I have to admit it . . . I joined the legions of people over the past few weeks that went to see Star Wars. You know, an entertaining movie can teach us a lot about communications and selling.
For example:
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When people experience a movie they enjoy, they don’t stop thinking and talking about it when the movie ends. The movie and story get into their heads, and they keep thinking and talking about it long after the event.
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Same goes with experiencing a memorable character. The place went up for grabs when Hans Solo (Harrison Ford) made his appearance. People love that character!
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The director tried very hard to impress us in terms of audio/visual. He moved us through music, sound, lighting and special effects.
It may seem like a stretch comparing a blockbuster movie like Star Wars to your next sales meeting, but in reality, while there is a difference in scale, all of the high leverage elements are exactly the same.
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As salespeople, like a movie director, it is our job to deliver a presentation that moves the buyer emotionally, sticks in his head . . . one that he keeps thinking and talking about long after we have left.
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Like a great character, we need to deliver passion and excitement to the client experience, personally . . . hopefully lifting the buyer’s spirits in ways he enjoys and will therefore want to experience again as a client and friend.
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And in terms of more formal presentations, we need to be sure our special effects, i.e. PowerPoint, the setting, lighting and mood, are absolutely top notch in all regards.
At the end of the day, movie producers are just like us . . . they are selling something . . . their movie, and at its best, movie making is inspiring, emotionally charged and magical. Great selling is exactly the same!
