Know-How Exchange : Just for Fun

Take a look at: https://www.nextinternetmillionaire.com/

It's a new reality show (episodes exclusively online). The focus is on internet marketing, but there are some games/challenges that might be good to try (episode 1 had an exercise of everyone introducing their partner, etc.).

From my days doing improv, there are a number of "games" that would be likewise good for a marketing class: have someone tell a 1 minute story about something important to them. At the end of a minute, tell the story back. How much did you remember (including details)? Another one: Have someone tell a story, but instead of passively listening, fake enthusiasm as the listener. Does the story change for the teller? listener? A third: sell a product, but you can't talk in a real language - it must be gibberish. The copy must also be non-legible. Graphics are allowed. Can you convey meaning / enthusiasm without words?

As for real topics: business strategy (identifying a niche, targeting, etc.), online vs. offline marketing, how to network, and marketing copy.

I would guess that this auctioneer has a number of stakeholders: people who sell things, people who buy things, people who appraise things, etc.

So he may want to consider, in addition to the things you suggest, having email newsletters focused on relevant content to the various stakeholders.

I am referring to permission-based email marketing *not* buying email lists and so on. In email marketing those practices do more harm than good.

This is an opportunity to communicate good, useful information to his current and prospective (who have asked to be contacted) stakeholders with relevant content, announcements, useful information, etc. If done right his stakeholders will love this.

Yes, as you have guessed by now, I work for a permission-based email marketing company: The StreamSend Email Marketing service.

Dear Phil

I’ve got a friend who is a head of department for Christies and a senior auctioneer and my son’s godfather is the Finance director to a financier who was until recently their largest shareholder. The off-the-record stories which came from that stable were brilliant, so I would expect that there is a rich seam to mine from within your industry if you could but get the players to divulge a few anecdotes for the benefit of training the next generation!

One of my favourite tales from their training sessions was on the “How to handle different types of customer and how to relate to them” This was coupled with training in the use of their new CRM system – that was my speciality. They ranged from confusing your approach to Her Majesty the Queen with your approach to Madonna (Clue: One is more royal than the other) and getting Bernie Ecclestone mixed up with Elton John (Clue: One is shorter than the other). The role play was to put the names of a number of celebrities, royals and high net worth individuals on pieces of paper and get the participants to produce a one or two minute presentation to attract their custom. They could be as real, as ironic or as jocular as they wished to be.

Another was the charity event, where a mixture of rubbish and real art was presented to the auctioneers in front of a camera and they had to handle the situation on the assumption that they were being filmed for reality TV. On the marketing side, they had to pitch for air time and for space in the arts pages of newspapers and magazines with only two paragraphs to get the editor’s attention to win a slot. The one for Meissen Porcelain from an ex SS general pitched to a tabloid editor brought the house down, but it was unprintable here.

It might be worth your while to write to a few senior auctioneers – they all have to combine their professional roles with marketing and PR work these days, explain your mission and see if they will contribute an idea. If they will, give them the credit and press release the event, mentioning their kind support.

Just don’t ask for anyone to do a “Ballad of reading Gaol” presentation as though from Mr Taubman, regardless of which penitentiary he served his time in. You might just get away with a spoof on marketing “Market Rigging Courses” but somehow, I think that this industry would find that to be a strand of humour too far!

Best wishes


Steve Alker

SalesVision