Every day you are asked to present your product or service to people who are pretty bored of the same old advertisements, cold calls, and marketing tricks.
Although there are those few who are going to buy no matter what (those metaphorical ‘A-students’), the rest are really waiting for you to show them something that will blow their minds and make it impossible for them to say no.
Enter the pirate.
David Burgess is a pirate…and a teacher. But mostly, he is an enthusiastic presenter with a thumb on the pulse of keeping an audience engaged and asking for more. His book, “Teach Like a Pirate,” and his unique education style have earned him numerous teaching awards, including the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences Secondary Teacher of the Year (2014 BAMMY). Teachers who use his unique methods of capturing an audience’s imagination and making them personally invested have led to great successes in the classroom.
And of course, these principles bleed over into the sales domain.
A 2013 survey from Gartner of over 500 companies in North America, China, and Europe suggested that buyers aren’t placing as much value on interactions with sellers as in the past—and that these days, customers tend to dictate and guide how external salespeople fit into their pipelines. The survey also suggested that:
“Sales presentations have the biggest impact when buyers are focused on evaluating and engaging, or when buyers are looking to deepen engagement and experience. This means that in the future, sales presentations should not be used as the primary tool by sales to educate the buyer, but rather as way to develop a custom interaction above and beyond what they can find on their own.”
(“Gartner Says Sales Organizations Must Upgrade Skills and Processes to Meet B2B Technology Buyer Expectations,” Gartner Newsroom)
By the time you reach a sales presentation, your client has probably already done homework on your product. It’s not the time to regale him or her about benefits, features, or a company overview. This is the time to create an engaging, interactive experience that will allow the prospect to learn something that they couldn’t learn on their own – a process that allows you to develop a presentation that sticks in their mind for years to come.
The Three-Ring Circus
Burgess talks about the three-ring circus of teaching, which can also be compared to the three-ring circus of selling. First is the content. This is your basic product knowledge including the benefits, features, and pricing for your business. Second, Burgess talks about technique. This includes your ability to overcome concerns, empathize, and provide additional value for your product. Thirdly – and most important – is the presentation. And this, according to Burgess, is the area where people tend to fall on their faces.
“With two totally different presentations on the same material – one can put you to sleep and one can draw applause. It’s the presentation, the third circle, that makes the difference.”
(“Teach Like a Pirate,” TEDx Talks)
Creative Enthusiasm
“Creativity is open and available to anyone who actively engages and immerses themselves in the creative process. And the creative process is nothing much more than the process of asking the right questions.”
(“Teach Like a Pirate,” TEDx Talks)
One of the key areas that Burgess suggests is to embrace creative strategies for getting people involved in your presentations, which comes from asking the right questions. Some of the questions that Burgess shares are:
- What is the best location to make this presentation?
- What can I wear that will inspire interest or start a conversation?
- What artistic or hands-on elements can I include that will get people involved?
- What tactics can I use to inspire suspense? Intrigue? Laughter?
- How can I make this a presentation I could sell tickets to?
Then, work to develop an enthusiasm for both your client and your product that leads to open conversation, deep thinking, and “life-changing moments.” These are the things that will stick in the minds of your prospects long after you’re gone.
Use the Ultimate GPS system
“For a GPS to work, you have to know where you want to go. But, your GPS also has to know where you are now. Without those two things, you’re not getting to where you need to go.”
(David Burgess, “Teach Like a Pirate Challenge,” YouTube)
You have to know where your prospects are now and where you want them to be in the future relative to your product. Engage your potential clients and find out what drives them. What are the key risk factors for them when making a buying decision? Where do they see their business in the long-run? It’s only when you truly know their needs and where they are headed that you can plan a presentational route that gets you both where you want to go.
Be Like Malcolm X or Bruce Lee
“I have a Malcolm X, “by any means possible” attitude about my classroom. If I can find something that’s going to engage kids, then I’m going to use it. Whenever you see something that’s engaging a large number of people, then you should relentlessly seek ways to add that element to your class.”
David Burgess (GamifiED OOC, “Teach Like a Pirate! Passion and Teaching!!” YouTube)
Burgess suggests that people should be more like Malcolm X and Bruce Lee because they were willing to get outside of their comfort zones and learn disciplines that were different than their own. Using creativity to plan and develop a good sales presentation means using what works to grab attention and make people think, regardless of where it’s found. Do you love watching those viral videos where people use silence and white boards to tell their message? Try it. Pirate sellers aren’t afraid to fail. They’re too busy finding new ways to be more successful.
Take Risks
“I think that’s what we need in education – teachers who are willing to take a risk. Teachers who are pirates. People who are willing to sail into uncharted territories and uncharted waters with no guarantee of success. A map won’t do it in today’s world. What you need is a compass and some guts.”
(David Burgess, “Teach Like a Pirate Challenge,” YouTube)
Doing the same things that you’ve always done will get you what you’ve always gotten. Selling like a pirate means taking risks, trying things that you’ve never done, and making mistakes along the way. Although this might mean that you don’t always succeed in getting the sale, it means that you’re learning how to adapt, evolve, and create presentations that make your company stand out as innovators. All you need is some guts, an ability to learn from mistakes, and a good sense of direction and you can get close to that magical 100% close rate that many people never see.
Be Fearless.
Burgess’s ideas for inspiring and engaging presentation may be outside of the traditional sales box, but they are just innovative enough to keep virtually anyone on the edge of their seat. When applied to your sales presentations, these tactics make you look creative and confident, which has sometimes shown to be more important to making sales than even content knowledge. In addition, they set you and your business apart as innovators willing to risk it all for the benefit of your clients.
But the most important reason to sell like a pirate? You know that finally you are doing something that your competition is never going to be able to match: sacrifice good enough in order to approach greatness.