RED

I knew you were trouble Taylor Swift.

I didn’t want to like you.

I fought back the urge to embrace you.

And then BAM! I walked into Starbucks and your red lips seduced me from the counter.

So I started to listen.

And I started to like it.

And I started to sing along.

And I started to become a fan. Blushing!

I knew you were trouble Taylor Swift, you and your RED album!

I know, I know. You are sitting there, hopefully still reading, thinking “What in the red devil are you getting at Stephanie, I am NOT a T-Swift fan?!”

Duh, neither was I! But over the past months, I became one. It started with my admiration of the marketing and branding genius of her RED album and developed from there with loving nearly every song on the album. I became enough of a fan, I had to attend her RED tour concert (with special guest Ed Sheeran, another must listen artist) and it was one of the best I’ve ever seen.

Since the concert, I’ve tried to put my finger on how Taylor Swift has become the pop-country powerhouse she is. I boiled it down to her one word, RED.

RED: the universal color of passion, blood, love, anger, and business. Yes, business. That is if you are in the business of being a successful entity in your industry.

And as I reflected a little more on the color, my boss and mentor’s best-selling The Little Red Book of Selling smacked me in the face. Both T-Swift and Gitomer had capitalized on the power of RED, big time. And it goes beyond the color. RED is a success principle. It’s the key to not only being listened to, but also being heard.

What does it take to be heard? Follow the RED Principle:

1. Repeat. Taylor Swift has conquered the art of repeating lyrics in her songs. Why is that important? It’s masterful for three reasons: it makes it easy to learn the song, it allows the listener to sing along, and it drives your point home. (We are never, ever, ever, ever getting back together, like ever!) Gitomer does the same thing. He repeats his core philosophies over and over in his weekly columns and books, making it easy for salespeople to grasp what it takes to be the best. Having trouble getting your message to be heard? Identify your key point and repeat, repeat, repeat!

2. Experience. The more experience you gain, the more knowledge you acquire. RED is Taylor Swift’s fourth album; The Little Red Book of Selling is Gitomer’s third published book. While neither were their first attempts to release their message, both are their respective best-selling hits. The secret? They had gained the experience they needed to not just be listened to, but to be heard. The bigger secret? You have to keep trying until you hit “best.” What experience are you gaining? What are you trying to achieve “best” in?

3. Deliver. Deliver beyond the expectations of others and yourself. Your job: give ‘em a show they won’t soon forget. The production value of Taylor Swift’s RED show was beyond first class: from the costumes and the lights (there were chandeliers at one point) to the confetti ending. The production value of The Little Red Book of Selling is unlike any other (non-Gitomer) book: from the cartoons and the compact size to the cloth cover. They deliver their messages in a style that grabs the audience’s attention and amazes them. How are you differentiating your delivery?

You can repeat your message and have the experience, but if you don’t deliver the message in a creatively different way, you will fall on deaf ears.

If you want to be successful, you must not only spread your message, but you must be listened to. Your time to be heard is now. Are you RED-y?

I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?

Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the Michelle at Buy Gitomer via email at michelle@gitomer.com or by calling 704-333-1112.