How Cinematic Are You?

Alan Wenkus, the screenwriter for the movie Straight Outta Compton (the story of N.W.A., the group that pioneered gangsta rap) was recently interviewed on a morning talk show and asked how much of the movie was real. Wenkus thought about it for a few seconds and said, "About 80% of it was real-it's not that the other 20% was not, but it had to be colored in order to make the movie more cinematic." He went on to say that, yes, the rappers' lives-growing up in South Central L.A., having to face police brutality, gangs, and witnessing homicides on a daily basis was colorful enough, but certain emotional elements had to be put into the movie so that the audience could connect more with the characters of the movie. Essentially, Wenkus took actual facts, coupled it with emotion, and beget a blockbuster hit. "Before the movie my phone hardly rang-now I can't keep up with the phone calls and producers are throwing money at me," said Wenkus with a laugh.

When presenting your product, how cinematic are you? Your product presentation should be like that of Wenkus' screenplay-factually written but comes alive with an element of flare. Customers buy cars, but they pay commissions based on how well you emotionally draw them into your product. They don't need you to be a Wikapedia of cubic inches, torque, horsepower, and departure angles-no they need to know how your vehicle will improve their lives and the only way they'll discover that your vehicle is their best decision, is when you add an emotional element to make your script, i.e. your knowledge about your product, leap off the pages and into the mental screens of their lives. When they can imagine how they will look and feel driving their new vehicle, they'll buy a ticket to your movie.

Great salespeople are great storytellers. Remember, your customer may have seen many shows, but they haven't seen your show. Take what you know and make it come emotionally alive with a hit show.

I'll see you next time on the Blacktop.

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Comment by Marsh Buice on September 7, 2015 at 7:15pm: Brian, always love your insight my friend. I agree, enkus has a way to go before being cast into the light of true greatness; I was only basing my views on how he answered the interviewer's question-that most of the movie was true and the rest was cinematic.

I think that rings true for us in our profession bc there are many times that either we are new or we've become jaded that we go through the motions and only spout out facts and figures and forget to add our on zest and cinematic flare to each one of our customers. Being able to draw your customers in with a great presentation is art form. I left out specifics bc I think true selling is art and can easier explained visually than through text. I'll try to heat you up on the next one my brother. Always appreciate your views.

Comment by Brian Bennington on September 7, 2015 at 5:52pm: Well Marsh, This is the first post I've read from you that leaves me cold. Usually, after I've read you, I'm elated that someone of your caliber is in the business and you know I've commented this to you before. However, today's post and its reference to "Straight Outta Compton" reminds me of the "Lipstick on a pig" expression. To begin with, this Alan Wenkus has a ways to go to prove he's a genuine screenwriter, and considering his subject matter (a group of LA thugs who just happen to make it in today's confused, gang-influenced and genuinely insipid millennial culture), I'm just not sensing another Kubrick-Coppola-De Palma here. You may be right, though, as the paraphrased expression "You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people" has never rang truer.

As to your subject matter, it's definitely inspirational, but falls short in the "how to do it" department. Your "...they pay commissions based on how well you emotionally draw them into your product" and "...leap off the pages and into (onto) the mental screens of their lives" statements are real "profound-sounding" oversimplifications, as well as solid examples of my critique. I do agree with your "When they can imagine how they'll look and feel driving their new vehicle, they'll buy...." conclusion, but being able to successfully "paint the picture," that your customers actually see themselves in takes experienced people mastery. That kind of effective "blue skies" incorporation is way beyond talking features-benefits. I understand why you write the way you do, though, because as I've previously mentioned, you've got the heart (and in this case, the presentation) of an non-denomitional evangelist preacher, and I do mean that as a compliment. (An extremely savvy women owner I worked for when I first began selling organs & pianos over 40 years ago commented after meeting with the most prominent non-denom. minister in the area, "If he worked for me, I wouldn't need any other sales people.)

My only question is, "Can we still be friends"?