Ed Ruggero

O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space

Hamlet

Actors sometimes talk about how much space a character occupies, how some just take up more room. They’re not talking about casting different sized bodies, but about what an actor conveys through body language, voice, and gestures.

It’s a notion that makes perfect sense to me. When I’m traveling and speaking, I take up a lot of space. I have conference calls and catch planes; I stay in nice hotels and have dinner with clients. When I show up at a venue there’s someone to help me with stage set-up and visuals; there’s a sound guy and someone on the lights and sometimes even a videographer or two. Afterwards, people come up to chat or share stories of their own. It’s awkward to admit, but I feel a little like Will Ferrell’s obnoxious title character in “Anchorman,” who says, “I’m kind of a big deal.” ,

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Speaker, consultant and sales coach Rich Lucia introduces his audiences—mostly sales people—to a handy tool he calls his “180 Rule.”First, you identify a reasonable objective, such as improved communication with a prospect, leading to a sale. Then you articulate an objective that is 180 degrees out of synch, such as “I don’t want to communicate well because I don’t want to sell.” Then you make a list of some of the things you could do to achieve this “180 Out Goal:”

• Instead of paying a visit, send an email or leave a voicemail.
• Instead of asking about the prospect’s business, send a template power point, a one-size fits all presentation that requires the prospect to flip through it.
• If you do meet with the client, make sure you do all the talking, and don’t ask any questions or allow the other person to speak.

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