The Best Thing In The Whole World

I always enjoy a tale from beyond Sales about selling an idea. Here’s one from the ephemeral world of radio show features.

A new host took over a breakfast time popchart style radio programme with around five million tuning in daily.

One trait he was determined to stamp on his tenure, was to move away from an over-reliance on celebrity slots, with all their unrelatable promo faux-matey banter.

His aim was to give mornings more back to the listeners.

Early on, he sensed a chance to put this in place. A lady in the far N East of the country had never tried the (famed former tin-miner lunch) local snack of the opposite S West corner. Almost a thousand miles apart, he sought to enlist listener help to transport said foodstuff – a Cornish Pasty – from origin to first-time eater.

Here’s one report of the gambit;

His bosses were initially sceptical of the “Pass the Pasty” idea … but were won over by his conviction, his team’s experience, and the health and safety documents they assembled. “You don’t ever say: ‘This is going to be the best thing in the whole world.’ You go: ‘We’re trying to get a pasty from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire. Are you on board?’”

It was a huge hit with listeners. The show, it seems continues in this vein a year on, merrily adding to their audience along the way.

His core pitch pillar is worth repeating:

You don’t ever say: ‘This is going to be the best thing in the whole world.’

You go: ‘We’re trying to get a pasty from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire. Are you on board?

I can remember vividly times when I’ve seen a salesperson lose a room. They bound up, super-keen, and say straight away, ‘you’re gonna love this…!’ Even tv sketchwriters know this as comedy gold schadenfreude.

Yes, what you’re planning may well be the global pinnacle. But do not ever let yourself state so.

Someone through you could now be able to get from A to B. That’s what you pitch.

Are they on board?