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By salespodder in VideoCallsThatSell —

Book Prop Jiggle

This US rolling news clip, here as posted by a 'comedy' account from those disinclined to share the UK's former (& shortest ever serving) Prime Minster, was unmissable across my feeds in its immediate aftermath.

Opponents, such as those posting here, gleefully suggesting a metaphor to sum up her briefest and, as they see it, calamitous premiership.

The transmission delay between the pair here doesn't help, for sure. Nor the fact she was so eager to show her hardback to the camera as soon as.

A nagging doubt also being that Liz Truss hadn't done such a promo performance before.

How difficult is it to have your prop, in this case the book, face down and primed in front of you? To swiftly, simply, lift up and face camera-wards, all upright and correct?

Jokers commenting suggested the dark forces of the 'deep state', 'the blob' or 'men in grey suits' had fiendishly played with the book so she'd duly struggle.

Yes, it's hardly slick.

And really is the kind of thing you ought practice prior.

Yet what's the outcome?

Way more coverage of her new book than otherwise would've happened.

ᴘʀ genius, might you say?

I myself have had experience of this greater stickiness.

One instance about six months ago springs to mind. On someone else's corporate Teams call. I could see myself on the screen mirrored. Knowing the foibles on Teams and traps from other's admin settings, when it came to scribbling something (it happened to be a kind of 'equation') on my personal whiteboard to show and tell, my mind switched to begin writing the characters backwards, from right to left. Showing exasperation, the senior guy in the room shook his head, hand to brow, and halfway through let me know, with a sigh. I'll let you apply your own label to them. Suffice to say, I later learned the net effect was clear, positive and lasting. Everybody remembered the message I made. Authenticity, humility and enthusiasm got me through, and my point through to them.

This example shows similarities.

I'm not saying you should deliberately make a clumsy move. But never be afraid to show that you're human. Empathy soars. And with it, your chances of success.

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jamie@example.com
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