Sunday, October 21, 2012

Steve Carnegie, Dale Jobs.

Steve Jobs devoted his life to surprise people with innovative gadgets. 

Dale Carnegie devoted his to winning friends and influencing people.* 

Even though they are very different, one is an innovator, the other one a salesmanship expert, I  want to highlight something they both have in common: their way of approaching others. 

Dale Carnegie, explains how in order to influence people you have to think as they think. He said: "I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted. I didn't bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or grasshopper in front of the fish." Weird example, but incredibly truthful.

Your opinion doesn't count when trying to persuade others. Any product for the people has to agree with what people desire, want, and admire. 

Steve Jobs embraced this principle every time he presented one of Apple's revolutionary designs. So simply, so enthusiastically. Jobs knew that if he didn't show us how his new bold products work, nobody would understand what the heck he was talking about. Nobody would think it possible. Steve Jobs never overloaded people with technical information, as he knew most wouldn't keep up. 

Apple dedicates its designs not just to make them look good, but to make them user-friendly. They make their designs based on human intuition.  Dale Carnegie emphasized the importance of putting yourself in the consumers' feet, and by making designs based on people and not technology experts, Jobs did. Steve Jobs was a good listener and observer, he talked about what people wanted to hear, thought from people's points of view, and all with smile in his face! All assets encouraged by our good salesmanship prof. Jobs dramatized his ideas by mesmerizing people. <-- Canergie's recommendation right there. 

Personally, I lack Steve Jobs selling ability. Sometimes I forget how people wont necessarily follow my trail of thoughts. I expect people to understand me, instead of trying to be understood. Big mistake. Simplifying ideas in my head by using "user-friendly" explanations will definitely help me sale whatever is that I want to sale. 

Jobs and Canergie teach us how being a salesman is not about selling, but about understanding people.
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* Dale Canergie's most famous book is called How to Win Friends and Influence People. It's almost a hundred years old and still keeps its best-seller status. It must be good, right?

2 comments:

  1. Great post! The line about fish and strawberries is personally one of my favorite Carnegie quotes. I liked how you focused on salesmanship, as I focused on public speaking. Jobs was known for his way of demonstrating products, and in a way it's very similar to what Carnegie promotes.

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  2. You're right, focus on the audience. I think it doesn't matter what you're doing...there is always a "customer" at the other end of the conversation, often one you're trying to persuade to your point of view.

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