Some 25 years ago when I went through host training at HSN, the first thing we were taught was that that the product is king. Not me, not you, not the model, and certainly not the set we're selling from. And yet, it seems like people forget this from time to time. I like to call it believing your own press release syndrome. This is the phenomena where a presenter starts to think that their mere presence is more powerful and important to the sell than exploring the features & benefits of the actual item being sold. This is a bad thing. Because the customers want to see what they're (hopefully) buying. They want to see it work, they want to know what it can do, and they want to know how they might use it in their homes. Do they care about our opinions? Sure, to a certain extent. But, not more so than seeing their potential purchase do it's thing on live TV.
Now, if you're reading this, and we work together on TV, don't worry, I'm not talking about YOU...as far as you know. The truth is, that we're all guilty of hogging the camera from time to time, taking the limelight away from the true star, our product. So what should you do? Listen to yourself, listen to your co-host, and ask yourself, "does what I'm saying actually impact the sales of this item?" If the answer is no, change your tactics, let the other person talk, but for the love of Mike, please don't just monologue for the sake of face time! Remember, air time is precious, and the product is King...not you.
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Friday, February 21, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
The Importance of Being Earnest
When I was in college, I studied acting for a while... a really long while, like four years. And in that time, I learned a little about acting, and a lot about myself, mostly that I'm a lousy actor. But, I did learn that I enjoyed being in front of people and commanding an audience. And that's why I'm SO lucky to be doing what I do, because I get to be on camera without acting...I get to be myself. It's true, the person you see selling products on TV is exactly who I am. When I laugh at something, it's because I genuinely think it's funny (catch me working with Robin Wall some time), and when I'm enthusiastic about a product, I'm really excited about what I'm selling.
It's authentic, it's real, and it's all I know how to do, because remember, I'm no actor. Which makes it all the more strange to me when people new to the field always think they need to be someone else...some ideal pitchman they have in their head.
I train new presenters, so I get to see how hard it really is for them to be themselves. They always want to be that guy/gal they see in infomercials. Now there is a school of thought that favors this method. Tony Robbins is one proponent of copying success...
If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do, and you'll achieve the same results.
And in certain situations, that's excellent advice! But not when it comes to selling products on live television. Because unless you possess some next level acting skills, people will know. Sure, when we're watching a TV series or a play, we KNOW those people are acting. But, we suspend our disbelief and go with it for the sake of the show. That's not the case with television retailing. When you're watching someone present a product on live TV, you want the TRUTH. You want them to be earnest about their item, and to not pretend to be someone they're not. It sounds easy, but it can take years of practice to be comfortable enough to just be yourself...on TV...in front of millions of people.
Of course, there's more to being a successful Pitchperson on TV than just being yourself, but that's another story for another day. For now, remember step ONE...be earnest, and be yourself!
I train new presenters, so I get to see how hard it really is for them to be themselves. They always want to be that guy/gal they see in infomercials. Now there is a school of thought that favors this method. Tony Robbins is one proponent of copying success...
If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do, and you'll achieve the same results.
And in certain situations, that's excellent advice! But not when it comes to selling products on live television. Because unless you possess some next level acting skills, people will know. Sure, when we're watching a TV series or a play, we KNOW those people are acting. But, we suspend our disbelief and go with it for the sake of the show. That's not the case with television retailing. When you're watching someone present a product on live TV, you want the TRUTH. You want them to be earnest about their item, and to not pretend to be someone they're not. It sounds easy, but it can take years of practice to be comfortable enough to just be yourself...on TV...in front of millions of people.
Of course, there's more to being a successful Pitchperson on TV than just being yourself, but that's another story for another day. For now, remember step ONE...be earnest, and be yourself!
Monday, February 3, 2014
We're back...well, I'm back.
It's been a REALLY long time since I last posted here, and I mean to change that. Despite my hectic appearance schedule, I'm really going to make the effort to keep my blog current. Perhaps it'll be cathartic to get my thoughts out about being a Ptchman on TV, or maybe it'll drive me insane. Either way, it should make for an interesting read. Stay tuned!
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