The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: The Power of Metaphor to Sell, Persuade & Explain Anything to Anyone

217 Pages·2012·1.74 MB·English

by  Anne Miller

What Others Are Saying About “The Tall
Lady with the Iceberg” (formerly
“Metaphorically Selling”) “Successful
communicators from Aristotle to Reagan and
Clinton have used the wisdom in this book to
sell their ideas. This book is the perfect tool for
people like you and me when we want to close a
deal.”
—Michael C. Donaldson, Author
“Negotiating for Dummies”
“Like a hot knife through butter, the ideas in this book will melt away
objections and help you spread your ideas further and faster. Don’t
hesitate…learn what Anne’s got to teach.”
—Seth Godin, Author
“Purple Cow” and “Free Prize Inside”
“As alluring as ice-cold lemonade when you’re standing on Texas asphalt
in August heat. Do you see how quickly I learned from this book?! Don’t
leave home (and go to a client) without it.”
—Alan Weiss, Author
“Million Dollar Consulting”
“I sell. I sell million dollar consulting contracts to skeptical CEO’s. I sell
change programs to reluctant managers. I sell books and articles to
editors with small obsidian where their hearts should be. And I learned
how to communicate and sell by listening to Anne Miller. For twenty
years, I have found her counsel to be relevant and useful. This book is
no exception. It has pride of place on my bookshelf.”
—Sam Hill, Author
“Radical Marketing” and “Sixty Trends in Sixty Minutes”
“If—as Anne Miller says—a metaphor is a ‘short-cut to instant
understanding,’ then this book is a short cut to instant improvement for
the sales professional. Metaphors have the power to package big ideas
and help them break through the clutter and indifference of our A.D.D.
business climate. Anne puts that power into the hands of all sellers…
and there aren’t metaphors strong enough to describe the impact.”
—Doug Weaver, Lecturer, Trainer, Consultant,
President Upstream Group “The use of appropriate timely, tasteful and powerful metaphorical
illustrations are the poetry of all superb communicators. Anne shows how to use metaphors to
dramatize the sales process. A must read to help you become a superlative persuader.”
—Tony Whatley, President
Accessor Capital Management
“Anne Miller is one of those people who fully understands the sales
process and what works and what doesn’t. There are sales books and
there are sales books. This is the top of the list. It’s real, to the point, a
fun read, and it works.”
—Richard Kinsler, President, SLG Advertising
(former Publisher, “New York Magazine”)
“Once again, Anne Miller applies her unmatched insight, clarity, and
approachability to drive home the science of selling. Metaphorically
Selling is a compelling must for all persuaders.”
—Kevin Allen, Chief Collaboration Officer
Interpublic Group, Inc.
“After reading this book, you will add the strategic use of metaphors to
the musts of your high stake selling efforts. Anne focuses our attention
on this powerful sales tool in a way that most of us don’t really stop and
think about. This book and its tips will help all of us in business, whether
you are directly involved in sales or not and at any experience level.”
—Jill Manee, Vice President, Publisher
The AdAge Group
Other Books by Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! (Chiron)
365 Sales Tips for Winning Business (Perigee)
Presentation Jazz! How to Make Sales Presentations $ing (Amacom)
Online Newsletter
The Metaphor Minute (www.annemiller.com)
The Tall Lady with the Iceberg
The Power of Metaphors to Sell, Persuade,
& Explain Anything to Anyone
Second Edition
Anne Miller
Chiron Associates, Inc.
New York
Second Edition: October 2012
© 2004 Anne Miller
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form except for the purpose of brief
reviews without the written permission of the publisher, Chiron Associates, Inc., Box 624, New York City,
NY 10163.
ISBN: 978-0-9762794-4-0 (print) ISBN: 978-0-97627947-1 (epub) ISBN: 978-0-9762794-8-8 (epdf)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2004114293
You’re The Top: Cole Porter
© 1934 (Renewed) WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission
Warner Bros. Publications U.S., Inc., Miami, FL 33014
brain droppings by George Carlin © 1997 George Carlin
Reprinted by permission of Hyperion The New Yorker cartoons
© The New Yorker Collection.
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission Dobbs Ferry, New York 10522
Excerpt from Winning! Using Lawyers’ Courtroom Techniques to Get Your Way in Everyday Situations:
Prentice Hall, Inc., Paramus, NJ
© 1997 All Rights Reserved.
By Permission of Author
Credits:
Cartoon icons: Steve Martinez S.M.Kreations
Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
Cover designer: [email protected]
Available online and in bookstores.
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For
Mark, Cara,
Morgan, & Daisy
Table of Contents
Note to Expanded Edition
Introduction: The $1.2 Billion Metaphor
SECTION ONE: The Case for Metaphor
Chapter 1: The Challenge: Getting Heard
Chapter 2: What Are Metaphors?
Chapter 3: When Do You Need Metaphors?
Chapter 4: Your Audience’s Brain Craves Metaphors
SECTION TWO: Building Metaphor Muscle
Chapter 5: The Four-Step Metaphor Workout: Overview
Chapter 6: Identify Blindspot
Chapter 7: Snapshot Your Client
Chapter 8: Create Your Metaphor
Chapter 9: Relate Back to Your Point
Chapter 10: Beware Bad Metaphors!
SECTION THREE: Selling with Metaphors
Chapter 11: Threads: Run a Theme
Chapter 12: Grabbers: Get Attention
Chapter 13: Anchors: Position Yourself
Chapter 14: Nutshells: Make Memorable Recommendations
Chapter 15: Burners: Explain, Simplify, Reinforce Points
Chapter 16: Shockers: Make Numbers Stick
Chapter 17: Seducers: Titles That Tease
Chapter 18: Sledgehammers: Headlines That Hit Home
Chapter 19: To Communicate Concepts
Chapter 20: Props: Add Impact
Chapter 21: Clinchers: For Dramatic Take-Action Closings
SECTION FOUR: Metaphor Maintenance
Chapter 22: Observe and Connect
Chapter 23: Travel to Other Worlds
Chapter 24: Become a Clipper
Conclusion