The Impact Pilot
The Impact Pilot, Tom Jackobs Helps Clients Sell More Through Storytelling
Tom Jackobs refers to himself as The Impact Pilot, because through storytelling he creates impact for the clients he works with.
Tom hails from Iowa and Illinois but now lives in Houston, Texas.
Direct Mail Kick Started His Business
He creates impact for his clients through the way they tell their story about their businesses. It started 30 years ago. He was 16 years old and had a music business. This business served weddings and bar mitzvahs. He used direct mail to get his clients. Tom looked through the announcements in the paper. Check out their home addresses in the phone book and write to them. Easy, eh?
He’d send a demo. A mixed-tape of the string quartet. He’d ask, “Do you want a string quartet or DJ or both?” Brides to be lined up. He booked 3 weekends a month. Still in high school.
Believe it or not, The Impact Pilot is an introvert. So he didn’t like to make phone calls. Instead he sent LUMPY mail (it had a cassette in it). Powerful reason to open the letter. Pinpoint targeted too.
The Impact Pilot had a degree in theatre management
At College, Tom earned a degree in theatre management. From De Paul University in Chicago.
He got a job. In Oil and Gas. During that time he got overweight. 40 pounds overweight. In the US, that’s slim of course.
Tom was warned by his doctor. They were worried about his health-markers – high blood pressure, family history of heart disease for instance. So, Tom learned how to work-out and eat right. Then, he started teaching what he learned. Certified himself as a personal trainer and later opened a fitness centre by using his pension money (his 401k).
6 months later, this theatre management graduate had a failing business on his hands. He just did not know how to run a small business.
How Did Tom Feel When He Realised He Was Going Under?
Tom explains the run up to the hardest phone call of his life.
The phone call was to his Dad. He needed $10,000. His Dad came through, but at a price. Tom needed to put up his house as collateral and had to re-pay the loan at 12%.
It was a lesson in life. A hard lesson.
The Impact Pilot discovered he needed help. He found help. Discovered sales storytelling. He went from $100k to $500k turnover. He built the business and helped other entrepreneurs in fitness.
Tom found a business coach
He made the connection that he could advise others. As part of the work he did with the business coach, he travelled the world selling the programme. To other coaches. He sold $4m of product.
He sold his fitness business. Now he’s a free member of his own gym.
The Impact Pilot as Consultant
Selling the coaching programme and tapping into his degree in theatre, it was all about telling stories with the point to sell the programme.
The workshops he put on were a training ground for him. He used stories to SELL THE PROGRAMME.
It is a process. Anyone can do this?
So, he has been putting together insights into how to put together stories that sell.
- to grab the audiences attention
- keep them listening to you
- especially now that we have so much distraction (people on their phones for example)
How do you create stories that sell?
It is about creating that connection with the audience.
He spoke about Willie Diefenbach-Jones, from Send Out Cards (greeting cards for retention purposes), one of his clients. She was having problems converting when she spoke at events. It was all teaching. Tom advised Willie to create a HUMAN connection. He asked: “Tell me, why did you get into the cards business? Why is this important to you?”
Willie told him the story of her mother and husband dying 2 days apart from each other.
She started her speech that way. EVERY phone in the audience went down, and they were rapt.
A Huge Connection
Willie created a huge connection between her, her business and her product and the small businesses listening to her. She got more speaking engagements and 5x more sales. The connection had happened in a very vulnerable and human way.
We are attracted to tragedy rather than super successful people.
Teaching Moments
When Tom designs a presentation he will work on the story. 3 to 5 stories. What are the teaching moments? Then he pairs the stories and the teaching moments.
He creates real human connections using stories.
The art is to create the story and teaching moment and the PITCH?
Is the language universal? Yes. And that taught me…
With the purpose of SELLING? How do you monetise without an ask? Soft ask, hard sell.
SELL how to do it. If you want a head start, buy my programme.
Platform Selling Tips
If you are doing a pitch presentation, Tom starts the talk by telling and impactful story and then this is what we’ll be learning today, and if its ok with you, afterwards you can stick around and talk about going further.
Then you go into the programme.
Tom promises to DOUBLE your sales in 90 days with his IMPACT Sales System.
- storytelling – for people selling on the stage – small groups or one on one intensives – creating the story and presentation – generally people are on small income to start
- sales system – prospecting, sales conversation (establishing need), create stories to overcome objections, founders story, sales success stories
Dramatic impact story – become better at becoming vulnerable.
Develop your stories
What shaped you as a person? Which is most emotionally charged? Develop that using the heroes journey. bang at front end and teaching moment and the close. The secret sauce he helps people perform the story.
How does performance arts help storytelling?
- Tonal inflection
- Pauses
- Stage placement
Where do you stand on stage?
On stage, remember this…
WALK or TALK, NOT BOTH
Your main points – speak in the centre. Go back in time – GO TO THE LEFT. Go forward in time – GO TO THE RIGHT.
Bring everything you’ve got to your performance. Centre yourselves. Get back into the stories when it happened. Get that lump in the throat.
IMPACT SALES SYSTEM: https://www.alwaysbesellingsystem.com/ffa-application
3 KEYS to Doubling Your Sales – https://www.impactsalessystem.com/ffa-webinar-replay22190236
Contact Tom Jackobs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trainertom/
