Be Backable: So that others take a chance on you
If you can’t convince yourself in what you are doing, how will you convince others to back you?
With the future of work & business & the unrelenting impacts of COVID forcing us to be more adaptable, communicating with influence is an essential skillset for those who want to thrive in this constantly changing landscape.
Suneel Gupta, author of Backable - The surprising truth behind what makes people take a chance on you, shows you how to be more effective, with many personal lessons & also from well-known investor superstars. Although his book talks about how to bring your ideas to life in the startup world, I think his lessons from the world’s biggest thinkers, (& ideas that has helped him raise millions of dollars & influence corporations), resonates across other industries about the best ways to engage & persuade others to back you.
Gupta’s suggests that most great ideas are not necessarily killed at business meetings. They are derailed at the office kitchen by well-intentioned colleagues, bosses, or at the home front by friends or partners. And sometimes, we do this to ourselves.
This book is a gem for professionals & leaders that would like to improve on their ‘pitches of all kinds’ in business & he covers a whole range of tactics & more that helps with getting buy-in. Ones that stood out for me include:
· Sometimes ideas shouldn’t be shared till you’ve tested it & improved on it
· Build your backable circle – your cheerleaders, collaborators, coach, & a cheddar (someone who will poke holes & identify your blind spots)
· Practice your important pitch at least 21 times with other people
· Big part of whether or not to pursue an idea is accepting that ‘throwaway work’ is natural part of the process
· Address objections before others do (this is a must in any business environment)
· Don’t accept the first no, especially if there is an opportunity to go back & try again
· Consider making your stakeholders (buyers) the hero or part of the story
· You only need to find a passionate few who love your idea – not an army of likes
· Create a sense of urgency that people will fear missing out if they don’t jump on board
· You must believe in your idea – if it doesn’t energise you then maybe it’s not for you
· Tell your pitch in a way that inspires others to back you no matter what.
“I’m always better at selling a client or product than I am at selling myself”, admits one of Gupta’s clients. But as Gupta proves time & time again, you don’t need a perfect slide deck, nor do you need to be a great public speaker. He shares many stories about people who were nervous & did screw up, but were still able to pique the curiosity, ignite a flame in others, & attract large scale funding from investors who took a chance on them & made them backable.
