Oren Klaff

on a completely novel way of telling other people about an idea or product so that they would come up with the idea to buy

my even having to ask

without my even having to ask. It’s called Inception, and it’s based on the latest research in neuroscience and behavioral economics. I’ve uncovered a way to plant an idea deep in another person’s subconscious so that they take ownership of it and propose it to me as if it were theirs

Inception relies on a completely new set of tools: the Status Tip-Off, the Flash Roll, Pre-Wired Ideas, Plain Vanilla, being Compelling, and the Buyer’s Formula. I’ll show you all of these later

Try to imagine this for a second. You’ve spent twenty-five
minutes talking to your only prospect, and in that time you’ve been ignored, interrupted, misinterpreted, and told your state-of-the-art technology seems old and outdated. None of your persuasive points have found a home, and all the material you have left to deliver is no better than the stuff that’s already been rejected

The problem I was facing in that room is the same problem salespeople face in any industry: You know what decision you want the buyer to make, but the more you push in that direction, the more they dig in, slow down, and change the agenda. They want to make their own decision on their own timeline. Buyers buy how they want to buy, not how you want to sell

This is why today most things are bought; they aren’t sold

I was ready to create Inception but I was also nervous to try this new approach on such a powerful dealmaker. Hopefully Viktor couldn’t tell how anxious I was feeling, but then I realized it didn’t matter. Inception doesn’t involve feelings. I steadied myself and went back to work, focusing on elevating my status and proving my expertise

I delivered a Flash Roll—a sixty-second display of pure technical mastery designed to alleviate any doubts about your authority on a subject. When Viktor turned to his translators for help, I was ready.

“Viktor, I do not allow you to be confused about this,” I said. “You’re one of the best investors in the world. And I am

offering a Plain Vanilla deal, nothin’ fancy at all. This is easy stuff. And we are almost out of time, so for the moment, you have to accept what I’m telling you at face value.”