1: Advertising legend David Ogilvy was a maverick.
“Unlike the typical, predictable, and egotistical advertising that most agencies produce to promote themselves, David ‘gave’ his genius away,” Jeffrey Fox writes in How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules for Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients.
David didn’t beat his chest and proclaim the greatness of his firm Ogilvy and Mather.
“Instead of writing about himself,” Jeffrey notes, he “gave away how to do what his agency did.”
He ran an ad titled “How to Write a Corporate Ad.” He provided an accurate, detailed road map for copy points, layout, typeface, and mistakes to avoid.
Another advertisement read: “How to Make a Television Commercial,” which outlined David’s strategies and secrets.
What did David know?
That there is a tremendous difference between sharing how something is done and doing it. Let alone doing it well.
“If simply showing how to do something well were the answer,” Jeffrey notes, “then simply watching Picasso paint or Roger Federer play tennis or Julia Child make a soufflé would make everyone experts on everything.”
We give. And we get.
David’s ads “gave away” his valuable knowledge and expertise. What did he get in return? Clients.
2: “The Rainmaker gives to get,” Jeffrey explains.
In selling, when we give something, we will likely get something in return.
“The customer knows we are salespeople,” he observes. “The customer knows we are in business. The customer knows that we make our living by providing our products to solve, if possible, the customer’s problems.
“The customer is ethical (otherwise, be careful). The customer wouldn’t be seeing us if we weren’t ethical. The honest customer knows that they can’t get something for nothing (even if their negotiations might suggest otherwise).
Jeffrey explains:
• “If we give a sample, get an agreement to test.
• If we give a product demonstration, first get an agreement to buy if the demo proves the product works as claimed.
• If we give a brochure, get an appointment.
• If we give a discount, get more volume.
• If we give a free drink, get a next dinner.
• If we give a favor, get a due bill.
• If we give a solution, get paid.”
3: Because “presentations, demonstrations, and engaging trade-show booths are a waste of money,” Jeffrey observes, “if they are not accompanied by a practiced, proactive strategy to get the customer to buy.
“Some salespeople present and hope the customer decides to say yes.
“The Rainmaker presents and helps the customer to decide.”
More tomorrow.
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Reflection: Am I giving enough? Am I getting enough?
Action: Journal about my answers to the questions above.