In 2002, I tapped into a 2400-year-old technology that the most revered universities across the globe embrace: the Socratic Method. This method involves asking questions. When you’re thinking about applying this to your sales presentation, keep this in mind: the question mark looks like a hook. It draws people in. The exclamation point, on the other hand, is like a spear that can shoo people away.

Back to 2002: my children were very young, and so I didn’t want to travel as frequently as my colleagues did. Instead, I focused on teleseminars and creating courses online, on CDs, and in three-ring binders. The teleseminars were free, but the recorded interview and transcripts available afterward became a course for sale.

In this process, I created a database that became my secret weapon. It would take data after surveying someone, put the data into the database, and make it keyword-searchable. For example, if I wanted to do a teleseminar with Brian Tracy, we would set up a time. He would ask what we would talk about in terms of selling, but instead of answering him myself, we would survey our lists using my database to find out what they wanted to learn from him. Do you see how this ties into the Socratic method of asking questions?

Tune into this episode to learn exactly how well this strategy worked out! (Hint: it was successful.) You’ll also learn about other ways of using this method, why trying to give people what you think they want is problematic, how porcupines are related to the sales exchange, and much more.

 

In This Episode:

[02:13] - Alex introduces the three key insights that he’ll be exploring in more depth in today’s episode.

[03:17] - We hear about Alex’s views on the Socratic Method, as well as why the question mark is a more powerful sales tool than the exclamation point.

[04:43] - How can you create shared excitement and energy?

[05:50] - Back in 2002, Alex did lots of teleseminars because his daughter had just been born and his son was a toddler.

[08:33] - Alex began to create a list and then a series of leaders, and this database became his secret weapon.

[09:17] - We hear an example of what Alex is talking about, and how the Socratic method applies in this case.

[11:57] - This allowed Alex to create Socratic content, we learn.

[14:10] - Alex also used the Socratic method using his database for book tours.

[14:42] - We learn more about Socrates’ life.

[16:17] - The Alexism for this episode is this: there is no such thing as a self-made successful entrepreneur.

[17:20] - In the world of asking questions, remember the porcupine.

[18:17] - Alex offers listeners three world-class questions: “What don’t I see?” “How do I make money when others steal from me?” and “What are we split-testing today?”

[22:06] - Alex explains what a split test is.

[22:57] - Alex reviews the specific insights that he has covered throughout this episode.

[23:49] - Please take a moment to go to this link. Once you’re there, take a moment to write down your biggest takeaway from this episode as a review. Of course, a five-star rating would also be appreciated!

[24:49] - In honor of this 17th episode, Alex is giving away his book Alexisms completely free! To learn how to get yours, listen in to the episode.

 

Links and Resources:

Alex Mandossian

MarketingOnline.com

Skipio - where mass business texting gets personal!

Alexisms by Alex Mandossian

All Selling Aside on iTunes

The Socratic Method

Socrates

Brian Tracy

Harv Eker

Les Brown

Jack Canfield

What Is an MP3 File?

Larry King

Jeffrey Gitomer

Plato

Aristotle

Alexander the Great