Same Side Selling Podcast

By nature, if you're like most people, you can't wait to hear a yes. But our guest on today's episode is an expert on why going for no is equally important in the business world. Andrea Waltz is the best-selling co-author of Go For No and she's a notable international speaker on the subject.

Today we'll talk about why no is not a bad word, the biggest misconceptions she sees among sales people and how to strike a balance between going for no and being pushy. We will also dive into quantity versus quality, and how you must marry both to be effective in your sales conversations, and we wrap up with one suggestion she has for you to implement the go for no strategy right now.

Andrea is a treasure trove of information, and she's also a lot of fun! Listen in for yourself on this edition of Grow My Revenue.

Listen to this episode and discover:

· How to get permission to follow up after a no.

· What is one of the hottest topics in selling, according to Andrea?

· How to marry quantity and quality when making sales presentations.

· Is it good to get a quick no?

· Why setting "no goals" helps people get into action.

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

Andrea Waltz is known around the world as an expert on the topic of no. She's trained and spoken with audiences in every corner of the globe on how to go for no, and why it's important to having successful sales conversations.

But something not everyone knows about her is that she holds a degree in Criminal Justice. She wanted to be a crime scene investigator, way before CSI, NCIS, or any of those other crime scene shows became popular! We joke about that before diving into the biggest misconceptions she sees people have in the sales world today.

She sees a lot of anxiety about picking up the phone, making calls, etc. But that's something she primarily sees with entrepreneurs, that fear of the sales call. With sales people, the biggest issue she sees is making assumptions about outcomes, and about the actions they are taking.

Part of the go for no message is taking risks and not making classic assumptions like, "We're not big enough for that client so I won't even contact them." Or, "We haven't done enough to work with a client like them."

Andrea encourages you to follow the go for no philosophy by getting clear on the clients you could go after versus the clients you think you deserve to be going after. She also encourages you to not just call the low-hanging fruit that will definitely say yes. Stop playing it safe and go for the big client. Wherever you are in the corporate sales ladder, don't let that stop you from calling on a CEO or the head of sales at your potential client – go for the big no.

And you can do so easier with this two-prong approach. First, reframe how you perceive failure and success in your sales conversations. If you are seeing the word no as a failure, change that perspective and begin to see it as a jumping off point. Andrea explains how to do so during our conversation.

Second, create a no awareness. If you are not hearing no ever, then you are just taking orders and getting the low-hanging fruit. You can be more than that! Going for no is about going out and trying to hear a no. Make it a goal for yourself, whether it is one a day or 10 a week, and then see what happens as you go after that goal.

And when you are going for the no, she has advice on how to do so without being a pushy sales person. Listen in to today's show to hear what it is along with her strategy to combine quality and quantity in your sales conversations. You won't want to miss a bit of this episode, tune in now to catch it all!

By nature, if you're like most people, you can't wait to hear a yes. But our guest on today's episode is an expert on why going for no is equally important in the business world. Andrea Waltz is the best-selling co-author of Go For No and she's a notable international speaker on the subject.

Today we'll talk about why no is not a bad word, the biggest misconceptions she sees among sales people and how to strike a balance between going for no and being pushy. We will also dive into quantity versus quality, and how you must marry both to be effective in your sales conversations, and we wrap up with one suggestion she has for you to implement the go for no strategy right now.

Andrea is a treasure trove of information, and she's also a lot of fun! Listen in for yourself on this edition of Grow My Revenue.

Listen to this episode and discover:

· How to get permission to follow up after a no.

· What is one of the hottest topics in selling, according to Andrea?

· How to marry quantity and quality when making sales presentations.

· Is it good to get a quick no?

· Why setting "no goals" helps people get into action.

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

Andrea Waltz is known around the world as an expert on the topic of no. She's trained and spoken with audiences in every corner of the globe on how to go for no, and why it's important to having successful sales conversations.

But something not everyone knows about her is that she holds a degree in Criminal Justice. She wanted to be a crime scene investigator, way before CSI, NCIS, or any of those other crime scene shows became popular! We joke about that before diving into the biggest misconceptions she sees people have in the sales world today.

