What I Learned from “Breaking the Status Quo Barrier”

By Rebecca Blouin, Davies Murphy Group

I spent last Wednesday and Thursday live blogging from Corporate Visions’ Marketing and Sales Messaging Conference, “Break the Status Quo Barrier” in Chicago. Perched on the ballroom balcony with my fellow blogger, high above the heads of the 400 attendees, we looked much like “The Muppet Show’s” Statler and Waldorf, gazing down with a critical eye and plenty to say (but considerably better groomed hair).  After 17 presentations, two bran muffins eaten hastily at the start of every morning, and dinner with a tarpon, these are the things that have stuck with me.

Never judge a conductor by his cover.

Though deep down I trusted the wisdom of Corporate Visions’ conference organizers, I couldn’t imagine how Ben Zander, the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, could possibly keep the attention of senior-level marketing and salespeople for two entire hours.  Does a conductor a good speaker make?

Yes.  That conductor made a phenomenal speaker.  I don’t exaggerate when I say that Ben was one of the best – if not the best – speakers I have ever seen.  And I can safely state that from the standing ovation, shining eyes, and line of people waiting to have their Ben Zander books autographed, the attendees agree.

Ben demonstrated to me that you don’t need a presentation, notes or even a stage to thoroughly engross an audience. Your message can be powerfully delivered with two white boards, a few pens, a piano (optional), and some thoughtful, gripping stories.  And a good dose of humor and fiery passion for what you do is also helpful.

Getting marketing and sales to work in sync is “wicked hard.”*

*Courtesy of Kevin Joyce, chief sales and marketing officer, Miranda Technologies

Nineteen of the best and brightest leaders in marketing and sales regaled us with case studies, stories, overviews and anecdotes about their struggles with unifying marketing and sales around a consistent set of effective messages and materials. One of their main messages?  It’s really hard work.  Their ultimate message?  With hard work, a partner and a plan, it’s entirely possible and will pay dividends in the end.

Self-deprecation can be charming in a presentation.

I can imagine that when you’ve reached the pinnacle of corporate success – be it a senior-most position or founding a profitable company – it might be difficult to resist the glow of success from leading you into pontification and self-congratulation. But to a person, the presenters laid bare their struggles and lessons learned and flew their geek flags proudly (Tim Riesterer in particular) to make their points and tell their stories to help others.  That style is not only in line with Corporate Visions’ it’s-all-about-you-not-me approach, but it’s also very effective.

And no one embodied this as much as Billy Beane.  With a bestselling book and award-winning movie based on your life, it would be easy to swagger like John Travolta in white polyester. But Billy humbly – and humorously – relayed the decisions he made to get where he is and praised the people who helped him get there.  His self-deprecation had even the non-baseball lovers eating out of the palm of his (I probably high-fived Brad Pitt with this) hand.

Breaking the status quo takes a lot of chutzpah.

Inevitably when you take the road less traveled by, there are going to be naysayers pointing out the recklessness of that decision. What impressed me most about these market leaders was how they boldly defined a path, put a stake in the ground and heard – but didn’t listen to – the people who told them they were headed the wrong way.  Several of the presentations included a story with the words “it was at this point we knew we were all-in.”

Billy Beane might have said it best with the quote he said served as a mantra for him and his team as they tried to redefine how to create a winning baseball team.

“The road to truth is long, and lined the entire way with annoying bastards.” Alexander Jablokov

Though fun for a picture, putting your arm around a cardboard cutout Brad Pitt is not as good as the real thing.

Or so I imagine…

Filed under: Business-to-Business Tagged: marketing, Marketing and Sales Messaging Conference, presentation skills, sales tips, tim riesterer