It is more of the soft skill rather than hard science. The most effective way to sell your idea is to present it in a way that the listener assumes to own that idea. You do not claim the ownership yourself and attribute it to the listener as if she was the one who came up with that in first place. Now you do not need to sell that idea anymore as it is already sold rather the listener is now the owner and the greatest advocate of that very idea and is trying to sell it back to you. Saving Changes...
Bruce Wilkinson MBA, PMPExpert Project Manager / Trustworthy Executive Assistant / Business Coach| goBRUCE Business ServicesCuenca, Azuay, Ecuador
I agree with Suhail that getting people to "own" the idea as their own is a huge achievement. Some of the ways I have done this is to share benefits of a given idea to individual stakeholders BEFORE the meeting in which the idea is formally presented. It always helps to have allies.
Another key is to reduce the options to a manageable number as early in the process as possible, and then make the ideal option so obvious that the choice becomes clear to all. For example I was once presenting quotes on a major software purchase for an enterprise level accounting/HR piece of software from three "finalist" vendors. The benefits from each vendor were presented in a complex mix of very different cost/benefit metrics. By reducing all of the variables to a similar side-by-side comparison matrix including upfront costs, and 3-year, 10-year, and other life of software costs/benefit metrics, the winner became a "no-brainer". Consensus was achieved in a single meeting. Saving Changes...
Asking questions, responding to a problem and addressing process improvement issues etc.
However, no body shows interest for any idea not useful for them. Even senior management doesn't want to listen any thing, which can not save cost, generate revenue, increase productivity or helps in motivating people to do more.
Your ideas must have reference of these aspects, while presenting to senior management.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
See "Solution Selling" (also known as "Spin Selling") selling method. It works for me from years. I am not a sales man. Saving Changes...
Gina AbudiPresident| Abudi Consulting LLCAmherst, Nh, United States
By aligning those ideas to how it can help them to either achieve a goal/objective or to address a challenge/problem. When I can help them see how it benefits them, I can get their buy-in to support my idea. Saving Changes...
arlene trimbleAssistant IT Director| Local GovernmentAlamo, Ca, United States
Yes. I totally like the Solution Selling because it is simple yet effective. I agree that the customer needs to have a feel of ownership to the idea so that they can support it. As a PM, this is one of the et of skills that we need to enhance - stakeholder and business sponsor marketing/selling/outreach. Saving Changes...
Deepa KalangiManager, Program Management, Author, Trainer| CVS HealthCharlotte, NC, United States
IMO- selling/marketing an idea or a product with the regular methods don't work anymore. For example- This is great, try it out and keep saying it several times. Instead, visual slides clearly stating the current market, showing the gaps, emphasizing the ROI analysis and using examples for the same will definitely get the buy in from anyone. Saving Changes...
It is not a simple task to market or sell an idea, yet it is possible. You need to follow these five steps:
1) Gather Information about your future market
2) Create a Great Presentation
3) Pinpoint Your Targets
4) Qualify Your Aims
5) Make the Sale Saving Changes...