She sees a lot of anxiety about picking up the phone, making calls, etc. But that's something she primarily sees with entrepreneurs, that fear of the sales call. With sales people, the biggest issue she sees is making assumptions about outcomes, and about the actions they are taking.

Part of the go for no message is taking risks and not making classic assumptions like, "We're not big enough for that client so I won't even contact them." Or, "We haven't done enough to work with a client like them."

Andrea encourages you to follow the go for no philosophy by getting clear on the clients you could go after versus the clients you think you deserve to be going after. She also encourages you to not just call the low-hanging fruit that will definitely say yes. Stop playing it safe and go for the big client. Wherever you are in the corporate sales ladder, don't let that stop you from calling on a CEO or the head of sales at your potential client – go for the big no.

And you can do so easier with this two-prong approach. First, reframe how you perceive failure and success in your sales conversations. If you are seeing the word no as a failure, change that perspective and begin to see it as a jumping off point. Andrea explains how to do so during our conversation.

Second, create a no awareness. If you are not hearing no ever, then you are just taking orders and getting the low-hanging fruit. You can be more than that! Going for no is about going out and trying to hear a no. Make it a goal for yourself, whether it is one a day or 10 a week, and then see what happens as you go after that goal.

And when you are going for the no, she has advice on how to do so without being a pushy sales person. Listen in to today's show to hear what it is along with her strategy to combine quality and quantity in your sales conversations. You won't want to miss a bit of this episode, tune in now to catch it all!

When was the last time you received a request for a discount from a client or potential client? And how did you respond? On this special solo edition of Grow My Revenue, I'll be addressing this very topic.

During my recent keynotes and workshop presentations, the audiences asked various questions about pricing pressure and discounts. Specifically, they wanted to know when it was okay to give a discount and how to respond appropriately when someone was asking for one.

Today we'll be covering all of that plus how to carve out a niche and make yourself stand out as a service rather than a commodity. Listen in for some educational and applicable advice you can start using in your business right now!

Listen to this episode and discover:

· How to stop being an order taker, and start to be a salesperson.

· What can you do when someone applies pricing pressure?

· How do you measure impact for your clients?

· The question to ask when someone says your pricing is too high.

· Why education is key to setting your fees.

· And so much more…

Episode Overview

Recently I was speaking in Newcastle, England when an audience member asked about giving a 2.5% discount to a current client. They wanted to know if I thought it was better to do the deal at 97.5%, rather than have no deal at all.

Naturally, I told them it was better to get the 97.5% deal than no deal at all, but I also pointed out that they were assuming the client wouldn't buy from them without that discount, and that assumption simply is not the truth.

I followed up by asking what their business margin is. They told me it runs at 15% net, which means for every $1,000 they bring in, they typically net about $150. Then I asked them how much of that 2.5% discount would be from their profits. The answer is ALL of it! I pointed out to them that when they discount their cost they aren't discounting their top line, their costs stay the same.

And the same is true for you.

During today's episode of Grow My Revenue, I continue by explaining how to have a discussion with your client (or potential client) when they are asking for a discount and/or applying pricing pressure. I also explain the importance of educating the marketplace on your value as more than just a commodity, a tactic that helps support you in receiving your set fees.

You can educate the market and your clients/potential clients much the way the beef industry has educated consumers.

If you are looking to buy beef, the cattle and beef market has helped us understand some cuts are more desirable than others. As a result, we are now accustomed to paying more for the desirable cuts; we understand those cuts are worth more and so we must pay more for them.

Recently, my wife convinced our family we were going to buy all grass-fed, dry-aged beef. Now we've grown accustomed to paying more for it. Why? Because she educated us, and the people who feed their cattle only grass have educated her (their consumer).

Those cattle farmers have done research on why it's important to do so and they have shared that with their customers. So they have informed their customers on why the higher cost is worth it regarding grass-fed beef. Those ranchers have created a lot of content that have made us willing to pay more for grass-fed beef. But at the end of the day, it's still beef!

