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Archives: July 2010

Jul 6, 2010 0

Slide Action

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My recent re-visiting of one-off big presentation prep still being fresh in my mind, I was comforted to see that the renowned marketing blogger (and author) Seth Godin shares my presenting experience. A marketeer and salesperson agreeing is a rarity indeed. What a welcome change!

In his recent the 200 slide solution musing, he hopes that,

… this exercise will help you realize that you might not need any slides

What’s the exercise? It is that if you had a 40-minute presentation, how about writing 200 slides? That would mean one slide every twelve seconds. His thinking is that most people cram several points onto each individual slide. Surely it’s better to generate ‘action‘, by making each point a single, standalone slide instead?

He feels such an approach,

will pick up your energy and make your argument more coherent

It’s a neat idea. I’m highly anti-Powerpoint, so I too prefer to find alternative theatre to get what you need across. If you must use such slides, then a new slide each blink of the eye may well keep those prone to shutting their eyes awake for longer. Perhaps even just enough to embrace your pitch.

Jul 6, 2010 0

Brainstorming Myth?

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A recent meetings-bashing piece in the Guardian rams home the uselessness of meetings. They quote Applied Cognitive Psychology which finds brainstorming does not work.

Apparently “non-interacting individuals” in fact create better/more unique ideas. It struck me that there were a number of steers for salespeople to help make sure that those meetings at which you’re not in attendance, yet who’s outcome is pivotal, can be more rather than less productive to your cause.

They expand on their view using attractive terms for the anti-meeting lobby such as their “productivity deficit” and inevitable, destructive “social loafing”.

To back up the academic view with anecdotes, here’s their wonderful quote of a blogger known as the Jackal,

“A person with the power to call a meeting often does so to display that power … Generally speaking, these meetings are a complete and utter waste of time, with bad leadership, badly defined goals, no real agenda and lots of people speaking out of turn for self-validation. In my humble opinion, 90% of the time in today’s corporate world calling a meeting is an abuse of power.”

I also hope this doesn’t sound like the last meeting from your most recent sales campaign.

A tentative checklist emerges from further horror stories various meet-a-phobes recount of how to ensure a relevant and productive get-together. One facilitator quoted suggesting that businesses waste an average of 20% of their payroll on bad meetings. One day every single week, gone. Ouch.

  • ensure the meeting convener communicates why it is taking place
  • a meeting must have a clearly defined outcome in mind
  • is the decision sought already made, or information required already gathered?
  • can the message more simply be sent by email?
  • if you suspect any decision will be re-visited afterwards, how can you see this fall in your favour?
  • has the negative impact on ‘makers’ resource been considered (ie. do-ers as opposed to managers will have workload disruption)?
  • can the Chair rotate?

And finally here’s some terrific insight from the chap that was head of IT at Reuters. Imagine all the meetings that have to go on prospect-side to push your project forward. How many could suffer from the malaise he describes?

“I developed this theory that at the start of a project everybody’s playing towards collective success, and at some point they cross the line and from then on they’re playing to avoid individual blame.”

Jul 2, 2010 0

Cyclist’s Constant Reminder

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Mark Cavendish starts the Tour de France tomorrow aiming to win the Green Jersey. After 4,000km in 3 weeks, he came within a whisker of this last year, the prize for the top sprinter. In interviews on the eve of the race, he exudes a quiet, focused confidence, derived from now knowing what it takes to win through.

Dave Brailsford, the cycling über-coach (and of who’s fantastic methods I’ve blogged before) also reminded us all that winning in France requires depths of mental strength unimaginable to the general population.

In a fascinating insight into his British team’s preparations, as the Rotterdam start beckoned the riders were said to be incredibly relaxed. Apparently content that all that needed to be done was done so.

Rival team sprinter Cavendish himself was sporting a pair of specially commissioned cycling shoes and socks. They’re green. Whenever he needs his memory jogged as to why he’s going through such pain, he simply needs to look down to his pedals. A cracking motivator. One that won’t go away.

Jul 1, 2010 0

Local Chippy; Under New Management

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In Cape Town and seeking a warming late lunch, I wanted to avoid the storm. Irritatingly arriving just in time for my walk to the Green Point stadium for the Spain-Portugal last 16 showdown, I couldn’t face wandering far through the horizontal rain. In Sea Point I came across the Fish Cafe.

Feeling contemporary and clean, I thought why not? At R25, their hake and chips special felt great both in value and as the way of keeping out the cold, just as if back in England on a Winter’s day.

Having recently taken over from the previous owner, engineer-by-training John was wondering how to boost sales.

I admit I got excitedly animated as I riffed ideas to increase revenues. It’s amazing how a different perspective can re-invigorate. A mini-sales plan for new products emerged.

There was the menu. How can you move traditional fish ‘n chip fayre along? Do you go gourmet, like the Kiwi burger route? How about unusual, mixed offerings, akin to the London tapas scene the Spaniards are trendily re-shaping? John already knew that thinking up options to make him different was a key idea, so I told him the re-assuring tale of London’s delicious Borough Market doorstop-sandwich fish fingers.

Then there’s price points. What do people typically pay for lunch? What can be packaged together for that amount?

There was potential further renovations (to allow greater visibility of what they offer and sexy on-the-go seating) that John had also mulled over before.

And what about promotion? How is he fish-friendly? Can he drum home a sustainable sea approach?

Think of an offer. Even if it’s only “R5 off!” vouchers. Walk up and down the high street between 10 and 11 every day for a week. Approach every girl and ask what they normally have for lunch. Do they like fish? Fancy a change from muffins? Think of different approaches and practice with his wife. I guaranteed out of 100 women he spoke to, only one might be rude. And if they liked his food, tell their friends, if they don’t just tell him.

I could have planned all day. And tomorrow we conquer the world. Well, Sea Point at any rate. I’ll keep a look out for his progress and hope John does well. How many a sales territory could do with a similar snappy ideas injection?

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