Recently, I wrote about how important it is to improve your ‘public speaking’ skills, as that skill alone can give you an incredible edge in your business and/or investing life; Jacob asks:

How do you get in front of the large companies in the first place?

Before I answer that question, let me backtrack a little:

This isn’t a blog about how to earn more money in a job or consulting … because those, alone, are unlikely [AJC: for most] to get you to your Number by your Date.

But, as Luis gently reminded me, this is a blog about “how you can make $7 million in 7 years … no scams, no schemes … just good old financial advice!” so I had better be talking to those with large Numbers and soon Dates!

So, why did I choose today’s topic?

Because, you probably want to start a business to really ramp up those  required annual compound growth rates …

… the problem is how do you transition from a small fish in a huge sea of competing businesses? Especially, if your business services other businesses (i.e. B2B) … and, particularly if the Fortune 1,000 is your stomping ground …

1. With better sales?

Possible, but unlikely, because Friendly McConglomerate – that multi-billion-dollar-multinational around the corner – already has a sales rep in each state, lunching your best prospects right now!

How do you, on your lonesome – even with the help of your out-of-work brother-in-law (who is ‘busy’ mooching off your limited capital and patience) expect to get to, let alone win over, all of those guys when you simply don’t have the gold Amex cards to splash around like your competitor’s reps?

2. With better marketing?

Hmmm …. you mean those leaflets that you stuck on all of those lampposts around the neighborhoods that you service? I’m sure they will really zing compared to that multi-barreled discount-coupon-backed television, radio, magazine, and letterbox drop campaign that your competitor’s ‘top of the town’ advertising agency cooked up!

3. With a better product?

Whoever it was who said: “build a better mousetrap and they will beat a path to your door” was wrong! A ‘better product’ ONLY works on the back of excellent sales and marketing, so you had better refer back to 1. and 2. above 😉

But, don’t sweat it, even with all their money, your major competitors are not really collaring the market either …

… and, while they’re out there spending money, there is still one way that your B2B business can compete – nay, totally smash – your ham-fisted-big-budgeted corporate competitors; it’s to:

Be seen by your clients – and competitors – as the expert in your chosen field.

You see, your competitors are actually wasting their mega-millions trying to get to – then ineffectively schmooze with – the middle managers who don’t even have the capacity to actually make buying decisions without referring their proposals to the Big Guys Upstairs …

… but, if you are the expert, you are side-stepping this whole time-and-money-wasting ‘sales process’ simply by using your Industry Expert status to:

1. Gain free publicity in the general media and/or trade press that the decision-makers actually see and read, and

2. Virtually demand – and, get – interviews with those same ‘top management’ guys for the clients who actually need and want your product or service, and

3. Present your ‘proposal’ to all the decision makers so that you set the ground rules that your competitors will need to follow.

So, Jacob, the answer to your question about how do you get in front of the large companies is simple: become the expert in your field and all doors will magically open.

Just remember that being ‘the expert’ gets you to the table … it’s then up to you to close the deal.

In an upcoming post, Jacob, I’ll tell you HOW to become an expert in your chosen field, something that I’ve done 2.5 times already!

It’s easier … and, much quicker … than you think 😉

They say that the most important skill that you can have in your [business] life is to be able to SELL.

And, why shouldn’t it?

– You want to buy a house? You need to shmooze the bank manager … SELL him on why he should give you the loan.

– You want to get married? You’d better woo the spouse-to-be and their parents … SELL them on letting you join their family.

– You want to get a job? You should brush up on your interview skills … SELL them on why you should get the job over all the others applying.

– You want a pay-rise? You had better impress the boss … SELL her on why you – above all others – deserve the promotion.

– You want your start-up to break-even, the maybe make a few bucks profit … who else is going to do the SELLING for you??!!

Unfortunately, I’m actually a terrible salesman, and am very uncomfortable in a one-on-one ‘convince the other guy to give me what I want’ situation.

Luckily, I actually think that the ability to sell is only the second most important [business] skill …

… the first – most important – one came back to me when I attended my daughter’s Speech Night tonight.

In case you’ve never been to one of those, it’s when a bunch of kids each select a random topic and write – then present to their classmates and parents – a 3 minute speech.

Now, I remember the first time that I spoke in public: it was while I was still at college and I was asked to be Best Man at my friend’s wedding; well, all I remember was:

a) I was so nervous that my knees were literally wobbling as I spoke, and

b) I had no idea what to say … I only remember that it was ridiculously schmaltzy like some cheap, drug-store gift card.

I also remember my first ‘real’ work-related speech: it was at a training course for selling, sponsored by the company that hired me straight out of college. I remember that my speech, my delivery, and my materials (overhead transparencies, hand-drawn/colored like some some 5th grader!) were terrible, and my instructors were more than happy to let me know 🙂

The turning point came when – at a later course, after I learned at least SOME presentation skills – I was video-taped giving a practice talk, and (naturally) felt very uncomfortable and unconfident … but, I soldiered on as best I could, resigned to be as embarrassed as usual when I saw the tape.

However, when I was finally shown the tape, the person I saw on the screen was somebody else entirely: he looked relaxed and confident … I couldn’t even see his leg shaking 😛

From that moment on, my career as a ‘public speaker’ was launched!

Realizing that it didn’t matter how I felt that counted, but how my audience perceived me, I rapidly went from strength to strength, actively seeking opportunities to stand up in front of a whiteboard, write-on-wipe-off felt-tip marker in hand.

This, more than any other single skill, accounts for my success in business, investing and Life:

– If I wanted to fund my businesses and investments, I presented my financial plans to my bank manager and his team, careful to fully explain the opportunity and address all of their potential concerns; the presentation format allowed me to be proactive, yet still leave room for additional questions. This allowed me to secure millions of dollars in funding, even when I had absolutely NO assets behind me!

– When I wanted to get married, my real job began at the first family dinner as I carefully presented myself in the best possible light with (sparingly applied!) carefully chosen anecdotes.

– When I wanted a promotion or pay-rise, I made sure that I had a an opportunity to have my boss see me doing something that most people (including him!) are afraid to do: being relaxed, confident, informative, and entertaining in front of an audience. This made me one of the most successful ‘experts’ in my field, within only a couple of years of taking up that particular specialty.

– When I wanted large companies to buy what my company had to sell (and, later, to buy my company), I always came up with a crackerjack presentation that addressed all of their buying considerations (which I had been careful to assess in prior “ask polite questions and listen to what they have to say” meetings); being the only person standing up really allowed me to control the flow of the meeting and helped me to sign multi-million dollar contracts all over the world.

In other words, I let the presentation do the selling, which really took the pressure off me having to perform as a Salesman …

… and, it became clear to me: everybody respects the person standing on the stage.

As for my daughter: she did an awesome, confident speech … as did many of her classmates.

In my opinion, if they keep it up, they will have a flying start in their later business life … and, so will you, if you take the time to learn – and, practice – speaking to an audience.