The Magic of 250

Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of the most respected and successful actors in the world. I was reading an article about him the other day and I was struck by his process for preparing for a play or a movie. He stated that he always reads his lines out loud 250 times before starting to rehearse with other cast members. He constantly improvises when acting, but won’t ad-lib until he has committed the original script to memory. At 75 years old, he could take a few short cuts without anyone noticing – but he continues to practice the process that helped him achieve his success.

Anthony Hopkins’ process started me thinking about sales and my own preparation. Have I read Force’s Value Proposition out loud 250 times? I was honest with myself and answered that I have not. If I am on the spot to explain my Value Proposition to an important prospect, am I going to be at the top of my game?

Work was needed.

There is something magical about reading your Value Proposition out loud 250 times in row. The message gets embedded in your brain and your confidence level rises. After completing the exercise, you will never forget it. You also can improvise as the situation demands without losing the strength of your message.  The downside is that you will probably get some strange looks from your family as you practice!

In today’s time constrained world, the opportunity to make a great impression is very limited. People are more difficult to reach and they are very guarded with their time. If you have a 30 minute introductory meeting with a prospect, you have to make the most of it or there will not be another meeting. Often your first meeting is on the phone, which is even more difficult.

Sales has shifted from a quantity to a quality game. Once a meeting is secured, top notch preparation is required to stand out in the prospect’s eyes. Being absolutely sure and confident of your Value Proposition is a great starting point for a great meeting.

Make an appointment with yourself for this weekend. Read your Value Proposition out loud 250 times. You probably won’t get a star on the Walk of Fame, but you will be on your way to improved sales success.