Sales Pitch...sign up for my class!

This week I had a flashback to my Enterprise Rent-a-Car days. I had the pleasure of speaking to the incoming “nubes/noobs” aka, 6^th graders that will be attending the middle school that I teach at.

Apparently, January 30^th was not too early to start thinking about the 2012-2013 school year. So, I dusted off my old sales hat. I would be speaking twice—once to the prospective 6^th graders and their teachers, and the next night I would be speaking to the kids and their parents.

Technically, I need about 90-120 kids to sign up for the Gateways to Technology Class that I teach—in order for me to teach the curriculum all day. I should have at least two classes of my current kids that will continue on with the program. I would love, love, love to teach Gateways to Technology all day long.

I adore the class and my kids with my whole heart.

Really 90-120 is not that many…

And as I got ready for my presentations, I remembered three things I learned from working in sales.

1. Be Confident

2. Be Prepared

3. Delivery is Key

When I worked at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, one of my biggest problems was that I was not confident. I didn’t believe in myself or what I was selling.

Gateways to Technology is a totally different story. My current kids really enjoy the class. I know this because they tell me.  And as I already mentioned, I really like the kids I teach. I think every kid could benefit from taking Gateways to Technology.

Another lesson I learned from my sales days was to be prepared. Sure, the Band Director, the Theatre Arts Teacher, and the Choir Teacher—none of them had notes, but I was NOT going to mess up in front of 200+ people. I had my notes ready to go. I had given my current kids a survey to find out what they liked about the class. I highlighted these talking points in my sales pitch.

I worked on my delivery—I made sure I talked slowly and loudly. There was some feedback from the microphone, but I pressed on.

I think it went pretty well. One of the parents who were there (and is also a teacher at our school) came by my room the next morning and told me I did a good job.  She said as I was speaking, she overheard several people remarking to each other that my class sounded like a good one.

I just hope that those people actually sign their kids up for my class.

Oh, and if these 90-120  kids could be smart and well-behaved like my current kids I would be even more happy.

I guess we will just wait and see.