Consider the lesson here: what is your grass-fed equivalent in your space? How you can educate your consumers about why it's worth it to pay more for that grass-fed equivalent? Doing so is how you carve out a niche, and start selling based on value rather than price.

On today's show I'll also explain how to have that conversation, what to say when someone says your price is too high, and much more! It's all here on this episode of Grow My Revenue.

When was the last time you received a request for a discount from a client or potential client? And how did you respond? On this special solo edition of Grow My Revenue, I'll be addressing this very topic.

During my recent keynotes and workshop presentations, the audiences asked various questions about pricing pressure and discounts. Specifically, they wanted to know when it was okay to give a discount and how to respond appropriately when someone was asking for one.

Today we'll be covering all of that plus how to carve out a niche and make yourself stand out as a service rather than a commodity. Listen in for some educational and applicable advice you can start using in your business right now!

Listen to this episode and discover:

· How to stop being an order taker, and start to be a salesperson.

· What can you do when someone applies pricing pressure?

· How do you measure impact for your clients?

· The question to ask when someone says your pricing is too high.

· Why education is key to setting your fees.

· And so much more…

Episode Overview

Recently I was speaking in Newcastle, England when an audience member asked about giving a 2.5% discount to a current client. They wanted to know if I thought it was better to do the deal at 97.5%, rather than have no deal at all.

Naturally, I told them it was better to get the 97.5% deal than no deal at all, but I also pointed out that they were assuming the client wouldn't buy from them without that discount, and that assumption simply is not the truth.

I followed up by asking what their business margin is. They told me it runs at 15% net, which means for every $1,000 they bring in, they typically net about $150. Then I asked them how much of that 2.5% discount would be from their profits. The answer is ALL of it! I pointed out to them that when they discount their cost they aren't discounting their top line, their costs stay the same.

And the same is true for you.

During today's episode of Grow My Revenue, I continue by explaining how to have a discussion with your client (or potential client) when they are asking for a discount and/or applying pricing pressure. I also explain the importance of educating the marketplace on your value as more than just a commodity, a tactic that helps support you in receiving your set fees.

You can educate the market and your clients/potential clients much the way the beef industry has educated consumers.

If you are looking to buy beef, the cattle and beef market has helped us understand some cuts are more desirable than others. As a result, we are now accustomed to paying more for the desirable cuts; we understand those cuts are worth more and so we must pay more for them.

Recently, my wife convinced our family we were going to buy all grass-fed, dry-aged beef. Now we've grown accustomed to paying more for it. Why? Because she educated us, and the people who feed their cattle only grass have educated her (their consumer).

Those cattle farmers have done research on why it's important to do so and they have shared that with their customers. So they have informed their customers on why the higher cost is worth it regarding grass-fed beef. Those ranchers have created a lot of content that have made us willing to pay more for grass-fed beef. But at the end of the day, it's still beef!

Consider the lesson here: what is your grass-fed equivalent in your space? How you can educate your consumers about why it's worth it to pay more for that grass-fed equivalent? Doing so is how you carve out a niche, and start selling based on value rather than price.

On today's show I'll also explain how to have that conversation, what to say when someone says your price is too high, and much more! It's all here on this episode of Grow My Revenue.

If you work within a corporation or any other organization, do you still have a personal brand? Our guest for today's episode says yes, you do. Ryan Rhoten is a speaker, podcaster, and personal brand master. He works with business professionals on creating their personal brand strategies and then elevating them.

On today's show, he joins us to explain his four-step process to personal branding, why it's relevant to everyone (even if you work for someone else), and the biggest mistakes he sees people making regarding personal branding. Ryan brings the goods on these topics and more on this instructive and highly relevant episode of Grow My Revenue.

Listen to this episode and discover:

· Why does your personal brand matter, even if you work for someone else?

· What is the single biggest mistake people make when establishing a personal brand?

· Can we control our personal brand?

· Why people may not like your personal brand, and why that's okay.

· What is the right way to utilize social media to grow your personal brand?

