TedTalks are magnificent. We know of no other place where you can consume so much value and inspiration in such little time. So we’ve been scouring their library for posts looking through the lens of sales and revenue generation professionals. We believe these are the 5 best Ted lectures for sales professionals:
#1 Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work
We believe that we should work to be happy, but could that be backwards? In this fast-moving and entertaining talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that actually happiness inspires productivity.
Bonus – there is just as much to be learned from the way he presents as there is by the words he says.
If we study what is merely average, we will remain merely average.
#2 Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action
Simon has a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership all starting with a golden circle and the question “Why?” His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers.
Bonus – deep inside everyone of us the ‘why’ for what we do. This video has become an internet sensation because it’s applicable to everyone. Think about your ‘why’ when representing your company.
People don’t buy what you do; people buy why you do it.
#3 Tony Robbins: Why we do what we do
Tony Robbins might have one of the world’s most famous smiles; his beaming confidence has helped sell his best-selling line of self-help books, and fill even his 10,000-seat seminars.
Bonus – Tony Robbins is recognized as the greatest motivational speaker in the world. Your sales game will get a boost by soaking up 16 minutes of this.
The defining factor [for success] is never resources; it’s resourcefulness.
#4 Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man
From unlikely beginnings as a classics teacher to his current job as Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group, Rory Sutherland has created his own brand of the Cinderella story. He joined Ogilvy & Mather’s planning department in 1988, and became a junior copywriter, working on Microsoft’s account in its pre-Windows days. An early fan of the Internet, he was among the first in the traditional ad world to see the potential in these relatively unknown technologies.
Bonus – Rory talks a lot about the perception of a buying decision. The ultimate goal of achievement for anyone in sales.
Reality isn’t a particularly good guide to human happiness.
#5 Nancy Duarte: The secret structure of great talks
From the “I have a dream” speech to Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch, all great presentations have a common architecture. In this talk, Nancy Duarte draws lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action. We’ve written about her talk specifically on this blog
Bonus – Every sales discussion is a story, a presentation. Using these lessons, you can improve your ability to convey a message stronger than ever before.
Spending energy to understand the audience and carefully crafting a message that resonates with them means making a commitment of time and discipline to the process.
There you have it. The best Ted Lectures for sales folks. If you’ve got another 15 seconds, try our free service:
