TL;DR
This chapter provides essential insights and practical techniques to elevate your B2B sales approach. You'll learn proven strategies that transform how you connect with prospects and close deals. Master these concepts to differentiate yourself in a crowded market. Apply these frameworks to drive measurable results in your sales process.
Storytelling & Human Behavior
Listening to expert storytellers share how they connect with their audiences is a great way to foster breakthroughs that can elevate our solution delivery. Even world class storytellers like those below take time to think through every detail of how they communicate. Maybe one can spark your next great idea.
Casey Neistat
How to be Heard in a Noisy World - Casey Neistat at Craft + Commerce
Often credited with pioneering vlogging, Casey has transformed the way people engage with YouTube. Known for his innovative storytelling and captivating visual style, Neistat's work blends adventure, authenticity, and creativity. His videos appear effortless and he can make a mundane day feel like an adventure, but he uses a consistent structure and style to engage with his audience.
Seth Godin
How to Get Your Ideas to Spread - Nordic Business Forum
Seth Godin was originally involved in direct marketing (mail) and is credited with inventing email marketing. Seth shares profound insights into consumer behavior and the art of branding. Author of bestsellers such as "Purple Cow" and "This Is Marketing," Godin's work emphasizes the importance of standing out in a crowded market. His lectures are fun, informative and highly relevant to how we connect and communicate in the solutions world.
Rory Sutherland
Perspective is everything - TEDxAthens
Rory Sutherland, vice chairman of Ogilvy UK, is renowned for his expertise in behavioral economics and advertising. He is a masterful storyteller and shares unique insight into behaviors that often seem counterintuitive, but are cornerstones of how we experience and value our interactions with products and services. Listening to any number of his videos you are sure to walk away with a new lens, unlocking new insights.
Clear Communication
The following books are outstanding resources to up-level our communication and innovation skills. As a side benefit, they are universally applicable across our work, beyond demonstrations.
Smart Brevity
The Power of Saying More with Less
By Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz
- Deliver your message in a clear, concise manner to quickly capture and retain your audience's attention
- Use simple, straightforward language to avoid confusion and ensure your message is understood
- Structure for Scannability - organize content with headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make it easy for readers to scan and grasp key points
- Eliminate unnecessary details and focus on the most critical information
Supercommunicators
How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection
By Charles Duhigg
- Communicate complex ideas in a simple and clear manner to ensure they are easily understood by your audience
- Avoid jargon and overly technical language, opting instead for straightforward explanations that make your message accessible to all
- Tailor your communication style to the needs and preferences of your audience
- Understand their background, interests, and knowledge level to craft messages that resonate with them and address their specific concerns
- Use visuals and storytelling to enhance your communication
- Visual aids like charts, graphs, and images can help illustrate key points, while stories can make your message more engaging and memorable
Change Agent Manifesto
By Brian Solis
The Digital Change Agent Manifesto by Brian Solis contains an excellent list of skills and techniques to help your innovation efforts gain support and succeed within your business.
As you begin to experiment with new ways to share and demonstrate technology, gaining buy-in from your key stakeholders is essential.