What You Can Learn From The Movie Business

Maybe everything you need to know you can learn from the movies. A friend of mine is a screenwriter in Los Angeles. Over a glass of wine, we were discussing his business and the nature of the beast in Hollywood. He's a boy from Canada who gave up his much-loved Honda, his life savings, and his broadcasting career to move to Los Angeles to attend the American Film Institute. Not an easy feat in your mid-30s. After 8 years of hard work he is now becoming the new discovery of LA. He said the most difficult thing to adjust to was all the talking.

Collin slouches into his chair. "Everyone lies in this business. It's all big Cheshire cat smiles ? but essentially people have the 'Enough about you ? more about me' mentality." After our conversation I thought about his last statement.

Are You On A Blind Date With Your Customer?

We tend to love what we do. So we get all excited about it and then proceed to tell everything about ourselves to the potential customer. It just reminds me of a really bad date! A one-sided conversation becomes tired pretty quickly. Customers feel like they are on a bad blind date with you if there isn't a connection to what they need.

Minus the cynicism, our clients are also thinking like the Hollywood set, "ENOUGH ABOUT YOU blabbing about all the wonderful things about your company, your product, your requirements. MORE ABOUT ME ? and what I need to survive and thrive!"

The Helium Test

Are you talking your face off when you are speaking with your client? When they ask you on the phone what you have to offer ? do they hear a massive intake of air and then you giving your best "I just sucked in helium and can talk really fast" act?

If so ? you aren't making a connection with your customer. You sound like everyone else, you act like everyone else and you aren't positioning yourself as someone who can help. Because at the end of the day ?what you really do is HELP PEOPLE. The only way this is accomplished is by discovering what your customer needs and researching other areas of need ? areas your customer may not even have thought of yet!

Questions Are The Answer!

Sounds like a paradox doesn't it? In order to help your customer you first find out what they need. Or THINK they need. Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Princess Leah in Star Wars said "Instant gratification doesn't come fast enough. " Now for a girl with cinnamon buns attached to the side of her head this is a pretty profound statement.

Your customers are demanding instant gratification. They want their needs met. In most cases, it just isn't happening. The first thing out of your mouth should be "May I ask you a few questions?"

Remember W5?

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How are the foundation of selling. Customers buy when they feel an emotion NOT when they've had information dumped on them. How do you do this? By asking questions! Our customers become engaged when they feel curiosity?NOT boredom.

Our customer contact should be handled with this premise ? Create Curiosity With Questions.

Would the Academy Want You?

Create your own Academy award winning sales success by talking less and listening more. As Collin says, the best agents ask a multitude of relevant questions. Then they listen to the answers and make it happen. Are you acting like a star with your clients or are you being an agent? Your success lies in the answer.

Copyright© 2005

Sales Diva, Kim Duke of The Sales Divas helps women biz owners and entrepreneurs attract amazing clients and customers, effortlessly! To learn more about increasing YOUR sales - and to read her FREE how-to-articles, visit her website http://www.salesdivas.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


The Dos and Donts of an Elevator Pitch

The dreaded question: "What exactly does your company do?" It's... Read More

3 Tips to Get Clients Now

"I need more clients!" wails Steve, a 32 year old... Read More

The #1 Lead Generation System of Top Sales People

Developing an abundant supply of targeted referrals is the number... Read More

Bite Your Tongue

Most people don't realize how powerful a negotiating tool silence... Read More

7 Phrases You Cant Say in Sales

7 Phrases You Can't Say in Sales (Because They Will... Read More

Do You Know the Emotion Behind the Objection?

Prospects have many reasons (you might think excuses) for not... Read More

Less is More: Quick Tips to Improve Your Sales

I'll be brief. If not ? I'll negate my own... Read More

7 Ways to Get to the Truth: When the Sale Disappears

Based on his most recent e-mail, "Everything looks good --... Read More

Sell Without Feeling Like A Used Car Salesman

Many business owners and professionals are appalled at the thought... Read More

Psychology of Converting a Prospect to Money

If you want a truly successful business, you need to... Read More

One Simple Persuasion Secret That Will Blow The Roof Off Your Sales

The next time you're shopping for clothes in a department... Read More

How To Win Business By Networking

In sales we do tend to become focused upon our... Read More

How To Achieve Excellence In Sales

Most people are always striving to better themselves. It's the... Read More

How A Dancing Horse Can Increase Your Sales

"Yeah right!" I thought to myself as I started to... Read More

Is It Time To Rethink Your Sales Training Program or Is Your Sales Training Delivering Results?

Sales is still a must for any company who wishes... Read More

How To Go Perpendicular In Your Sales Territory

First and foremost are you thinking Strategically? "Do you have... Read More

How To Give Your Sales Job A Strategic Tune-up

In happens every year in June.Six months down and six... Read More

Three Types of Salespeople

"There are three kinds of salespeople; those who make things... Read More

10 Power-Packed Ways To Spark Your Sales

1. Spend money on targeted advertising instead of mass media... Read More

How One Simple Concept Can Increase Your Sales

We all want to belong. As humans we feel the... Read More

How to Build a Repeat Client Base in Automobile Sales

Here is a question I recently received from a young... Read More

Customers Do Not Know How To Ask Good Questions ? That Is Your Job

Customers will ask you a question and you'll proceed to... Read More

The Unmentioned KEY to Selling

PEOPLE DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE THEY KNOW, LIKE, & TRUST.... Read More

How To Attract Buyers Using The Right Sales Terminology

It is always important that you use the right terms... Read More

Shout At Your Customers - Theyre Hard of Hearing!

Some people say we live in the Information Age.I call... Read More

How To Write A Solution - Savvy Sales Letter to To Get Clients

Too many sales letters are shaped into paper airplanes and... Read More

Making Sales is Easy When You Learn How to Make Friends

Friends buy from friends. Why? Because people trust that their... Read More

Cross-selling for Increased Sales, Profits, and Customer Satisfaction

Cross-selling - the art of selling for non-salespeopleCross-selling is the... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 Sales Marketing Tricks To Explode Your Profits

Sales marketing online is an art that you must keep... Read More

Selling White Space

Almost all Internet Marketers have a basic idea of what... Read More

The Top 7 Sales Blunders

We all make mistakes when selling our product or service.... Read More

Grrr! Why Arent I Making SALES?!

Selling online can be very difficult, more difficult than in... Read More

Make Your Referrals Count

Just because we receive a referral, it doesn't mean that... Read More