Speaking and Listening

As an entertainer, I must be my own salesperson. Most salespeople who are "people persons" are good at selling whatever they have to offer. If you are not a "people person" then you need to learn real quickly how to become one.

Getting sales is easy and fun when you are the one in control and closing the deal. It can be frustrating though, when you're trying to get the sale but are unsure how.

Take some stress off of your shoulders by focusing on motivating your potential clients. Place the responsibility back to your potential client to solve their own situation and the pressure to land the sale will be obsolete. When you're talking with your potential client, imagine your prospect with the letters "WIFM" stamped across their forehead. Imagine that with everything you say, your client is asking, "What's In it For Me?"

As a general rule, people care about how they can benefit from any situation. Whether that be a way to gain an edge over competition, solve a problem with company labor cost, or make their business a better place overall. Consider your presentation and how it can benefit your prospect instead of trying to sell them features of yourself.

(This is an excerpt from my book titled "Get Paid To Perform" and can be found here for purchase:

http://www.cainillusions.com/Products.html

Emotional Psychology

Most people think emotions and habits are independent of one another.  It's easy to think of acquiring action habits or thinking habits, but not emotional habits.

There's an axiom that goes, "Emotions are deepened through repitition." If you allow a certain feeling to take hold of you, it will become easier to yield to that particular emotion the next time, and then again, until that emotion becomes "second nature" to you.

For example, if you succumb to a fit of anger that turns into rage, you'll find it easier to become angry the next time on something even less trivial.

Remember this phrase whenever you feel a change in your disposition - How it starts determines it's journey. If you feel a change in your disposition, recognize the change. DECIDE to change it's course of direction and eventually you will have mastered that emotion. What a great feeling of accomplishment that will be!

Just Ask for the Business!

I've met many sales people in my travels. One thing I've heard more times than not is how sales are tougher today. The economy, the location, the people, etc.

It's easy to blame low sales on external forces. It's much more difficult to look at oneself and consider a lacking somewhere within.

There are ALWAYS going to be the same exact excuses, given by sales people, for low sales numbers/quotas/goals. The most common mistake (I've found) that sales people do is they fail to ask for the business. They'll sell the idea, or product and not see the ultimate buying $ign staring them in the face. They'll continue to sell to their prospect...right out the door.

When I do my consulting for companies that hire me to speak with their sales people I'll ask individuals in the class a question. I'll ask, "How are you today?" and they will ALWAYS say "I'm doing great!" To which I'll respond, "That's the incorrect answer."

A sales person should always remain neutral to a lead/prospect until they know what direction they need to go. If your prospect is having a terrible day, and you respond with an answer like above, you've instantly made that person feel worse. And vis-a-vis.

The correct answer to give if someone were to ask how you're doing is - "Unbelievable."

Stay neutral until you know what direction you need to go.

Don't be afraid to ask for the business after you've qualified your Lead/Prospect. If you don't, someone else will.

WIN THE LOTTERY

What do you love to do in life?
Help people?
Make others laugh?
Drive large machinery?
Talk on the phone?
Read?

Why not work toward doing something that helps you do what you love...and get paid as a bonus?

Some may say, "Yes, but I don't know how or where to start." Others may say, "I just want to win the lottery and live in a large beach house somewhere without cares."

So where does one start? One starts with "SELF." Begin to do what you love as a hobby. Put time toward it everyday. Think about how much time and effort you put toward making your hourly pay in the job/career you're in. Those on salary should break their income down and figure out their hourly rate. Can you put forth that amount of effort for at least an hour or two a week pursuing what you love?

Everyone wants to win the "lottery." Too few realize that there are many types of "lotteries" to be won that they only focus on the monetary ones. Money can truly make some things in life easier, but if you concentrate on only that, then you'll always be chasing that dollar. If, instead, you chase what makes you happy you'll eventually feel a completeness within.

Confucius once said, "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life." What Confucius meant was if you choose a job you love, then you'll never feel like it's trading time for a paycheck because you’ll enjoy every thing you’re doing.

In my opinion, that's truly winning the lottery.

Money Management for Event Planners

The seasoned corporate event planner will (hopefully) undoubtedly know and understand this. However, for those event planners that are new to their offices this info is for you.

It really doesn't matter if you have a large budget or a small budget to work with as budgets are typically relative to the size of your company.

Although appetizers and table displays are important for the look of the room, it's not the MOST important part of the event. Therefore, do not spend most of your budget on these. Shrimp wrapped in bacon, or crab cakes in cherry marinade will not motivate your employees. The MOST important part of the event where money will be spent will undoubtedly be the ENTERTAINMENT.

Entertainment can be in the form of a corporate entertainer that specializes in Mentalism, or a fun Keynote Speaker that talks about how to increase sales.

The day after the event, or even six months after the event, do you think your employees will be talking about how motivating the chicken finger hors d'oeuvres were?


Don't get caught (as sooo many event planners have in the past) spending most of your budget on appetizers and table decorations only to be left with enough money to rent a local face painting clown.

Hi everyone! I'm the Corporate Mentalist, Dan Cain. 

I am owner of Cain Illusions, LLC. I'm an experienced & seasoned corporate entertainer and close up illusion artist that guarantees success as after-dinner entertainment or an ice-breaker at trade shows for small or large corporate events. I also do keynote speaking for companies.

My demonstrations include experiments of that sixth sense, close up illusions, and comedic relief. I uses individuals in my audience who are unknown to me for my “telepathic” demonstrations and I make them the actual recipients of telepathy and mental pictures which I climatically reveal!  Interest and thrills await those viewing this most entertaining presentation.

I am the only person in the history of Mentalism that predicted, with 100% accuracy, the winning team, final score, and a specific highlight of football’s Super Bowl 46 in 2012 and donated all proceeds raised to the Children’s Miracle Network John’s Hopkins Children Center. You can see some of the media coverage here: http://www.cainillusions.com/Media.html 


I will be using this space to share my thoughts on different topics like stress and how to relieve it, or sales and how to increase them. I'll also throw in some fun things. I'll put forth my ideas from a Mentalist view and hope you can apply them in your life.

Welcome to my blog.