What am I selling: me or my book?

In the 90s, training videos, like John Cleese's Meetings Bloody Meetings, were popular. They provided a novel alternative to corporate classroom learning.

This week, I thought of a video that Jim Hensen, of Muppets fame, had created called Sell Sell Sell. It was more expensive than other videos and was short, but it was entertaining and the message was clear: you must sell. 

I am now the head of sales for Change with Confidence.  This is a welcomed move because I have held sales roles before and led many sales training courses. I communicate the benefits of my product, supported by its features, to people who value my book and services. 

It's important to know what you are selling. Are my customers buying my book or me? I think it's both; they are buying my credibility as a change leader and my book that captures my experience and knowledge. Therefore, I need to build awareness of both. I will not be successful if either of them are invisible.

One way I'm building awareness is with "how to" videos. Lucas, Marketing Manager and great supporter at Wiley, provided me with an excellent opportunity to create a promotional video. I decided to answer the following questions:

• How can leaders help team leaders deal with change?
• How you can help leaders lead change?
• What is the first thing leaders need to do when leading a big change?
• How can people make the best of change?
• What are the universal truths of change?
• Why is confidence so important when leading change?

Sebastian Cluer

The video shoot took about ninety minutes to complete. The director, Sebastian Cluer, was relaxed and supportive, which made my many retakes seem part of the process versus messing up. I would have been nervous if I had known that he is an award winning film and television director. Don't you find that the most talented professionals are humble? I don't think I will make it onto his highlight reel, but I know he will create a great piece of work.

The video will be posted on the Wiley website, the Change with Confidence website, Youtube, LinkedIn and my National Speakers Bureau profile page. The more places I can profile me and my book, the more successful I will be.

Phil