Galactic Activity 11

To endorse a concept, product, service or person not generally accepted or thought of highly.

Activity 11 – Endorsement

Duration: 3-5 mins
Applicable Streams: Personal challenge, Sales, Leadership, Learning & Development, Workplace skills, Humour, Comedy

Aim

In this activity you are aiming to:

Provide an endorsement for a well known person, product, service or concept that is new, different or challenging to ‘sell’.

Objectives

To do this, you will need to keep the following objectives in mind:

  1. Persuade the audience to support something they wouldn’t ordinarily support.
  2. Describe in colourful terms your personal experience of the endearing qualities of the person (or object of the speech).
  3. Link these qualities to the benefits that they have brought you.
  4. Finish with a “Call to Action” to the audience for their support.

The Why…

Often in the workplace or in business you need to ‘sell’ something (the object) that people wouldn’t ordinarily support – either because they’ve had a bad experience in the past, the object is not supported by the general public, or because the object is so new or contrary to popular opinion that there’s an element of needing to ‘win them over’.

This is a challenge on previous activities that have been based on ‘selling’ or ‘pitching’ – with the obvious difference here being that you’re starting off in a position where the audience is already biased against what you’re trying to endorse.

Where do I start?

Brainstorm recent news stories or events that have surfaced and find a person or element that would be challenging to ‘sell’ to people. Write a list of the 10 most infamous people you know and choose the hardest one to sell!

The How

Specific guidelines on how to tackle this activity.

Choose something you know is not generally accepted or thought of in a positive light by the general public. Remember, the more “infamous” the person, or badly received the concept is by the public, the greater the challenge.

You may choose any person, product, service or concept that is new, different or challenging to ‘sell’; for example:

  • A previous Prime Minister (be careful not to get into politics!),
  • An athlete who has fallen from grace in the media
  • Travelling in Australia when the temperatures are 40*C++
  • ‘Hire a hubby’: a service whereby you rent a ‘live-in’ husband for a period of time like when the relatives are visiting, or when you need a series of jobs done around the house
  • A change in process, procedure, system in a workplace. Improvements can be difficult to sell because people are more comfortable with what they are used to, even if they are inefficient.

Variations:

  1. Impromptu or prepared
  2. Make it a product or service or concept which is fictional

Tips and traps

TRAPS:

  • Getting political or into religious topics – steer clear of using these topics and try to focus on the person themselves, or the service rather than the political or religious nature of it.
  • Choosing something that half of the general population actually might like or a polarising topic (ie a football team, Christmas jingles or coriander)

TIPS:

  • Think outside the box! Brainstorm lists of things, people and places that your friends and family have terrible opinions about – then ask around about how many of the club feel the same way – after all, it’s the members in your club you’ll be selling this concept or person to!
  • You could even do a poll within your club with a list of the top 10 things you can’t stand – and see which one is equally as disliked – then you’ll really know you’ve got a challenge on your hands!

Guidelines for Program Director:

  • Ensure the object chosen isn’t too polarising, or heavily political or religious based.
  • If people are stuck for ideas, consider doing a poll or brainstorming with the other club members to provide their most disliked personalities, holiday destinations or sporting teams.