If you have a product launch coming up that you are planning for, then this article will walk you through some of the considerations around choosing a motivational sales speaker to increase the chance that you hit your objectives.
Typical overview:
To give the product so much presence that everyone will go away SOLD when often they go away TOLD but not sold. Lots of Glitz is the norm, as is a very professional release. The missing link is often the connection between the Marketing Strategy and the Sales Execution.
Typical desired outcome:
Have everyone inspired with a clear path and known processes to follow the cruel reality is, this too often does not eventuate.
Typical obstacles:
Having the sell-in or sell-through Strategy and how-tos, as clearly defined as the Product itself. So many variables in the Marketplace need to be dealt with, and so the exact roll-out steps are way too often reduced to “that is the Sales Team’s job” the secret is to make the Release ALL about the Selling Strategy.
Expectations by management that ‘the launch will be the Product/Service savour’ are numerous. The launch is in fact only a ‘launch’.
It should only ever be the ONE component within the complete go-to-market scenario having the Motivational Sales Speaker or Facilitator as a catalyst for the process should be the key requirement. However, this person had better be ‘ideal’ or they will do more harm than good please read on.
Typical plan:
High powered, high ‘volume’ reveal / release lots of glitz which is fine, however often the ‘execution’ aspect is downplayed.
Ideal plan with follow-up for results:
Here lies the key to a successful product launch EVERY aspect must be flavoured towards the buy-in, from both a practical and emotional stand point. And EVERY aspect needs a follow-up strategy. This begins with the managing of the delegates/audience key influencers during any break and immediately after at the release event, and even the next day one-on-one. This is one of the most under-utilised components and yet handled well can be the prime reason take-up of the Product/Service is achieved. So many clever things can be done, but are not considered as the Glitz tends to take over and those in charge of the Glitz are not aware of the huge power of the underlying scenarios.
An example of this process being done well was when I was asked to design and produce a new Tyre release. In essence, the industry has always followed a standard format and most attendees saw them as a glossy presentation, took home limited desire to sell the product, but had a good night because the food was good and they won a prize (this is called, a bribe release) Whereas the program I created engaged the attendees as it equated the information about the Product directly to their Customer base profile and included key how-to-sell aspects.
Then there was a planned follow-through with ‘success story sharing’ and further enhancement to the how-to process + the incentives. A clear winner, as was stated by the leader in the industry “clearly the best tyre release I’ve been involved in, in my 20 years in the business”.
Speaker Criteria and suitability evaluation:
The Speaker, or better still Facilitator/Speaker must have a understanding of the nuances of the Product and the sandpit it plays in. A Generic Presentation is very much out-of-place in this environment. However, if an MC is being used that is fine, but that person must NOT cross the line and suggest or support factors. An example of that line being crossed was when the MC for the strategy launch had to be asked to ‘butt out’ as he tried to calm the waters the message had been misunderstood and his involvement was only worsening the situation. (he needed to have Industry Credibility and awareness to take-on a Facilitation role)
How to evaluate Speaker ‘fit’ for you:
If the Speaker /Facilitator is not savvy to the Product Positioning in the marketplace and/or the Sales Team’s real-world challenges, and can therefore not present road-tested scenario examples, them DO NOT use them. BUT if the Speaker/Facilitator has expertise in similar scenarios and can use them to create buy-in security then this is OK. BUT unless the Speaker/Facilitator is an expert in Sales Strategy Execution, they may still be considered by the Sales Team as too generic and no matter how ‘motivating’ they may appear, little sales motivation will occur.
Unfortunately I have been privy to way too many scenarios where the ‘fit’ was not right, most times because the Motivational Sales Speaker was chosen by a remote agency who went for the ‘safe option’ of a standard known presentation, which is humorous and contains solid generic methods.
BUT this unfortunately works against achieving the desired buy-in, as the generic material tends to muddy-the-waters and the team then struggles to equate how this info will help them, and so they actually become frustrated the absolute reverse to the desired outcome of hiring the Speaker.
The key Do’s and Don’ts:
DO have a Speaker/Facilitator to enhance the Product buy-in and reduce the reliance on the in-house PowerPoints + provide external credibility.
Don’t have an MC who wants to dip into the know-how pool who does not have 100% credibility.
How Colin Bockman can help you with this scenario:
Firstly watch Colin’s video clip on product launches then jump on the phone and take advantage of his generous complimentary offer of a triage phone call on ( tel: 0418 318 799 ) listen, take notes and let him give you some fresh ‘guidance’ ideas.
Colin is a Certified Speaking Professional ( CSP ) and a founding member of the National Speakers Association of Australia ( now: Professional Speakers Australia). He is a Melbourne based Motivational Speaker and Sales Professional who has worked with the who’s who of Australasian brands.
