Rules of persuasion

Wait. Before reading on, you should know that the next cohort of The Business of Creativity starts next Monday, 29th April. Want to supercharge your team’s creative potential, or scale new heights in your career? Get in touch .

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We’ve been hustling hard at The Garage in recent weeks. The latest cohort for The Business of Creativity opens next Monday, and thanks to our fine team, there are only a few spots left to fill. In the lead up to launch, there’s always a debate around the office about the best way to sell. Is the deed best done on a quick telephone call? Or does a deal warrant an in-person chat sealed with a hearty shake of the hand? Some colleagues maintain that a decent lunch is necessary. Sadly, the maximum number of lunches a person should have a day (one) is quite different to the minimum number of sales calls they should make.

Selling is vital in creativity. Capital won’t flow into your start-up if you’re unable to coax it from investors. Bosses won’t pursue your ideas if you’re unable to persuade them it’s the right course of action. If you can’t pitch your book, film, or art project properly, it won’t get the attention it deserves. You won’t get paid either. Things get even more complicated when you realise that selling to the person in front of you is rarely enough. Your proposal has to be strong enough for them to sell it on to their boss too.

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In the last fifty years, my job has been as much about selling creative ideas as coming up with them. Here are four things that have helped me do it.

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1. Speak less, say more ???

The human brain is easily overwhelmed. Simple messages are less taxing to recount than complicated ones. An argument doesn’t get more persuasive for being longer. If you’re doing most of the talking, then it’s probably not going as well as you think.

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2. Use stories ??

Numbers are convincing – but they are hard to remember. And they lack emotion. When did you last call up a friend to tell them about a stat you’d just found? Stories and anecdotes are better. We understand the world through stories.

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3. Write a one-page pitch ??

Does your argument fit on a single page of A4? At BBH we would often write a one-page pitch. Doing this would help us simplify our idea. And the client could use it to refer back to. It’s a simple way of making sure everyone is on the same (single) page.

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4. Sell the future ??

Don’t sell the thing. Sell the life that comes after. People don’t buy features, perks, bonuses or discounts. They buy a vision.

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After that little sales refresher, I’m feeling energised to go and fill the last remaining places on the course. Selling is all about creating a tomorrow. But there’s only ever one useful time to do it – today.