Hyperbole Definition:
Hyperbole n. (hye-PER-buh-lee) is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.
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Some hyperbole examples:
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Hyperbole in Sales & Marketing
Hyperbole rears its head in many areas of sales and marketing. How often have you walked into a furniture store to see signs plastered all over the showroom saying, “Blowout Sale,” only to find that the discounts being offered are minimal?
Or what about those sensationalized headlines you see on the magazine covers at the supermarket checkout? Are the facts in the articles ever equal to the claims in the headlines?
Hyperbole comes in many forms. Sometimes it involves the deliberate underemphasis on a lack of quality or a lack of facts, buried by a stream of unrelated or useless information. I recently read a so-called history of direct selling, The author spent the majority of the article talking about ancient trade practices that predated direct selling, with virtually no details about the evolution of what we now call direct selling.
Clearly, the intention was to place the industry in a historical, and therefore credible, light, but I felt that the author was being evasive; deliberately avoiding something; maybe a lack of knowledge or unflattering information.
Now, ask yourself; Am I using hyperbole in describing my product or service? Are you saying, “You’ve GOT to check this out! This is going to be the GREATEST DECISION you’ve ever made! Our products are the BEST products on the market. Nobody else comes CLOSE!” Or are you avoiding saying certain things?
Sometimes the urge to exaggerate or exclude comes from runaway enthusiasm. Sometimes it arises out of a desire to break through the clutter and make a strong impression on your prospective client. But what are you actually succeeding in doing?
Most of us have a pretty sophisticated filter to this sort of thing. Exaggeration, overstatement, avoidance, and the momentum of overenthusiastic sales people tend to turn us off, make us wary, and in general produce the opposite effect of what was intended.
Sales And Marketing Tips
You have a much better shot at winning people’s trust, and enrolling them in your offer if you are somewhat understated.
The best marketing tips I can offer you is to be real, be sincere, and avoid hyperbole. You’ll get much better results in your direct sales business.
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