Presentation Without Demonstration is Just Conversation

A retail employee waves a hand in the direction of the product after walking to its location when a customer asks for help.

NO SALE!

A car salesperson stands by the closed door of the car and talks about the gas mileage while the customer kicks the tires. Although they answer all of the questions he never offers a test drive.

NO SALE!

The staffer cooking up fragrant mini-quiches in the warehouse store, smiles at you as you stand and watch them, but doesn’t offer you a sample.

NO SALE!

The furniture salesperson knows you want a king adjustable bed and they show you all that are on sale; but they are behind a roped-off area and you can’t touch them.

NO SALE!

A writer sets down words to tell a story, just the facts, few adjectives, metaphors, similes, or adverbs.

NO SALE!

Presentation without Demonstration is just Conversation!

Engaging the potential customer through as many of their senses as is practical greatly increases the likelihood of the sale.

Hand the customer the requested item. Better yet: hand them the item for which they asked and ALSO a second item that you suggest may be interesting to them.

• If they asked for a candle, hand it to them and include a room diffuser.
• If they asked for a book hand it to them and also give them another by the same author.
• If they asked for a sweater hand it to them, and include a second color option or a matching scarf. Or all three!

Help the customer see themselves living with the purchase.

• Invite them to sit in and drive the car.
• Encourage them to try on the outfit.
• Offer them a seat on the sofa.
• Get them the shoes in their size and show them the floor mirror.

Engage as many of their senses in the experience as possible.

• Give them a sample.
• Run your own hand over the fabric and then step back so they have room to handle it, too.
• Have swatches of color and scent.
• Play soft music.

This applies to writers, too.

Engage as many of a reader's senses as possible. That might seem odd, since most of a writer's content is done one on one through written word. But it can very well turn a by-rote piece into something next level. Here are some examples:

• Is it cold? Try to get that across without using the word 'cold'. Describe the impact on the scenery, the exposed skin, the way the air shows each puff of breath, frozen water, bundled-up people. Help the reader feel the cold instead of reading it.
• Did someone start their day with coffee? This is almost too easy: was it French Roast or blond? Did they have it steaming and frothy, or was it in a tall glass mug with a scoop of frozen whipped cream melting in the center? Did they need the caffeine buzz? Could they feel their fingernails growing from the sudden jolt of 'awake' that hit them? Did they make it at home, tantalizing their nose as it perked/dripped/frothed/foamed/or poured out as a tingly clean cold brew? Did it warm their fingers as they flexed through the morning arthritis, hold it against their head to smooth away a headache, burn their tongue because they couldn't wait to take that sip? Help the reader experience the moment instead of just reading that a cup-o-joe was involved.
• Were they angry? What was that like? Did they actually see red? Did their breath get caught in the back of their throat as they choked back the words? Did their ears start to roar blocking out the complaints from their partner? Was their chest tight from the pressure, did their palms itch, did they go silent, are tears stinging the sides of their eyes but they are too proud to show that anger turns into tears? Or do they shout, snapping their head back on their neck and dropping open their mouth, screaming and gargling at the top of their lungs because THEY JUST CAN'T anymore!? Have they smashed their knuckles against the door, drove their fingernails into that soft spot inside their elbow next to the scars left from so many previous nights of holding in the rage? Help the reader see, hear, feel the anger.

Remember: Don’t be all talk and no demonstration! Please let me know in the comments what you think about this concept.

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