4 Ingredients Or Less
Staying in a hotel on my travels around Blighty I happened across the slickest media operation by authors I can remember seeing in a long, long while.
Two Aussie friends, busy Mums and cooking hobbyists, have unleashed a phenomenon in 4 Ingredients Or Less. As the title suggests, their new breakthrough angle in the overheated world of cookbooks, is to feature recipes that have no more than four ingredients.
The success speaks for itself. Last year it seems that they not only outsold any other kitchen manual, but even Harry Potter to be the best seller full stop Down Under. So well have they done, that one of the ladies has even written a book on how to write a bestseller.
I was immediately struck by how many lessons there were for the solution salesperson in their slick presentation.
They looked the part, which set them apart. They had a uniform. Both wore white from head to toe, with bright red strappy shoes and light green aprons emblazoned with their logo.
When the interviewer went down the oft-abhorrent BBC route of cantankerously taking the most opposite view imaginable in an at best disdainful, at worst aggressive, manner, he suggested that they might be “dumbing down” their art. The girls were well schooled. “We’re simplifying” one retorted, with an elongated delivery straight from the playground that made the inquisitor rapidly retreat.
Although I wouldn’t recommend the outrageous flirting that they subjected the male host to (honestly, Australian women…) the preparation of having evidently delicious truffles and choccie biccies on the table beforehand ensured that they received the warmest of welcomes.
The pair’s energy, enthusiasm, total confidence and comfort in the studio all shone through, making them naturals for the daytime tv circuit.
When asked where could they go next, they fell over themselves to talk about new projects. They mentioned so many ideas in the pipeline it was scary; a sequel, dinner party dishes, lunchbox ideas (and their website even mentions a Gluten-free version).
They were given under ten minutes under the morning lights on the sofa. This is similar to the time we often get in front of a new audience. They took their chance brilliantly. They looked the part, knew how to handle the smelliest of objection, had done impressive preparation, provided tasters upfront and could excitedly talk about futures. A winning sales presentation indeed.