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

When I asked Ryan the biggest mistake he sees people making about personal branding, he said it's people not realizing they have a brand even if they work within a company. His work largely consists of helping people understand they do have a brand, and that it's compromised of two pieces.The first piece is who you are. This includes things like your core strengths, what you like and gravitate towards, and the persona you give off when you walk down a hallway.

The second piece of personal branding is you being intentional about who you are, and how you add value to the world. People need to realize they have a brand and that others see that brand. All of us should realize our brands build trust and rapport with others; if others like our particular brand, then they will want to do business with us and the companies we work for.

To create our personal brands, Ryan outlines his four-step process. He calls it DICE, which stands for: Define or Discover, Integrate, Create (Content), and Engage.

In the "Define" or "Discover" stage, you learn to know and understand yourself better. You get clear on the type of work you like to do, and don't like to do, etc. Knowing yourself, having self-awareness, and asking for feedback from trusted advisors helps in this initial stage. You must understand how you are perceived in business and outside of it before moving to the other three stages of DICE.

Next up is the "Integrate" stage. This is where you develop an intentional strategy to put yourself out there online. You make sure you can be found in online searches and that those search results will give the persona you want, and people will see what you are known for.

The third step is to "Create" content. This can be anything, from audio to video, to blogs and online publications. Where you start depends on your comfort level, but the key here is that you are starting to put your thought process online. To establish your personal brand, you want to be known for something and you must establish your presence online for that to happen.

Last, but definitely not least, is "Engage." This is where you start to build trust. You interact with people who have liked your content, and starting to follow you. This is what Seth Godin called your "tribe." You can engage with your audience in a number of ways: from phone calls, to liking their social media, commenting on their content, speaking at events, and emailing your list.

Ryan also explains what we have control over regarding our personal brand (and what we don't), and he gives a personal example to illustrate what your personal brand is. We wrap up this episode of Grow My Revenue with Ryan sharing his personal mistakes and his most crucial advice – neither of which you'll want to miss!

For full show notes and other resources, please visit: http://www.ianaltman.com/podcast/ryan-rhoten/

If you work within a corporation or any other organization, do you still have a personal brand? Our guest for today's episode says yes, you do. Ryan Rhoten is a speaker, podcaster, and personal brand master. He works with business professionals on creating their personal brand strategies and then elevating them.

On today's show, he joins us to explain his four-step process to personal branding, why it's relevant to everyone (even if you work for someone else), and the biggest mistakes he sees people making regarding personal branding. Ryan brings the goods on these topics and more on this instructive and highly relevant episode of Grow My Revenue.

Listen to this episode and discover:

· Why does your personal brand matter, even if you work for someone else?

· What is the single biggest mistake people make when establishing a personal brand?

· Can we control our personal brand?

· Why people may not like your personal brand, and why that's okay.

· What is the right way to utilize social media to grow your personal brand?

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

When I asked Ryan the biggest mistake he sees people making about personal branding, he said it's people not realizing they have a brand even if they work within a company. His work largely consists of helping people understand they do have a brand, and that it's compromised of two pieces.The first piece is who you are. This includes things like your core strengths, what you like and gravitate towards, and the persona you give off when you walk down a hallway.

The second piece of personal branding is you being intentional about who you are, and how you add value to the world. People need to realize they have a brand and that others see that brand. All of us should realize our brands build trust and rapport with others; if others like our particular brand, then they will want to do business with us and the companies we work for.

To create our personal brands, Ryan outlines his four-step process. He calls it DICE, which stands for: Define or Discover, Integrate, Create (Content), and Engage.

In the "Define" or "Discover" stage, you learn to know and understand yourself better. You get clear on the type of work you like to do, and don't like to do, etc. Knowing yourself, having self-awareness, and asking for feedback from trusted advisors helps in this initial stage. You must understand how you are perceived in business and outside of it before moving to the other three stages of DICE.

Next up is the "Integrate" stage. This is where you develop an intentional strategy to put yourself out there online. You make sure you can be found in online searches and that those search results will give the persona you want, and people will see what you are known for.

The third step is to "Create" content. This can be anything, from audio to video, to blogs and online publications. Where you start depends on your comfort level, but the key here is that you are starting to put your thought process online. To establish your personal brand, you want to be known for something and you must establish your presence online for that to happen.

