How to Use Captivate to Create and Close More Opportunities, with Vanessa Van Edwards

Mo asks Vanessa Van Edwards: What can people do to create more opportunities and build their book of business?

Vanessa was raised on the Golden Rule but that rule actually started getting her in trouble. When she switched over to the Platinum Rule "Treat others as they would like to be treated" the game changed completely.
Of the big five personality traits, Openness and Conscientiousness are the two biggest blocks to closing more deals and bonding with clients.
When you're high in Openness you like new ideas and new things. When you're low in Openness you like things the way they are and prefer habit and routine. The thing to keep in mind in pitching situations, if you use the Golden Rule and you're high in Openness and speaking to a prospect that is low in Openness, you're going to completely scare them away.
An easy way to figure out what sort of person you're dealing with, ask them out to lunch. Whether they try something new or prefer their tried and true favorite will give you a hint.
The Openness of your prospect should dictate your pitch. For a low Openness person, minimize the change and emphasize what isn't changing and the proof.
Conscientiousness has to do with how someone approaches details. Low Conscientiousness people are more about big ideas whereas high Conscientiousness people feel more secure knowing all the details.
Openness is important for pitching, Conscientiousness is for planning.
Honoring someone's personality is one of the deepest ways we can respect our fellow human beings.

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