Sales Wisdom From Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston

Published on June 2, 2008

Sales Wisdom From Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston

Is there something you always wanted to do but have never gotten around to it and feel it may be too late?  For me, it was playing the piano. I always wanted to learn, but now figured I do not have the time nor the patience to go through several years of lessons to read music and learn the keys.  That is until Scott “The Piano Guy” Houston changed my mind.

I was in a Phoenix hotel room flipping through the channels when a PBS special on how to Play Piano in a Flash caught my attention. As I was watching Scott, he went on to say that his system would allow anyone to play the piano in no time at all.  Granted it was not going to be a classical concert,  but it would allow me to play the songs I know and have some fun.  And, to make it even more interesting, Scott said I could do it without having to learn to read music in the traditional sense.

You see, Scott understands his audience. He knows there is a huge portion of the population that wants to play piano but never learned, and is afraid to attempt the difficult task of learning how to read music.  His system allows people to read music and play chords in a very simplistic manner; a process that was so appealing to me that I purchased his entire package.

Better yet, I actually used his DVD’s, read his book and did in fact start playing some of the songs I wished I could play on the piano.  Forget about asking me to do it for you.  I am not ready for prime time.  But, I am ready to play for myself, achieve enjoyment and reduce some stress in my life.

What does this have to do with sales?  Everything.  If you look at this story, you see some really relevant lessons:

1.  Scott identified his market : the non-piano player who wants to learn something new in an easy manner.  He did not go after the learned players who took lessons when they were young.  Who is your market?  Are you reaching out to the people who you will best serve and who have an immediate need?
2.  Scott concentrated his sales pitch on the outcome : learning how to play piano in a flash.  It wasn’t the system he was selling.  It was the outcome.

3.  Once he got my attention with the outcome, he talked about all the fears and perceived obstacles residing in the minds of his prospect:  a piano sitting with dust in the corner, the inability to read notes, the desire to be able to play songs and enjoy one’s self, etc.   He simply addressed these issues head on and removed the obstacles his prospect was facing.

4.  Scott sold with the K.I.S.S. Method: You have heard this before, Keep It Simple Stupid.  Scott convinced me that it was simpler to learn the piano than I thought.  He made it very easy for me to get into the game and try his system.

5.  Scott sold hope:  No matter what you sell, all products and services provide a sense of hope for better results.  Even furniture polish— it can provide the outcome of a better shine and less effort.

6.  Scott portrayed passion:  He had the passion for helping people achieve their dreams and it made his pitch feel like a breath of fresh air – music to your ears!!!  Okay, I may be getting a little corny here, but you get my drift.

7.  Scott knew it was not about price:  Yes, he did bundle the book, DVD and other materials.  But in the end, Scott knew it was about the outcome, not the price.  That is why he did not talk about price until the end of the show.  When do you talk about price, in the beginning or at the end after you have created the value proposition?

Thank you, Scott, for these simple lessons.  If any of you want to learn to learn this system, go to www.scottthepianoguy.com .

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