Daniel Pink is the New York Times best-selling author of six books about business, work and human behavior. From 1995 -1997, he served as chief speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore. And his TED talk about the science of motivation is among the top 25 most popular TED talks of all time.  

For Bentley students, however, it’s the newest addition to Pink’s resume that’s most impressive: Guest lecturer in the Sales Strategy and Technology course taught by James “Pouli” Pouliopoulos, senior lecturer in Marketing and director of the university’s Professional Sales program. 

Pink’s presence in Pouli’s (virtual) classroom is a testament to the successful sales strategies the author highlights in his books. After Ben Grigg ’22 reached out to the author about the possibility of Pink making a guest appearance, an intrigued Pink met with Grigg and Pouli via Zoom. The trio devised a special social media “competition” for the class: Using what Pink calls the “six successors of the elevator pitch” as their guide, students would take to Twitter to promote Pink’s partnership with MasterClass, an online learning platform offering video tutorials with leading experts (options range from tennis lessons with Serena Williams to cooking sessions with Gordon Ramsey); if Pink liked what he saw, he’d join the class later for a debrief and discussion. Ultimately, Pouli’s students posted nearly 200 creative and clever tweets — and earned themselves a master class of their own.  

PERFECT PITCH

While this was Pink’s first face-to-face encounter with Bentley students, his 2012 book “To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others,” has been a permanent fixture on Pouli’s course syllabus for the past six years. “Dan is one of my favorite business writers,” Pouli says, noting of Pink’s visit, “In true sales fashion, he delivered more than he promised, both in terms of his time and his unique insights and advice. He’s a genuinely nice guy who was truly interested in helping my students.” 

In “To Sell is Human,” which reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, Pink posits that every individual, regardless of profession, is a salesperson at heart; whether we’re preschool teachers or Wall Street traders, he says, we spend a significant amount of our time “convincing, persuading, cajoling and influencing” other people. Thus, we all can benefit from incorporating effective sales techniques in our daily lives.  

Chief among these is a perfectly-crafted sales pitch. Traditionally viewed as a means of convincing customers to buy goods or services, it can be equally effective at persuading your preteen to clean her room, Pink says. In his book, he offers six creative takes on the traditional 30-second elevator pitch. Ranging from a single word or question to the lengthier “Pixar pitch” — a six-sentence storytelling sequence — the pitches are also “great thinking exercises” that challenge us to think new and exciting ways.  

As for his thoughts about the students’ pitches? “They were outstanding!” As he told the class on April 27, the social media exercise “made me a deeper believer in the Pixar pitch,” as the straightforward storytelling approach proved “really compelling and effective.” But as Pink also cautioned, “None of these are magic elixirs; we’re not going to press ‘buy’ or immediately open up our digital wallets” in response. Rather, the purpose of the pitch is to “invite conversation and collaboration.”  

LIFE LESSONS

The same could be said of Pink’s virtual visit. Initially, the session focused on sales strategies and business success, with the author’s insights ranging from the art of effective persuasion (“If you want someone to do something, make it easy for them to do it”) to the importance of thinking like a scientist (“Be curious enough to have a hypothesis, but humble enough to wait for the answer”). Later, however, the students pressed Pink for advice about life beyond Bentley. 

“The students’ questions were terrific,” Pink says. “They want to know how to navigate the world of work. They want to contribute and make a difference. But they don’t know the rules and customs well. Neither did I at that age, so I was psyched to help.” 

Pink offered students advice on the importance of authenticity — “Do you; don’t try to be like someone else” — and maintaining a growth mindset in the early stages of their careers: “Look at the first few years as a discovery process. Instead of thinking in terms of wins and losses, think of it as wins and learnings.” 

But perhaps his most profound observation was in response to a student’s question about motivation. “Chasing a check doesn’t make you a great salesman,” Pink said, noting that passion and a sense of purpose are prerequisites for success. On a personal level, he shared, “We’re on this planet for a very, very brief period of time and I want to make the most of it. Ultimately, I want other people to be glad I was here.” 

To which Pouli and the 34 students in his Sales Strategy and Technology class say: Mission accomplished.