Three Key Ways to Sell Your Ideas

I have been an ad writer, PR guru, author, reporter, editor, speechwriter and a spelling bee champon. I mean spelling bee champiion. Spelling been chimp? Okay I made that part up about spelling. But in my over 20 years of communication experience, I have learned one thing. It is not the years, it is the miles. Whoops - wrong lesson. That applies to raising kids.

I have learned that we are all in the business of selling ideas. Think about that. Well, not that HARD. I meant only for a few seconds.

But how often do you sell ideas to your kids, boss, spouse, neighbors... You sell ideas every day. So here are three key ways to sell ideas; they are based on 20 years of communication experience and selling scripts to publishers.

Think of an idea as a story. You have to set it up. Remember the basic plot. First you introduce the characters and storyline. That is the opening act and is necessary for your audience to understand what is going on. In the second act of any story, your hero must overcome objections, prove why he or she is worthy. And then finally, you must have a credible closing act that your readers buy into and accept. You sell an idea the same way. Introduce the idea. Let your audience become familiar with it. Then put the idea through obstacles, objections and let the reader see how the idea overcomes and triumphs over these obstacles. Then have a credible closing for your idea, a happy ending, let the audience see how much better they will be when they adopt your idea. Have a logical closing that the audience will accept as the whole plot has been building to the credible conclusion.

People are slow or quick. That sounds mean, but it is true, always consider who you are dealing with. Some people just can't think quickly or are adverse to making quick decisions. Throw a lot of facts, figures, stats, ideas at them and their mind kicks into overload and shuts down. Talk fast and they think you are slick. With these people, make one point at a time. Talk slowly. Make sure they understand it, let them ask questions. And only when they understand the first point are they able to move onto the next question.

The other type is the quick thinker. I have worked for many CEOs and they want you to get to the point. I have seen salesmen make PowerPoint presentations before a CEO and read each point aloud. Excuse me , but this person is a CEO because he is quick. He can read quicker than you can talk. I have seen CEOs excuse themselves from these meetings and never come back. In short are you dealing with a slow (methodical) thinker or a quick thinker who wants you to get to the point. You better know your audience or your idea will sink quicker than a lead boat.

Do not begin to sell any idea unless you have a thesis statement worked out. Remember your essay writing class and the teacher always demanded a thesis statement? The thesis statement would tell what the paper was about and why the reader should care. For instance, you can't walk into your boss and say "I want a raise. Now". That would be a dumb approach.

Think about it - Why do you want and deserve a raise? Prepare a thesis statement. "I would like to discuss a pay raise because I have increased my productivity by 20%, I have eliminated waste in my department and I have reduced expenses by 50. Plus I resisted your wife's advances at the Christmas party".

Remember - you sell your idea with a good opening thesis statement. Another example. Don't say.. "We need a new deck. " Explain why.' Honey, we need a new deck on the house as it will give the kids an extra place to play, when your relatives come over, they won't all be crowded in the kitchen and you can I can enjoy the outdoors as we watch the sunset and drink wine.'

There you go. Three key ways to sell your ideas.

I must end this as I have other things on my mind. If you wrap yourself in invisible tape, do you become invisible? Was texting invented by a mime as he could never leave a voice message. Why do all parents want their kids to go to a "good" college? Just want I would like to hear a parent say, " Jonny is not that smart, let's send him to a crappy cheap college."