Last, but definitely not least, is "Engage." This is where you start to build trust. You interact with people who have liked your content, and starting to follow you. This is what Seth Godin called your "tribe." You can engage with your audience in a number of ways: from phone calls, to liking their social media, commenting on their content, speaking at events, and emailing your list.

Ryan also explains what we have control over regarding our personal brand (and what we don't), and he gives a personal example to illustrate what your personal brand is. We wrap up this episode of Grow My Revenue with Ryan sharing his personal mistakes and his most crucial advice – neither of which you'll want to miss!

For full show notes and other resources, please visit: http://www.ianaltman.com/podcast/ryan-rhoten/

Being able to lead a team of people with a variety of skills is an invaluable ability, and a tool to help with that process is StrengthsFinder. Today I've brought on the expert on this topic, our two-time guest, Lisa Cummings.

If you've been listening for a while, you heard her first episode; it's one of our most popular! And today's discussion is equally as good. We're touching on topics like the misconceptions around StrengthsFinder, how to adapt your communication style based on someone's assessment results, and what to do if there is a disconnect between a team member's strengths and their position.

On today's show, Lisa really brings the goods on those topics, and a few more! So get ready for an informative, and insightful edition of Grow My Revenue.

Listen to this episode and discover:

· What strengths are common in sales teams?

· In the companies that use StrengthsFinder best, what does Lisa most often see?

· What percentage of Americans were recognized for good work in 2015, according to Gallup?

· What is the bamboozle sandwich?

· What are yuks and yays, and how can you use them to improve your team?

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

The first thing Lisa and I talk about is the misconceptions she hears most frequently about StrengthsFinder, and she gave me two.

The first is that this evaluation tool is just Pollyanna. She hears people say things like: "…you must think everyone should just ignore their weaknesses. You must be a fool if you believe people should only focus on what they are good at."

The second most common misconception is people think there are specific strengths that are good and bad. For example, if competition isn't one of someone's top strengths, then they aren't a good sales person.

Neither of these are true, of course. In the case of the second misconception, Lisa points out that StrengthsFinder doesn't tell you what job you have or are good at. Instead, it tells you how you do the job you have. It shows you what comes naturally to you and how you can use those natural talents abilities to your benefit.

We also talked about how to adapt your communication based on someone's strengths, once you've all done the StrengthsFinder evaluation. She gives me as an example, after I gave her permission to share my results.

Because I have command and activator as strengths, Lisa said she would imagine I'd want to hear the short answer quickly and now. Even if she didn't know me personally, she would know to keep things short, simple and concise based on my strengths. But if she was talking with someone who had high empathy and high relater, she would speak differently. Someone with those strengths values one on one conversation.

One additional topic we cover is the two ways to help someone move from an individual contributor to a management role. Too often someone is an amazing individual performer and gets moved into a management role, only to falter and fall flat in that position.

Lisa suggests explaining two key areas to the person about to take on a management position: talent development and business outcomes. The latter, business outcomes, is fairly straightforward and includes things like business goals, aligning with corporate strategy, etc.

But talent development is tougher for new managers to understand. She breaks it down into three key categories: acquisition of new employees, retention of existing employees, and career development. StrengthsFinder is an umbrella over all of those. Using the assessment tool and its findings will help any manager (existing or new) to lead based on people's strengths which in turn will drive engagement of staff.

Also on this episode of Grow My Revenue, Lisa explains what to do if someone's strengths aren't aligned with their job title, and why regular communication about someone's performance at work is so critical to on-going success. Listen in for all of that and so much more on today's show with the brilliant and talented Lisa Cummings!

Being able to lead a team of people with a variety of skills is an invaluable ability, and a tool to help with that process is StrengthsFinder. Today I've brought on the expert on this topic, our two-time guest, Lisa Cummings.

If you've been listening for a while, you heard her first episode; it's one of our most popular! And today's discussion is equally as good. We're touching on topics like the misconceptions around StrengthsFinder, how to adapt your communication style based on someone's assessment results, and what to do if there is a disconnect between a team member's strengths and their position.

