Wow Winno!

Christian Peterson

When I first met Winston ‘Winno’ Marsh in the early 60’s he was sitting behind a desk in an insurance office.

Winno was larger than life, weighing in at just over 280 kilograms by my reckoning.

After a quick interview he gave me my first job, checking life insurance applications.

“We do things to a system around here,” said Winno.

So started my unimpressive two-year insurance career.

Forty years later, Winno and I met for lunch. He was still larger than life, but more than 180 kilograms lighter, with a highly successful business.

“If you want to get into the speaking business you gotta have a system,” advised Winno.

That bit of advice cost me a $76 lunch and was the best advice I ever ignored.

A year later my seminar and speaking business was going nowhere fast – a few gigs but nothing spectacular and barely covering costs.

On returning to Melbourne, I rang Winston for another $76 lunch plus GST this time!

“No time for lunch, too busy. Pop into the office for a coffee and quick chat this morning.” came down the mobile.

Thirty minutes later Winno was smiling with coffee at the ready.

Chatted and sipped for a few minutes and then “Why don’t you listen to my “SCRIPT IT! SAY IT! SELL IT! It might give you a few tips,” said Winston. “I believe it’s helped a few people out.”

Back in Queensland I dropped the tapes into the “To do, read, listen and view” pile.

A few days later I popped one of Winno’s tapes into the Walkman at Burleigh Heads beach on the Gold Coast.

There’s a great eight kilometre power walk from North Burleigh along the beach, up the heads, through the National Park and back along the beach. I digress, however, the digression is important.

If you are going to really listen to advice you have to create the ‘head space’ to listen, absorb, and understand the meaning of the advice so that you can turn the advice and ideas into actions. That takes a little clear head thinking time. That’s what I didn’t do the first time Winno gave me advice - heard the words, but not the meaning.

For me Burleigh Heads creates the headspace, with the surf crashing and sun warming a cold Melbourne body. I make a point of regularly returning to Burleigh to take stock, sun and waves.

Over a couple of sun-filled walks Winno’s tips and techniques boomed in my ears and bounced around my head.

After five days on the Gold Coast, the 6.35pm flight from Coolangatta sent me to a cold and wet Melbourne and a couple of speaking engagements.

The Rotary Club of Southbank in Melbourne asked me to speak on my experiences as a media minder, my time at the ABC as broadcaster and the power of communication - the usual Rotary 20 minute gig plus questions.

My presentation included a couple of Winno’s ideas from “SCRIPT IT! SAYIT! SELL IT!” - No product flog, just passion, solid content, me and systematic follow-up.

Three weeks later I signed three contracts worth over $250,000. These included speaking engagements, training sessions and developing communication and marketing strategies.

One contract on managing business relationships was totally based on Winno’s SELL IT ideas!

Since investing $159.95 in Winno’s tapes and developing some of his ideas to suit my business, I have never been out of work.

Regularly I listen to the tapes as a refresher and nearly always push another idea of his just that little bit further.

Now I’m not going to tell you which of Winno’s ideas worked for me – you’ll have to find out for yourself when you purchase your copy of “SCRIPT IT! SAYIT! SELL IT!”.

My bit of advice, however, is this: “Create Headspace. Listen, Absorb, Understand, Modify if necessary, then Act in a systematic way to get the most out of “SCRIPT IT! SAY IT! SELL IT!” It worked and continues to work for me.

I truly believe that the $160 investment played a significant part in winning the three contracts. A 1375% return in three weeks isn’t too shabby!

Now there is, however, a downside to Winno’s tapes.

My monthly trips back to Burleigh Heads are now only every six months - too much work!

WOW WINNO, thanks.

And also a special thanks to all those presenters and members from NSAA in Brisbane and Melbourne who have directly and indirectly contributed to my continuing success. Everyone has been truly generous with their time, ideas and advice. I hope to return their generosity to NSAA one day soon, as I have a few ideas to pass on that might be useful to up and coming ‘young gun’ speakers.

Christian Peterson
www.takingcontrol.com.au

PS: For those who don’t know who Winston Marsh is or how to buy “SCRIPT IT! SAY IT! SELL IT!”, why not pop across to www.bgrowth.com.au. It’s worth it.