A Speaking Bank gives you succulent sound bites for any occasion: business or social, a 10-second “What do you do?” response or an hour-long talk. You never again have to worry about what to say, and can put all your attention where it belongs—on the other person.
This week, we look at #3 in the only 5 things we need to be happy and successful sellers:
- Free yourself from fear and negative thinking.
- Tap into your personal passion.
- Create your Speaking Bank.
- Make sales promises you can guarantee.
- Master the 10-point Honoring Sales Conversation.
WHAT IS A SPEAKING BANK?
Your Speaking Bank is made up of talking points that contain all the information and inspiration that people need in order to buy. These talking points are arranged in clear, cogent and persuasive sound bites of various lengths. They are a cornucopio of dynamic statements that you can draw on as you need them.
Your Speaking Bank statements general include:
- A broad vision of what your offering is and what it can do for people
- Vivid descriptions of its features and benefits
- Examples of its value
- The cost
Exercises in The Soul of Selling lead you systematically, step-by-step, through creating your own Speaking Bank.
WHAT A SPEAKING BANK GIVES YOU
Your Speaking Bank gives you a treasure chest full of benefits:
- Calmness. First and foremost, you get peace of mind. You never again have to worry about what to say, or wonder how to cut your 2-minute elevator speech down to 10 seconds.
- Confidence. You know that what you say is riveting, crafted for just this point in time and just these circumstances.
- Clarity. You’ve thought through exactly what you want to say. You aren’t reaching for information. It’s right at your fingertips.
Open your treasure chest slowly, and let people see the sparkle. Watch them lean in and see your offer’s true value, the things that will genuinely make their lives easier or better.
NO SPEECH-IFYING
Does this mean that your Speaking Bank contains all the words that will ever pass between you and others? No! It’s just a tool to help you present your offer in the most effective way—and then put your attention on others and use whatever words feel most natural.
With all that calmness, confidence and clarity in your pocket, you can relax and just be you. With a variety of sound bites in your pocket, you can pull out just the ones that will work in any particular situation.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
Your Speaking Bank looks like a page or two of writing. It is a series of loosely woven statements that can be taken apart and put back together in several different ways, and in several different lengths, to create just the right words for any situation. You can start by answering the 10 questions below.
Include all the important information, but remember that your purpose here is simply to draw people in and intrigue them. You don’t have to tell them everything about your offer in the Speaking Bank. You’ll have plenty of time for that once you’ve won them over. For now, just try to be enthusiastic but concise. Pack as much energy as you can into as few words as possible.
STARTING YOUR SPEAKING BANK
Here is the first of many exercises in The Soul of Selling that help you create your Speaking Bank:
- The Large Vision (2-4 sentences): What does your product or service do for everybody? Each person may find his or her own benefit, but here we are looking for the common denominators.
- Features (2-3 sentences) What are the specifications or characteristics of your product or service that people need to know to get a picture of it in their minds?
- Benefits (about 4 sentences) What are the primary benefits or values of using your product or service? What needs will it fulfill? What makes it unique? Why should people buy from you, rather than from someone else?
- Your personal value (about 2 sentences) What do you find uniquely, personally valuable about it?
- Examples of its value (about 3 sentences) What is one good example of the value someone got from using your product or service?
- Applications (about 2 sentences, if necessary) If there are any other ways your product or service can be used, what are they?
- Cost (1 sentence) What is the cost? (Practice saying this one into the mirror!)
When you have finished answering these questions, The Soul of Selling takes you through shaping your answers into sound bites of various lengths, for any occasion.
What ideas do you have for creating a Speaking Bank?
