Oren Klaff's Blog, page 2

Oren talks with Andrew Warner, of Mixergy.com, about how entrepreneurs can take control of the capital raising process. Fundamentals covered include the big idea, frame control, prizing, and Oren's path-breaking closing technique (not what you think).

Here is what Andrew had to say about this interview and the material:

Use These Persuasion Tactics (Almost) Like Mind Control – with Oren Klaff

If Oren Klaff insists that I tone down the headline on this post, I'll change it. But after doing this interview and trying out his methods over the past 3 days, I stand by that description.

Oren's persuasion techniques are so powerful that his book, Pitch Anything, belongs on the bookshelf next to Cialdini's Influence and Strauss' The Game.

Download the MP3 here.

Check out the Mad Men clip Oren mentioned in this interview.

If you have seen the show "Pros vs. Joes" on ESPN, then you've had a glimpse of yourself raising venture capital – and you're the Joe. On this show, a few weekend athletes – the "Joes" are pitted against a few professional athletes in a series of competitions. The outcome? The Joes always get crushed. In the same when, when you enter the capital markets to raise venture funds, its probably going to hurt. A lot. Here's why: Venture Capital is the most expensive money you can raise for your deal. It will come with the most difficult terms and the most amount of restrictions and it will be a white knuckle ride from start to finish. WHY? There are three principle reasons this occurs.

1. The VC will be an expert in your "space." He will know how to devalue every piece of your business, and argue that your "customer relationships are soft" and that you have "poor revenue visibility" into the next two quarters. (Start learning the language of the capital markets so you are neither impressed nor surprised by these statements.)

2. VC are capital market experts, and they know how to isolate you from other investors, lower your valuation and get "downside protection." They do this every day and are good at it. Better than you think. Just know that in this match-up … the VC will win.

3. The VC has plenty of dealflow in your sector. He doesn't need your deal, there are many others to be had if you go away. This gives him the power to say no to your terms, counteroffers or valuation.

Is there anything you can do? I explain exactly how to deal with this a recent Mixergy video, here:

A frame is the instrument you use to package your power, authority, strength, information, and status. The moment your frame makes contact with the frame of another business person, they clash. If your frame wins this collision, you will enjoy frame control, where your ideas are accepted (and followed) by  others. But if your frame loses, though, you will be at the mercy of your customer, and your success will depend that customer's charity.

Own the Frame,Win the Game

1. Everyone uses frames whether they realize it or not.
2. Every social encounter brings different frames together.
3. Frames do not coexist in the same time and place for long. They crash into each other, and one or the other gains control.
4. Only one frame survives. The others break and are absorbed. Stronger frames always absorb weaker frames.

If you have ever seen the show "Pros vs. Joes" on ESPN, then you've had a glimpse of how well you will raise venture capital (you're the Joe – not the Pro.)

On this show, a few weekend athletes — the "Joes" — are pitted against a few professional athletes in a series of physical competitions.

The outcome? The Joes always get crushed. In the same way, at the time you enter the capital markets to raise venture funds, you're going to get crushed and it's going to hurt. A lot.

Here's why: Venture Capital is the most expensive money you can raise for your deal. It will come with the most difficult terms and the most amount of restrictions and it will be a white knuckle ride from start to finish.

There are three principle reasons this occurs.

1. The VC will be an expert in your "space."

He will know how to de-value every piece of your business, and argue that your "customer relationships are soft" and that you have "poor revenue visibility" into the next two quarters. (Start learning the language of the capital markets so you are neither impressed nor surprised by these statements.)

2. VC are capital market experts, and they know how to isolate you from other investors, lower your valuation and get "downside protection."

They do this every day and are good at it. Better than you think. Just know, that in this match-up … the VC will win.

3. You are viewed as a commodity -the VC has plenty of dealflow in your sector.

He doesn't need your deal, there are many others to be had if you go away. This gives him the power to say no to your terms, counteroffers or valuation.

Is there anything you can do? I explain exactly how to deal with all this in a recent Mixergy video. Take a look.

Oren gives you an overview of Frame Control and the importance it plays in every social situation. Business deals are won or lost in the first few minutes because of Frame Control. It is important to recognize when frames collide and understand how your frame fits into the picture. When frame collide it is a death match, don't let your frame be absorbed by someone else's.

There has been a frenzy of activity around Pitch Anything. Here are the highlights from the last two weeks.

Today Pitch Anything hit #3 on the Amazon.com Sales and Selling list.

This week we successfully launched the newly designed PitchAnything.net.

Andrew Warner from Mixergy.com has asked Oren to come back for a second interview to cover more Pitch Anything material. ( I believe this is a first) If you missed the first interview you can watch it below.

Last week Oren was a speaker at the main Google campus in Palo Alto. (video coming soon)

We have just confirmed that Oren will be the keynote speaker at the Hilton Garden Inn this Sept 9th in Fargo, ND. (More details coming soon)

Picture of Pitch Anything at #3

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There has been a frenzy of activity around Pitch Anything. Here are the highlights from the last two weeks.

Today Pitch Anything hit #3 on the Amazon.com Sales and Selling list.

This week we successfully launched the newly designed PitchAnything.net.

Andrew Warner from Mixergy.com has asked Oren to come back for a second interview to cover more Pitch Anything material. ( I believe this is a first) If you missed the first interview you can watch it below.

Last week Oren was a speaker at the main Google campus in Palo Alto. (video coming soon)

Picture of Pitch Anything at #3

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Oren Klaff and Pitch Anything are being featured on inc.com homepage talking about the 7 Deadly Sins of Sales Pitching.

Oren Klaff and Pitch Anything are being featured on the Inc.com homepage talking about the 7 Deadly Sins of Sales Pitching.

I noticed many conferences have VC's panels giving feedback on pitches. And if you observe those VC's, what kind of advice do they really give? Advice and feedback to effectively reduce the company's value, and maximize their own pricing and opportunity. Our event takes a different approach. There are no VC's on our panel. We try to provide the companies at the event feedback from guys who work in the capital markets every day, and who know how to get capital from investors at maximum valuation, maximum speed and maximum self respect. And we feel that last item is very important, it's time, as a community, to stop groveling to investors. We take the view that capital is a useful and broadly available commodity, not a prize that has to be won by performing impossible tasks, like a stuffed animal at a carnival.