
The greatest joke ever told - lessons for pitching - ColinWright
http://thestartuptoolkit.com/blog/The_greatest_joke_ever_told/
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bennesvig
A lesson to be learned is that execution is more important than content. You
could listen to 1,000 people deliver that joke and it's likely no one would do
it as well as Norm.

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lancerkind
The process of explaining something is very valuable. As a science fiction
writer, when I tell someone a summary of a story I wrote, I can read in their
expression or verbal "uh huhs" what's drawing them in and what's distraction
from the heart of the matter.

As a business owner, the same process applies. I describe to them what I'm
doing, and I can see the evaluation process at work in their face as to
whether they get the value I'm trying to create or not. (Or put another way,
if the value I'm explaining is actually valuable or not.)

In both cases, I may do nothing and let it fall the way the cards may and then
hear their feedback, OR I may make adjustments in real-time as I read the
listeners body language and use that as cues to feedback into my value
proposition (visit my biz, read my story).

Comedians are masters at finding the heart of a dialog and adjusting (like
jazz musicians) what they say to maximize the effect.

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ColinWright
I'm really confused by some of the comments in this thread. People think the
comedian - you know, the one telling the joke - is somehow supposed to be the
entrepreneur. ( _edit:_ and now, thanks to a response to this comment, I
realise that the author of the blog post thinks so too.)

He's not.

The person representing the entrepreneur in this parable is the show host, or
the audience. The comedian is playing the role of the potential customer.

The lesson is to listen to the customer, because sometimes there's a huge
payoff that can't be obtained in any other way.

That's the lesson I took away from this - anything else doesn't seem to make
sense, but if you have a different opinion, I'm listening.

 _Edit - so I took away a completely different lesson._

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broofa
You read the article wrong. The comedian represents the entrepreneur.

"Watching the joke, you can see Norm adjust based on what is resonating with
the audience (you know, like moth names). You can't figure out what matters
and course-correct if you rush through your pitch as a monologue"

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ColinWright
You're right. After going back and re-reading, that's what the author of the
article is saying. So now I simply think he's got a really bad example, and is
drawing the wrong lesson.

There are several lessons to learn, and to my way of thinking, it's all
completely screwed, and I've learned something else.

Above all - be clear.

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jasonlotito
To be fair, the first paragraph after the video is pretty straight forward and
very clear as to the point.

That being said, your interpretation of the video is an equally interesting
look.

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becomevocal
I think in general this is a good lesson for founders in all aspects.

Shutup for a bit and listen. You might like what you hear, or at least learn
something.

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shoham
Good point -- it is hard not to want to punch the person in the face when they
say something that seems so wrong, but letting them roll can be a good thing.
Depending on how often they get a chance to talk to someone who has started a
business, the learning experience may actually be very important for them, and
you.

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dimitar
The article:

1\. Demonstrate that tact is important with a seemingly elaborate joke.

2\. Recommend that you use the same tact when talking with clients/investors.

implicitly:

3\. Assume that your clients/investors are equally good listeners.

This is where it gets hard.

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robfitz
You can certainly benefit from being a good talker (the inverse of #3), but
the broader point I was [trying to] make is more about your own ability to
listen rather than the customer's.

When you tell someone your idea the first time, chances are high that they
will misunderstand you. When that happens, founders' first impulse is to
correct them. But you can get a lot of value by allowing that uncomfortable
misunderstanding to linger for a bit while you listen.

 _(edited to clarify some verb ownership and improve sentence pacing)_

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dimitar
I agree with you. I just wanted to point out something you wrote yourself in
your second note:

"In some situations, you won't have a chance to correct mis-understandings."

I think this is more important than to be in footnote. Its worth to listen
patiently where you can expect to be listened to patiently. [1] Otherwise you
should take initiative and perhaps politely interrupt and say something to
distract from the misunderstanding. Arguing with customers is almost always a
disaster.

[1]: Although you might want to know what the customer thinks even if you are
sure you aren't making a sale. (edit: slight clarification note)

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artursapek
The genius of Norm MacDonald as a performer is he doesn't let himself care
what the audience thinks, and this gives him the confidence to act the way he
does. Unfortunately, making people laugh and getting people to give you money
are two very different things.

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bennesvig
True, the are different, but both require confidence in what you're selling,
whether it's a joke or product.

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artursapek
Yes, but investors are known for making quick judgements on teams, they don't
have to sit through your presentation if you lose their attention. pg has
written that he sometimes makes up his mind in YC interviews within the first
minute. The audience in a late night studio has nowhere to go.

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snissn
I thought the post was going to be about how start up founders are like moths
and how most investors are podiatrists with a light on. Then it didn't make
any sense to me. Maybe I'm getting old or something

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diedsj
wow this is a great insight....never thought of it like that..I often make the
mistake of correcting people when they point out flaws!

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robfitz
Feel free to correct them once they stop talking, but let them get their
initial braindump out of the way first. It's auditory gold!

