Wherever someone may do business, no one disputes that Sean “Diddy” Combs wrote the book on #BossUP when it comes to many things, including sales. One of his key leaders at Combs Enterprises, Aubrey Flynn, is appearing at Tech808 on November 9th at NYU. To set the stage for Aubrey, we’ve brought back a dope piece that Anthony, one of our founders and bosses, wrote when Mr. Combs owned the sales floor on HSN in ’12. Watch. Read. Apply.
If there’s one thing Diddy can do well, it’s sell. I took some time out to watch the clip of when he appeared on HSN and sold out of his entire scent collection in 15 minutes. He then went on to pretty much sell out of every other Sean John product he brought out that day. He didn’t do much talking, in fact, the host did much of the pitching the entire time. So how did he pull it off so well? I’ll share my takeaways below.
The Experience
When describing the products he spoke about himself experiencing them. When speaking about the cologne he gave away his secret tips on how to layer it just right. When he spoke about his robes, he explained how he likes to lounge around like the gents in the classic movies. He definitely made sure you understood these were items he was using himself.
The Legacy
Not only was music his life, but fashion as well. There was a story that connected him to fashion even as a child. He told the story of helping his grandmother pick out designs and patterns. He also used to follow his mother to photo shoots because she was a model. This made Sean John not look like some quick flip venture you see so many celebrities do. There’s a story attached, with some level passion.
Product Quality
This is the part so many sadly overlook. It doesn’t matter how good you pitch, the product has to be great. And you need to find some way to show you actually give a damn about what you’re selling. When describing the products they highlighted everything from the stitching to the softness of the robes. Even the packaging was drooled over for a moment. So attention to detail is important to Diddy.
Be Eventful
Diddy being on HSN wasn’t really a big deal. But he made it one. He tweeted how epic this night was going to be. He called his appearance “historic,” and I firmly believe he would have said that even if he didn’t sell out in 15 minutes. Nothing’s too small. He made it all seem bigger than himself. Which leads me to the next observation…
Gratitude
Diddy was very thankful to God, the host, his fans, the network, everyone. His very humble approach resonated with the audience, and they felt good about buying from him. They didn’t feel like they were being sold to. Make no mistake Diddy takes plenty of pride in his work, but the amount of humility he shows overpowers that. At least in public.
Inspire
He left the audience with some words of wisdom. Staring at a stage full of Sean John products, his message of “Work hard one day and be like me” was loud and clear. He looked like success. What inspirational message can you attach to your product or service?
Feel free to add some more Diddy tips you may have picked up yourself in the comments. Also check out my post aboutThe Paper Gangster that talks a little about Diddy, but in a completely different light.
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