The two words, “connect” and “comfort”, are the secret to selling a product. To sell a product, you must “connect” with your customer. This connection must lead to a comfort zone with your customer. If you do not connect and establish comfort, you will not sell effectively. If you do, you will be successful in your sales efforts. How is this done? Bill Clinton’s Presidential campaign of 1992 is a benchmark that modern salesmen should follow.
Victors write the history. To most people, it is thought that Bill Clinton’s robust personality won him the Presidency. It did not. The truth of the matter is that Bill Clinton had a difficult campaign to the White House. Mr. Clinton had to “sell” his Presidency to the American people (understand this analogy in the most positive light). His campaign is a bench mark for modern sales people to study. Bill Clinton won the Presidency because he was able to connect to the American public. This connection created a comfort level that allowed him to communicate to the American people and explain what he wanted to do. To do this he had to make himself vulnerable. To sell effectively, to connect with your customers, you have to make yourself vulnerable to your customers. This is a process and this process must be done correctly. If it is done correctly, this vulnerability creates a connection between sales person and client. A strong comfort level is created through the proper use of vulnerability.
As June of 1992 began, Bill Clinton polled behind both President Bush and Ross Perot. At this point in the campaign, it appeared that Mr. Clinton’s prospects of winning the Presidency in 1992 had two chances. His two chances were slim and none and none had just left town on June 3, 1992. On that date Tim Russet, the respected NBC commentator made this statement, “Clinton has fundamental problems. The American people have made up their minds about him. He is irrelevant”.
Clearly, Mr. Clinton was not connecting with his customers. They weren’t comfortable with him. Mr. Clinton’s political instincts took over. His instincts told him what psychologists have discovered that a person must do when they want to connect to other people, when they want to “click”. In the book, “Click”, authors Ori and Rom Brafman tell us that 5 things create connectivity between two people. They are vulnerability, proximity, resonance (this is speaking in language they can understand), similarity, and being together in a safe place. The most important is vulnerability.
Mr. Clinton decided he had to make himself vulnerable to the American people. He understood that the election would not hinge on his policies in relation to President Bush. He understood that Americans had to “buy” him. He was a young man from a small Southern state with a history of racial turmoil. To win the Presidency, he had to prove, to sell, the American people that he was the right man to lead them. How could he do this?
To connect with the American electorate and to create the comfort level that was needed, he embarked on the talk show circuit. He made himself vulnerable. These shows had no script; the commentators could ask anything they wanted. He had no control over the flow of the shows.
He went on Larry King, on “Today”, on the late night comedy shows. This was a real risk. By this time, Mr. Clinton’s personal life was well known. By going on the comedy shows, he ran a real risk of looking like a clown and not a serious candidate for the Presidency.
Instead, the opposite happened. Mr. Clinton talked about what it was like to lose a father before he was born, to be raised by a single parent in a small Southern town called Hope. He talked about his alcoholic father, and his physical confrontations with him in growing up. He talked about what was like to have a younger brother who was addicted to alcohol and drugs. He talked about his role in rehabilitating him.
One of his best shows was when he went on MTV’s “Rock the Vote”. This show was geared toward young people, but this show was watched by many older voters. They wanted to see the real Bill Clinton, unscripted. He did an impressive job in a format that was freewheeling. This is a format in which anything could have happened. He also went on Aresenio Hall’s show, which in 1992, was the highest rated “late night” show. He put on sun glasses and played the Saxophone. He came across as a “regular” guy. Here was a man that you could “trust”. This is a man who has the same problems that I have. Here is a man who has values like mine. Here is a man who had an upbringing very much like mine.
Using vulnerability, Bill Clinton connected with the American public. At the beginning of June, 1992, his favorable rating was 33%. After his connection campaign, at the end of June of 1992, his approval rating had soared to 77% and Mr. Clinton went on to win the Presidency.
How does a salesperson make themselves vulnerable? They can use self-depreciating humor. The presentation, in the sales process, is key. In the presentation a salesman can explain how they use their own product in their own daily life. If this can be done, this has a real connecting experience with a customer.
Dean Hambleton
dnhambleton@gmail.com
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