I am most thankful that Ms. Anne Miller sent me her book "Metaphorically Selling" in 2005 when I was the Business Coach Host - Editor - Writer at Bella.
Anne is the founder of Chiron Associates Inc., a widely respected sales and presentation speaker, executive coach, seminar leader, consultant and author. She assists high profile Fortune 1000 companies in media, financial services and business sectors, including Yahoo! and over 100 consumer magazines. She sells products and services worth millions of dollars. She has appeared on CNNfn and Bloomberg News Radio.
Billions of dollars are left on the table and hundreds of ideas fail to get off the ground every day because of the over-communicated society in which we live.
This book will guide the reader step-by-step through the process of incorporating metaphors into sales pitches, presentations and speeches, including exercises and tips to cultivate and sustain a competitive edge using metaphors.
Packed with more than 250 examples from business, media, and even the deserts of Morocco, the small business owner to the corporate executive - to lead their listeners to "yes" by becoming a "Metaphorian" -- a master of metaphor.
In 1980, Lee Iacocca went to Congress to get $1.2 billion in loan guarantees for the then failing Chrysler Corporation. HE argued, quite successfully. Chrysler's problems were America's problems; Chrysler's bankruptcy would be America's loss.
Iacocca got his money.
Iacocca's one small phrase won him $1.2 billion dollars.
Lee Iacocca understood the power of metaphors, visual words that conjure an image in the listener's mind and unleash a torrent of associations.
That is the power of speaking metaphorically. You can change minds.
In Anne's 20 years of teaching sales and presentation seminars, one key factor that she see repeatedly sets sellers apart from their competition is their choice of words. It is not enough to present; you must communicate.
Metaphors help a client see possibilites he didn't see before and they help him make the best decision.
In Section one you'll learn that the brain actually craves the visual and the emotional; that you must appeal to both the left and the right side's of your client's brain to make a sale.
What Do You Sell?
Words Matter.
It's not the presenters aren't prepared: they know their material, they've worked up a slick PowerPoint presentation, they've got excellent hand-outs. But their verbal skills and/or approach to communication cost them their audience. They confuse information with communication.
A Metaphor is simply a way of communication.
Information + Metaphors = "I see what you mean!"
Sometimes a metaphor will fail because it isn't given enough explanation to succeed.
Her goal is to get you to see the possibilites of what you may be missing. You're going to see all the ways a presentation can increase your selling power and bring you more business.
It's like a stained-glass window, you have to step back to get the full effect.
As the Arabic proverb, with a slight twist says: He is the best speaker and sales person who can turn men's ears into eyes.
About the Author
Writer, Web Publishing, Book Reviewer, Life Enrichment Coaching, Freelancer
http://www.angelasgems.com http://www.e-angelaswisdom.com
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