The $1 billion product comes to life.
In my post last week, I told the story of how MORE FM launched the GOLD KEY PROGRAMME, to launch their radio station back in the early ‘90s
A simple 15-20-minute selling seminar was created to invite small groups of advertisers to take part in THE GOLD KEY PROGRAMME.
That product went on to generate $1 billion in sales globally.
Please check out part 1 because part 2 is even crazier!
PART TWO.
My epiphany
Here I was, just joining my new business partner’s consultancy company when I had an epiphany!
Just the week before, I had attended a Robert Kiyosaki course and we had played a game about leverage. A game so simple, that a PHD has been written about it.
There, in front of me that week, was that game in motion.
THE GOLD KEY PROGRAMME
I had to know more, excuse the pun.
Over that week of the launch, I sat in the back of the room and watched every seminar, 15-20 minutes at a time, 12 a day, for 5 days.
Starting at 8am, finishing at 7pm; 12 sessions with a break in between to arrange the chairs and greet the clients.
Doug, as the leader presented every one. That is what leaders do.
I was down the back taking notes.
I popped a recorder on the lectern that Doug was presenting from and recorded his speech word for word.
In between the breaks, I dropped it around to my typist.
Within a day I had the speech, then it was the slide show, duplicated and ready to go.
Then the seminar process, how the seats were placed, how the sales team greeted the clients, how they sat beside them etc.
Everything I could see I wrote about.
I watched as the presentation finished, how the sales team handed out the flyers, and then went about selling the product.
I watched what the best of them did to sell it, how they overcame the concerns, how they sold.
I watched, listened, observed, and created.
Within a week I had a template, a system, a formula – all I needed next was a client.
Opportunity down under
Sitting in Australia was my business partner Brian. I rang him and told him “I think I may have a product; do you have a client we could convince to try it?”
“Yes” said Brian – “HOFM Hobart Tasmania.”
I was on a plane the next week. In those days you could fly direct to Hobart from Christchurch, New Zealand.
Here we both were, sitting in a boardroom – the CEO and Sales Director were being pitched by Brian and I.
The formula presented just like a product.
They did not know me from a bar of soap, but they knew Brian, and Brian trusted me and they trusted Brian.
Within 6 weeks we were ready to launch THE GOLD KEY PROGRAMME – INTERNATIONAL.
A couple of Kiwi boys, sitting in the Hilton Hotel in Hobart thinking, “Jeez I hope this works”!
Monday morning and the first session…CEO on the lectern reading Doug’s presentation that I recorded word for word.
On the screen behind the CEO, we had the original slides duplicated and tailormade to their own offers and packages.
The sales training programme had been written for the reps on what to say, how to greet the clients, how to sit beside them in the presentation, how to open the conversation, how to ask for the business.
All mastered and ready to go, the system was alive and ready to work its magic. Or so we hoped.
The first session was 8am. 15 clients all seated theatre style. Boom, 30 seats sold in the room.
The second session we sold 20 seats.
We had an allocation of 150 seats for the whole week.
In two sessions we had sold 50 seats. Over 30% and we still had 8 sessions to go on just that day!
Brian comes over to me after the second session and says, “I think we are onto something here”.
No kidding Sherlock!
We sold out in 3 days. $1 million in sales. 40% of their budget.
We kept that client for 10 years.
It took Australia by storm. One market – $1 million – in one day!
Then we had the opportunity to take it to the USA. That was my gig.
We launched it on a small media company in Sth Carolina and sold out in 3 days.
The station was second to last in the market ratings, it was a dog. We had proved it, selling in the so-called best media market in the world. Good ole USA.
Over the next few years we sold it all over the world. Canada, UK, South Africa, Europe, and even South America.
We took the product into TV and newspaper.
Then we sold it to a company in the US.
We were an overnight success after 20 years.
Staff that left adapted it, media companies plagiarized it, and over time like all great products, it lost its uniqueness. It ain’t what it used to be that’s for sure!
The folk that did it after us never kept to the business principles that shaped great success.
But hey, they knew better and that’s okay.
Hey but what a ride, lots of business lessons to learn here.
- Create a formula for selling your product. No matter what it is
- Control your selling environment
- Be unique
- Create scarcity
- Make one promise
- Create a guarantee
- Have a single-minded selling approach
- Be relentless
- Never say “It’s different here in Bogota”- cause it ain’t
Success comes over time, that is what I think I have learnt most of all, and most principles and formula, if done right, can be done anywhere.
Have a great week, and hoped you enjoyed the story.
PLUS, whenever you are ready…here are four ways I can help you grow YOUR business.
1. Join my free Facebook group – Sales Mindset Inner Circle
My favourite thing to do is show you what’s working right now. It’s not as good as being a client, but it’s close.
2. Take advantage of a FREE 45-minute consultation
Need some sales support? Make an appointment, and let me take you through the past, present, and future template.
3. Work with me one-on-one
If you are wanting to take your product or service from face-to-face to virtual selling, then I have a product that may be able to help you. You can get started for as little as $250 a month. If you’re interested then email mike@mikebrunel.com and put ‘Virtual Selling’ in the subject line…tell me a little about your business and I’ll get you all the details.
4. Finally, grab my new digital book on ‘How to get a predictable sales system into your business without coming across as salesy’
Click the link: https://www.salesblueprintbook.com/book
Cheers
Mike
Mike Brunel started mikebrunel.com after being a successful entrepreneur and founder of NRS Media. He co-founded NRS Media in Wellington, New Zealand, expanded it into a global powerhouse in media sales and training, and was eventually responsible for opening offices in London, Atlanta, Toronto, Sydney, Capetown, and Bogota. He has hired hundreds of salespeople around the world.