Have you ever seen a sales presentation that was energy-mismanaged?
You know, where the salesperson’s performance is completely flat and
lifeless? Or where they come out jumping all over the place, when a
calmer approach would be more appropriate?
This energy disconnect alienates customers and can be an instantly
fatal sales mistake. Don’t make that error.
Before you present, you no doubt prepare your pitch, materials, venue
requirements and all else to insure a wonderful outcome. But do you
also prepare your mind? Or your energy? More specifically, do you pay
attention to setting your ideal personal intensity/energy levels?
Ask yourself these questions. Should you psych up before you present?
Or should you psych down? How energy-activated do you need to be to
perform to your potential? How do you want your customers to perceive
you?
The answers to these questions depend on the type of sales pitch you’ll
give and your desired effect on your customers.
Giving a briefer, high-impact pitch to a larger audience? Maybe you’re
not very motivated? Psych up. Get amped up with high energy and
excitement like a pro football player does. Delivering a longer, more
consultative, boardroom or technical pitch? Maybe you’re too nervous?
Psych down. Relax and create a calm focus like Tiger Woods does.
Perhaps your energy will lie somewhere in between, depending on the
situation. It may even vary within the pitch itself. Your passion,
sincerity and belief in what you’re selling can shine through even if
your style is low-key and casual. High energy is not necessarily
required for you to come across as credible and for your customers to
be engaged with your presentation.
There are two secrets to achieving the perfect pre-pitch energy
preparation. One secret is intentionality. The other is
customizability. Decide how you want to feel and appear in your
presentation, and then create the ideal energy climate within you that
will support those goals. This internal energy climate is known as the
Zone Of Optimal Functioning (ZOF).
The ZOF is the ideal energy/activation level you have inside yourself
before and when you perform. It shows in how excited you feel and how
much physical and mental power you bring to your pitch. You achieve the
perfect ZOF through mental readiness techniques. This pre-pitch mental
routine should trigger the perfect customer/situation-targeted energy
climate inside you.
Your energy preparation should be your personal design, not a “one size
fits all”, nor a style someone else uses. That?s why “psyching up” is
not for everyone, or for every situation. Customization is key. Here
are some strategies for both psyching up and for psyching down.
Five Tips For Psyching Up
- Listen to energizing, inspiring music.
- Watch videotapes of energetic performers in sport and music.
- Imagine yourself performing in an energetic manner.
- Be around people who energize you.
- Use a mantra of “Let’s go!”, “Yes!”, “Do it!” and similar phrases.
Five Tips For Psyching Down
- Meditation and deep breathing.
- Listen to calming music.
- Imagine yourself performing in a calm, focused manner.
- Be with people who calm you.
- Use a mantra of “Calm”, “Relax”, “Easy” and similar phrases.
Next time you design a sales pitch, whether your audience is one, or a
hundred, ask yourself: What energy level does the audience want and
expect from me? Then bring forth your ideal ZOF, and I guarantee your
audience will bring forth their WOW!
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