“Shortcut” to Selling Great Ideas

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As someone in the selling/presenting “biz,” I work to stay up on the field’s trends, challenges, and innovations. Three challenges repeatedly hearedare (1) How difficult ti is to separate yourself from the crowd, (2) How hard it is to grab and keep attention, and (3) How tough it is to get people off the dime and actually buy your service, product, or ideas–which is why I am excited to introduce you to John Pollack. John is a former presidential speech writer for Bill Clinton whose latest book is Shortcut: How analogies reveal connections, spark innovation, and sell our greatest ideas. (If you read my monthly Metaphor Minute newsletter or know my book on selling with metaphors, The Tall Lady With the Iceberg, then you know why I am encouraging you to read this book.)

You can have the coolest technology and the most brilliant ideas, but if you cannot communicate them, you don’t have anything.

And, as Pollack so entertainingly demonstrates, if you are trying to innovate or change the world, mastering the art of analogy is even more essential. His lively, in-depth stories include how analogy thinking…

…helped protect Allied aircraft during WWII

…helped justify the war in Vietnam

…created the Ford assembly line

…enabled Steve Jobs to create and sell Apple

…color Super Bowl ads

…win, or lose, elections

…and much more

Connect the Dots

Pollack has five criteria for an effective analogy and he also takes a serious look at how analogies can be misused. That misuse notwithstanding, he writes, “The most persuasive people link conceptual “dots” in such a way that their audience suddenly grasps new connections and perceives deeper meanings—meanings that resonate as true, whether or not they really are. Of course, in a complicated world that is rife with disagreement, there will always be many tools to persuade people – logic, data, threats, money, sex, shame, violence, peer pressure and appeals to duty and idealism, among others. All have their advantages and disadvantages, but few are as elegant or as versatile as a powerful analogy. (Emphasis mine)

What conceptual dots can you be linking to engage, persuade, and move others to take action?

Anne Miller

Words Matter—Make What You Say Pay!

P.S. I am very proud that Metaphorically Selling (renamed The Tall Lady With the Iceberg in the 2nd edition) was a source for John and is included in his bibliography.) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Shortcut” makes the case for analogy. “The Tall Lady With the Iceberg” shows How to Develop Analogy/Metaphor Power to Sell Your Best Ideas Now Available in print, on Kindle & as Audiobook

The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: the power of metaphors to sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone.

“Filled with fresh thinking, this book should be a “must read” for all salespeople and business leaders who want to take their communication skills to the next level.”

-Jill Konrath, Author, Agile Selling.

A Top Sales Book of the Month by Top Sales World

Need More Presentation/Demo Power for Yourself or Your Team? Call today and learn how to turn information that tells into a story that sells. 212-876-1875 amiller@annemiller.com