Comments on: Are you done talking yet?

By: Maddy Milan

Maddy Milan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:31:07 +0000

Good post - I especially like the reminders to be respectful, quick and un-pointless.

I do think you have to be careful with 'being a showman' though. Exaggeration can get you into tricky places and undermine your credibility if you're not careful. If you exaggerate and get too excited about some clearly un-exciting clients or products, there's a risk you won't be listened to when you have genuinely exciting pitches.

If you have to exaggerate, maybe you shouldn't be pitching the client/product (but taking some other approach instead)? Or you should be pitching them to someone else who does find them exciting?

It's all about making sure that what you're pitching is exciting and interesting to the audience you're pitching it to, so you don't have to fake it and exaggerate. Or am I being naive?

By: jeffespo

jeffespo — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:36:21 +0000

I will be the judge of the distrubingness

By: Christina K

Christina K — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:46:04 +0000

Davina you couldn't be more right about being polite and shutting up at the same time. I can't get over sometimes how long winded some people are.

I think its hard to put on the “showman” act when you're not 100% sold on what your selling. Then you've got to fake it till you make it I guess.

By: davinabrewer

davinabrewer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:00:49 +0000

"Warm up on your own time" was something one of my professors always told us, taught us to cut the filler out of our writing and storytelling. Which goes right into having a point.

So your product is way cool. Your company provides exceptional service. And your point is? Everyone has a cool product, great service so get over yourself. Put on that showman hat, cut the boring, make your point, and tell your story better than they do.

To be respectful, I'd add be polite which means: shut up, listen and let someone else get a word in as you regale them of your weekend exploits. Maybe they had a bad breakup and aren't up for the zany stories of you. Maybe the reporter is crunching a deadline, but can take your call tomorrow.

Get the story right, the right target, at the right and then get out of the way.

By: TJ Dietderich

TJ Dietderich — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:32:08 +0000

Yes, cheesiness does not a good story make, unless you're being intentionally cheesy to people who like cheese. Wisconsinites maybe?

By: TJ Dietderich

TJ Dietderich — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:31:14 +0000

We both have gone much more gray in the time since we've started pitching. While Stina has pretty regal streaks, I'm going all George Clooney salt & pepper, which is disturbing.

But back to the point! YES. Self-obsession is the number 1 killer of good stories. (It's actually, IMO, the root of all evil; I think I blogged about it ages ago here: http://tj.dietderich.com/?p=135)

By: jeffespo

jeffespo — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:57:42 +0000

I love the whole get to the point and be interesting. I know a number of folks who tell a story and I cringe. They become self obsessed while speaking, so I can check emails, look at a paper or take a nap and not miss a thing, only to realize that they suck at story telling.

I am sure that reporters get that as well, so its important to be timely, fun and catchy.

Now which one of you has the grays?

By: mikeschaffer

mikeschaffer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:36:53 +0000

I love this. Pitching is sales. You have a finite amount of time to convince the producer/editor/reporter that YOUR story is the best thing in the world – and loads better than any other crap that has come across their desk today – thus, making it worthy of their valuable air-time/column inches.

It's critical to boost your client/event, without going so far over the top as to make it unrealistic.

But wait…THERE'S MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Tweets that mention Are you done talking yet? :PRBreakfastClub -- Topsy.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:29:22 +0000

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uberVU - social comments — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:06:52 +0000

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