Ron Popeil: The Master of Sales Slogans and As Seen on TV

Good Morning. A new article says if you use the phrases ‘I am committed to you’ and ‘I like you’ with your partner, your relationship is stronger than most. So… of course we’ll be using those on our sales calls today. Me + my customers = stronger than ever. 😁 

In today’s Follow Up:

• A legendary TV salesman 📺️ 

• Sales tip of the day 🧠 

• Sales around the internet 💻️ 

• Sales jobs, LinkedIn & a meme 😂 

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The Master of Sales Slogans and As Seen on TV

But wait, there’s more…

Those are the famous words of legendary salesman, Ron Popeil.

He's the mastermind behind those late-night infomercials and iconic gadgets like the Chop-O-Matic, Showtime Rotisserie, Pocket Fisherman, and many more.

Like most successful people, Ron’s come up story is inspiring, with a lot of ups and downs.

At 13 years old, Ron started working at the factory his dad managed, and decided to start selling the products they manufactured at a local flea market.

Ron would set up shop at 5 AM and pitch the products all day long, sometimes pulling in over $500/day (a crap ton of money for a teen in the 50s). This was a pivotal moment for Ron. He knew he had a gift for selling, and says this was the moment he realized: “I didn't have to be poor the rest of my life”.

After a few years of mastering his live pitch, Ron discovered the power of TV advertising and spent $500 to produce his first infomercial for the chop-o-matic.

This was another pivotal moment for Ron. Instead of live pitching to a small audience, he could get his sales pitches into the living rooms of millions of Americans.

That first infomercial was responsible for selling millions of dollars worth of the product and was the start of Ron becoming a household name.

Ron went on to:

• Generate billions in sales.

• File for bankruptcy.

• Make millions of dollars again.

• Invent over 12 ‘As Seen on TV’ products.

• Get referenced in songs by Alice Cooper, the Beastie Boys, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Every sales rep’s dream, right?

When it came to selling, crafting a sales pitch, and generating sales, Ron was top tier. Here’s a few sales lessons we can learn from him. 👇️ 

It’s All About Practice 🗣️ 

Yes, this one’s sorta obvious, but Ron wasn’t always a natural seller. He got great at selling when he practiced his product pitches at flea markets for 12 hours a day.

Just like pitching your product on cold calls or meetings. Role playing is great, but you need reps on the field. You need time in front of customers, practicing your pitch.

Obsess Over Your Buyers 👀 

Ron knew his exact customers and catered his pitches to their pain points. For example, when he sold his ‘Great Looking Hair’ in a can, he structured his pitch around the pain point (aka, bald spots) and how the product gave customers their desired outcome (aka, great looking hair).

The best sales pitches focus on the problems with a customer’s current state, and how your product will bring them to their desired outcome.

Make Yourself Memorable 🏆️ 

Ron had fun with his pitches and came up with clever sayings that stuck with people. Some of his famous lines include: ‘Set it and forget it’ & ‘But wait, there’s more’. People remembered Ron’s infomercials because he gave them something to hold on to.

Ron passed away in 2021, at the age of 86, but will always be remembered as one of the best salesmen of his generation.

Cheers to Ron. 🍾 

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