, trust and VALUE.
That is what people buy. So if we are presenting, selling, leading or teaching – we should ask the following questions:
– Do people like me?
– Do I connect well with others?
– Do people find me arrogant?
– Do people trust me?
– Do people sense that I only care about myself or do I show genuine care?
– Do others see the value I can provide?
– Am I someone people want to partner with?
As a presenter – we need to recognize that the first thing we sell is us.
Presentation Tip #2 from Shark Tank – People Buy You.