On today's show, Lisa really brings the goods on those topics, and a few more! So get ready for an informative, and insightful edition of Grow My Revenue.

Listen to this episode and discover:

· What strengths are common in sales teams?

· In the companies that use StrengthsFinder best, what does Lisa most often see?

· What percentage of Americans were recognized for good work in 2015, according to Gallup?

· What is the bamboozle sandwich?

· What are yuks and yays, and how can you use them to improve your team?

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

The first thing Lisa and I talk about is the misconceptions she hears most frequently about StrengthsFinder, and she gave me two.

The first is that this evaluation tool is just Pollyanna. She hears people say things like: "…you must think everyone should just ignore their weaknesses. You must be a fool if you believe people should only focus on what they are good at."

The second most common misconception is people think there are specific strengths that are good and bad. For example, if competition isn't one of someone's top strengths, then they aren't a good sales person.

Neither of these are true, of course. In the case of the second misconception, Lisa points out that StrengthsFinder doesn't tell you what job you have or are good at. Instead, it tells you how you do the job you have. It shows you what comes naturally to you and how you can use those natural talents abilities to your benefit.

We also talked about how to adapt your communication based on someone's strengths, once you've all done the StrengthsFinder evaluation. She gives me as an example, after I gave her permission to share my results.

Because I have command and activator as strengths, Lisa said she would imagine I'd want to hear the short answer quickly and now. Even if she didn't know me personally, she would know to keep things short, simple and concise based on my strengths. But if she was talking with someone who had high empathy and high relater, she would speak differently. Someone with those strengths values one on one conversation.

One additional topic we cover is the two ways to help someone move from an individual contributor to a management role. Too often someone is an amazing individual performer and gets moved into a management role, only to falter and fall flat in that position.

Lisa suggests explaining two key areas to the person about to take on a management position: talent development and business outcomes. The latter, business outcomes, is fairly straightforward and includes things like business goals, aligning with corporate strategy, etc.

But talent development is tougher for new managers to understand. She breaks it down into three key categories: acquisition of new employees, retention of existing employees, and career development. StrengthsFinder is an umbrella over all of those. Using the assessment tool and its findings will help any manager (existing or new) to lead based on people's strengths which in turn will drive engagement of staff.

Also on this episode of Grow My Revenue, Lisa explains what to do if someone's strengths aren't aligned with their job title, and why regular communication about someone's performance at work is so critical to on-going success. Listen in for all of that and so much more on today's show with the brilliant and talented Lisa Cummings!

Comedy and business share a lot more parallels than you might think, at first glance. For example, the process that a comedian uses to evoke laughter is the same process you can use to engage someone's interest. Here to explain what that process is, as well as other surprising connections between comedy and business, is Ron Tite.

Ron is the CEO of The Tite Group, a successful agency in Toronto. He's also a stand-up comedian who has trained with Toronto's Second City. He's also the author of Everyone Is An Artist (or At Least They Should Be).

On today's show, Ron shares why we don't have to be funny to be effective (and why being effective is most important), how to know if you should use comedy when talking to clients and your team, as well as three traits artists have we can all use in our business practices. Ron is equally entertaining as he is informative so buckle up and listen in to this episode of Grow My Revenue!

Listen to this episode and discover:

· The power and impact of insights, in business and in comedy.

· Should you use comedy when speaking to your clients?

· One great lesson you can learn from my time as an umpire!

· Why we all have the basic ability to be artists.

· People used to vote with their wallets, what do they vote with today?

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

Ron Tite has always loved the pressure of stand up comedy: there are no excuses at the end of your performance, either they laughed or they didn't and that is it. You either did your job and they laughed, or you failed.

Not everyone would thrive under that kind of pressure, but Ron did. And he used the lessons he learned in the comedic world to become successful in the business world. The first lesson we just touched on – no excuses – also ties into the ancillary lesson that being funny is about being effective. Being funny is about capturing someone's attention, you can take them anywhere after that.

