n Things You Never Knew About...

I do like to restrict wherever I can my new products tagged posts to tactics that are solely related to such, and not, as is so easy the case, fall into the trap of merely reporting a sales technique that can be equally applied to any product at all.

Here’s one idea that is most relevant I feel to those products at either end of their life cycle. For well-established longtime best sellers, as well as those just emerging.

I recall from an early age recognising a tabloid staple. Take a famous person and print a entire page devoted 20 Things You Never Knew About Them. If the journo had a hangover, then there’d likely be only ten things and a bigger picture.

As an aside, the day I googled this phrase, the top result was a lengthy London Times piece; 20 things you never knew about Shakespeare. Or as misprinted on his marriage certificate, Shagspere (!). You can certainly create a memorable slide out of that lot.

When someone of lifetime achievement was profiled, then several quirks and little known tidbits of scandal were reproduced. All of which sought to ally themselves with a particular image of said celebrity.

When the person was more akin to an “overnight sensation”, then the approach differs subtly. Anecdotes major on highlighting the hard work, eureka style moments, knockbacks and against-the-odds determination.

And it is this latter treatment that can so healthily aid a new product’s launch. You can use such a construct to help create a personality for your new product.

When I chair forums among salespeople at their regular get-together, I have in the past got them to write up the best things about the new product. It’s a fascinating exercise, because you usually get a slew of features, all from the viewpoint of the company alone. With hardly any benefits from the eventual customer’s perspective.

I can imagine a winner of an exercise evolves this to incorporate these interesting and obscure factlets.

My hunch is that prospects remember these types of details way better than your typical ‘techs and specs’. So, don’t be afraid to go large on ‘personality’.

As for an extra presentation idea, I’ve long been in wonder at big infographics. A treasure chest of them can be found around the web, and here’s a quartet of recent examples from onlineschools.org for inspiration. Remember, the principle remains the same for your own key (new or best) product. Click on the selected factoid for the full glory.

First, one of 15 for Apple fanboys and girls out there;

stevejobs-fact12

Here’s something spooky about brain matter;

brain-fact11

Something geeky about youtube;

youtube-fact1

They also deploy ‘The Numbers Behind’ and ‘Cool Facts About’ as useful starting points. Finally, one for those who consider Groundhog Day genius;

billmurray-fact

Via: OnlineSchools.org

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