Leaving Tesco’s with a trolley piled high with food is dangerous enough until you bump into the ubiquitous canvasser selling double glazing or home extensions.
But Gloucestershire Air Ambulance – now that’s a sound proposition worthy of a two pound coin in the bucket. The poor chap, he had no idea, must’ve been forced to do it that evening.
“Gloucester Air Ambulance” he announced and that was it. He expected a deluge of contributions. I said to Claire “I know, I can read”.
She scolded me but I have a point.
In sales we call this “Breaking the Ice”. It’s something you do when you need to get attention. You wouldn’t go up to a girl in a club and just ask to dance. Well you could, but your chances of success would be very slim. Instead you would small talk until you sense some interest, then you ask.
So my friend at the air ambulance stall, think of an ice breaker.
You can use these when you’re making calls to prospects, manning a conference stand at an exhibition or standing outside Tesco’s because your boss asked you to.
Claire and I came up with a number on our way home for our ambulance man:
“Have you ridden a chopper” – bit edgy that one.
“£1 million it costs – did you know that?”
“It could be you” – my favourite
So next time you need an elevator pitch, a sound bite or someway to break the ice, think back to my Gloucestershire Air Ambulance man.
“Gloucestershire Air Ambulance?”
