In a world where generation after generation we have been raised to obtain a good-paying job to support the family, a man’s personal pursuit for happiness had to be put on the back burner. Today, things are so much more different than anyone could have imagined. With the advancements in technology and the World Wide Web, societies began to morph, and new ideas paved the way for new opportunities. Entrepreneurs began emerging with the tools now available for them to research, communicate, and market their ideas.
Now you have the chance to be your own boss and actually have a shot at turning what you love to do into a paying job. However, your success can’t be achieved alone. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it definitely wasn’t built by one man. No matter what your new business endeavor is, you may at some point need to deal with investors, business partners, clients, and consumers. You depend on these entities to support your endeavor, but you have to win them over first. In business terms, you have to “close the deal” and come to an agreement on something.
Clients agree to pay a specific price for a service or product you agree to provide.
Investors agree to fund an idea that you agree to pursue.
It might be harder to close the deal with one person over another, but the one thing that they all have in common is the fact that they are just humans, like you. One thing to remember is that if you can capture someone’s attention in a positive way, they are more likely to want to back up your idea. This brings us to the first way to seal the deal with your investor or client.
Believe in Yourself
Investors especially look for someone who can convince them that the idea is worthy and a solution. If you have a great idea but lack confidence in your execution for bringing your idea to life, you’ll quickly lose their interest. Your goal is to convince your investors that you believe wholeheartedly in your pursuit. Your enthusiasm and energy play a big role in how you can convey this.
Most of the decisions that we make as individuals are based on some level of personal preference. The next four ways that can help you close a deal related to capturing the attention of investors and clients by appealing to their senses and emotions
Visual Appeal
What we see affects how we think and feel. A presentation can highly benefit from visual stimuli, such as blueprints, logos, graphs, or sketches. Whatever it may be, giving your audience something to look at will keep their mind on the concept of your idea. There is even proof that specific colors can enhance our mood, thus affecting our decisions.
Verbal Appeal
An art form in itself, being able to eloquently communicate through language to your audience is a quality that will surely impress anyone. It’s a common human characteristic that we judge others based on the way they word things and their tone of voice. Also, don’t try to overpower a conversation. Always ask for feedback or input from whomever it is that you are speaking to.
Emotional Appeal
We see it everywhere in advertisements on tv, in magazines, and on billboards. A situation is presented to you that makes you feel an emotion. This same concept can be brought into luring a client to your product or service. Be careful not to lean towards a sad or upsetting reason to try and convince your audience.
Logical Appeal
Facts and data talk. People like to see evidence of success or at least why you believe you will succeed. Doing your research on competition, consumer data, location, and product/service practicality are like science to the business mind. It looks like clear evidence to them as to why you believe you can succeed.
Each of these ways can stand out on its own if utilized in the right way to highlight your idea as an entrepreneur. Create your game plan and find an angle that you want to use to grab the attention of your audience. Typically, within the first ten minutes, an investor or client has already made a decision in their head on whether or not they want to close the deal with you. It’s not always about the final statement. The willingness for your audience to close a deal is a culmination of their entire experience with you.