And you capture their attention by having an insight, and it is the same whether you are making them laugh, cry or simply think really hard about something. You start with an insight that is surprising and intriguing, and now they are thinking differently about the subject at hand. You have their attention.

Remember, you don't have to be funny to do this. In fact, if funny isn't in your nature or isn't something people associate with your company and your brand, don't try to be funny. You'll come across as trying too hard and people will smell that a mile away, according to Ron.

But, you can share a story or a message that is in line with your brand as a way to share an insight you have had. Doing so will capture their attention just as well as being funny will, it's all about the insight.

On this episode of Grow My Revenue, we also discuss three traits artists have that all business people should adopt. The first is doing things simply to do them. Artists have an idea and they create it, they bring it into the world. They don't create a business plan and pitch the idea to VCs first, they create and explore and see what merit their ideas hold.

The second thing artists do well is they deal with the naysayers and the hecklers. Most of us have no coping mechanism for these experiences, we put up walls and shelter ourselves when someone heckles us. Artists don't let these naysayers get the best of them, they have a way of dealing with them.

Also on this episode of Grow My Revenue, Ron shares more about his book and why there really are no rules in today's business world. Tune into today's Grow My Revenue to hear that and more from comedian and successful businessman Ron Tite!

For full show notes, visit: http://www.ianaltman.com/podcast/ron-tite/

Comedy and business share a lot more parallels than you might think, at first glance. For example, the process that a comedian uses to evoke laughter is the same process you can use to engage someone's interest. Here to explain what that process is, as well as other surprising connections between comedy and business, is Ron Tite.

Ron is the CEO of The Tite Group, a successful agency in Toronto. He's also a stand-up comedian who has trained with Toronto's Second City. He's also the author of Everyone Is An Artist (or At Least They Should Be).

On today's show, Ron shares why we don't have to be funny to be effective (and why being effective is most important), how to know if you should use comedy when talking to clients and your team, as well as three traits artists have we can all use in our business practices. Ron is equally entertaining as he is informative so buckle up and listen in to this episode of Grow My Revenue!

Listen to this episode and discover:

· The power and impact of insights, in business and in comedy.

· Should you use comedy when speaking to your clients?

· One great lesson you can learn from my time as an umpire!

· Why we all have the basic ability to be artists.

· People used to vote with their wallets, what do they vote with today?

· And so much more!

Episode Overview

Ron Tite has always loved the pressure of stand up comedy: there are no excuses at the end of your performance, either they laughed or they didn't and that is it. You either did your job and they laughed, or you failed.

Not everyone would thrive under that kind of pressure, but Ron did. And he used the lessons he learned in the comedic world to become successful in the business world. The first lesson we just touched on – no excuses – also ties into the ancillary lesson that being funny is about being effective. Being funny is about capturing someone's attention, you can take them anywhere after that.

And you capture their attention by having an insight, and it is the same whether you are making them laugh, cry or simply think really hard about something. You start with an insight that is surprising and intriguing, and now they are thinking differently about the subject at hand. You have their attention.

Remember, you don't have to be funny to do this. In fact, if funny isn't in your nature or isn't something people associate with your company and your brand, don't try to be funny. You'll come across as trying too hard and people will smell that a mile away, according to Ron.

But, you can share a story or a message that is in line with your brand as a way to share an insight you have had. Doing so will capture their attention just as well as being funny will, it's all about the insight.

On this episode of Grow My Revenue, we also discuss three traits artists have that all business people should adopt. The first is doing things simply to do them. Artists have an idea and they create it, they bring it into the world. They don't create a business plan and pitch the idea to VCs first, they create and explore and see what merit their ideas hold.

The second thing artists do well is they deal with the naysayers and the hecklers. Most of us have no coping mechanism for these experiences, we put up walls and shelter ourselves when someone heckles us. Artists don't let these naysayers get the best of them, they have a way of dealing with them.

Also on this episode of Grow My Revenue, Ron shares more about his book and why there really are no rules in today's business world. Tune into today's Grow My Revenue to hear that and more from comedian and successful businessman Ron Tite!

For full show notes, visit: http://www.ianaltman.com/podcast/ron-tite/