I am getting myself into the corporate market full time (right now I am still doing some kids shows) and was wondering if anybody out there has ideas about sales meetings - i.e doing a presentation for them.

How do you go about it? Any recommendation for literature to study? Should I have my own "sales" program or do they tell you what would they like to communicate to their people? Also what is a proper pricing for let's say 1 hour presentation?

Any help & feedback is welcome!

Thanks!

bond

Why sales programs?

Do you know anything about sales?

I work these types of events a lot!

85% of the time, they are not looking for a "sales" message but rather an entertaining diversion to break up a boring day of charts and graphs!

Those who do want a message attached will explain exactly what they want you to communicate. Working trade shows is good ground work in adapting material to a specific message. Check out Steve Hart's http://www.magic2motivate.com for info about this area of magic and some effects that are really easy to adapt to a sales message!


Lyndel

As above. Do you know anything about sales that qualifies you to teach on the subject?

GH

I have opened this can of worms before, I hope you have better luck than I do LOL.

Last answer I got was that they were a magician. Not this person mind you but the collective seemed to think that was enough.

Recommend NOT doing business with Steve Hart

I placed a small order with Steve Hart which was not shipped until I emailed twice about the status after waiting two weeks


When the order arrived it was not complete
(replying to the second email Hart said he "thought" he may gave shorted me)


I've emailed 4 times since and even after by his own admission the order was not filled he has not responded to any emails nor has he made good on the missing portion of the order


BUYER BEWARE

Please forgive me hijacking your thread but wanted to share my experience

I do these. You better know your stuff!
A few questions to ask yourself:
What experience do you have in sales?
What do you want to "teach" them?
How many books have you devoured on the subject?
How many tape or CD sets have you heard?
What do you offer different?
What do you know about relational selling?
Yes, sometimes they want a diversion from a day of lectures.
Why should I, as a sales manager, hire you?

The fees can be fabulous but it depends on the size of the group...is it local...is it a national meeting...a lot of varients play into price and presentation.

That is one of the major problems for qualified speakers, trainers and entertainers today....someone looks at a market and says I can do that. They have no groundwork....they buy someone's "created-for-an-income" presentation in a box and they think their an "Instant Guru". The people I know in the business are too busy working to sell you the "Secrets" of their business. Why should they "give you" their secrets of success? Just to be a nice person?

The best advice is the learn all you can about the market. Gather your OWN thoghts on the market. Don't be afraid to stink before getting good. Give it away until someone offers to pay. If you're good, they will! Remember no market is built on a "kit". It's built on EXPERIENCE, REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE!

Book suggestions: Go to a major bookstore and buy several great sales books. Read at least 2 sales books a week. One of my favorite is Jeffery Gitomer. Read some of the classic sales books. Read the trade publications. Ask salespeople, "What's the best book on selling you've ever read. A lot don't read. Most entertainers don't read. And they ask themselves why they earn so little?

Hope this helps!
John

Good advice from John Cooper! Read it several times.

Jim

“Able to leap from kid shows to corporate-sales in a single bound!”
Only Superman can do that sort of thing, not mere mortal magicians.

Those who make the leap, rather than taking teeny-tiny baby steps,
not only blunder, but when they fail, make it hard for the trained performers,
who have worked this market for their bread-and-butter for years.

A “course” won’t give you a quick-fix either…
No more than a foot-doctor can take a weekend course to do eye-surgery.

Please have a care for the corporations and corporate performers,
and do this with precision, care, thoroughness, and slow progression.

It is a steep and long road from the birthday parlors to the boardrooms.

My two-cents,
Walt

Another mistake I find in clients websites: Trying to be EVERYTHING to EVERYBODY!
A corporate client isn't looking for some who entertains in daycares, performs in libraries, schools or churches. They look for a specialist, not a generalist.

Some clients who come to me have websites that make me wonder how they sell any business. Their websites contain: Corporate pages with 15 topics (yes, I'm an expert on any business topic...Sure you are...), daycare pages with 8 programs, school pages with 6 programs (Most of which are listed on 100 other entertainers websites)(Hint: At least change that title on that show-in-a-box you bought!) and church presentations.

Do I present in schools? Yes! Do I present in corporate America? Yes! Do I present in churches? Yes! Will you ever see them on the same site? NEVER!!! I even have websites & blogs for certain presentations. Can you see other offerings? NO!

It's all about the selling presentation. What are you selling? Most entertainers sites make me say, "Who knows!" The water is too muddy. Can't see the offer or benefits.

Some of you will get what I'm saying and others will just say, "Huh?"

Hope This Helps The Ones That "Get" It!
John Cooper

Solid Advice from solid pros!





Thinking of YOU and Your Success,
Deano (IN the LAX airport, JUST having done another one) in Reno
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James,

I am a full-time salesperson, and was in management for 11 years prior to that. The following is taking into account that your would be incorporating a sales message within yor presentation, or requested to do as much. IF you have previous sales/management experience, use your experiences as a starting point.

I have given speeches/presentations a number of times over the years, not using magic/mentalism as a vehicle. Every one of those started with my experiences with customer service, management style, effective coaching, etc. With some thought and many drafts, you can incorporate those into a streamlined presentation.

IF you do not have the sales or management experience, and want to learn more, talk with salespeople, managers and the like. Just ask them the appropriate questions about themselves, etc. It is amazing what you will learn!

The Gitomer books are an excellent resource. Written very consisely, and has much inspiration to get your creative juices flowing. David Schwartz, Zig Ziglar, all great resources.

Take your time. There is nothing worse that speaking in front of sales people if you are not fully prepared. They are a surly bunch (speaking from experience).