Who’s Elmer Wheeler and Who Cares?
Elmer Wheeler (1904-1968) was one of the pioneers of persuasion, best known for his advice “Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle.”
It was 7 words are what make Elmer Wheeler very famous.
What did he mean by this saying? By saying this, Elmer Wheeler was expressing the importance of focusing on the emotional benefits of what you’re offering someone over the logical benefits.
By saying this, Elmer Wheeler was expressing the importance of focusing on the emotional benefits of what you're offering someone over the logical benefits. Click To TweetWell, I’ve got a special treat for you today.
I discovered a rare movie from 1952 in which Elmer shares some of his most powerful ideas.
P.S. Make sure to check out the rest of this post below the embedded video. If you do, you’ll discover his “5 Wheelerpoints” and you’ll learn how you can get a free copy of his book.
Elmer Wheeler Movie: “Selling the Sizzle” (VIDEO)
In this rare, powerful video from Periscope Film, Elmer Wheeler answers a question that he asks at the beginning of the movie, “What makes people buy?” (03:20)
Then he goes on to show you how to “sell the sizzle” to get yourself that job, that sale, etc.
WARNING: The movie definitely has some cheesy, NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT, 1950’s scenes, sound effects, and humor, but don’t let that keep you from watching it.
The powerful things that Elmer Wheeler shares in this video aren’t just important for salespeople. It will also be a huge help to both content marketers and direct response marketers.
(He also shows you how to use his principles in your own life.)
One thing you’ll appreciate in this move is that Elmer actually gives you examples of some successful (and unsuccessful) “signatures sizzles.”
He also takes the last part of the film (in an after scene part of the movie) and shows how to apply what he teaches in a real-world situation.
You can watch the video below…
The Five Wheelerpoints from the Book Sizzlemanship: New Tested Selling Sentences
In the movie above, Elmer shares his five “Wheelerpoints” that he was famous for.
And to make sure that you don’t miss them, I decided to share them with you below in the way that he presents them in his book Sizzlemanship: New Tested Selling Sentences.
(*You can download a FREE copy of this book in our Member’s Resource Area.)
1. DON’T SELL THE STEAK SELL THE SIZZLE!
“Its the sizzle that sells the steak and not the cow.
“Steers can’t take orders for their shank bones, but, when the waiter carries a sizzling steak across the restaurant, you hear, see, and smell that sizzle and buy!
“Find the sizzle in what you sell and you find success.”
2. “DON’T WRITE TELEGRAPH.”
“Learn how to speak telegraphically how to boil your words down.
“The more you concentrate sunbeams the deeper they burn. The finest steak in the world loses its sizzle if the waiter takes too long in delivering it.
“So learn the new art of verbal shorthand.”
3. “SAY IT WITH FLOWERS.”
“‘Happy returns of the day’ means much more when you say it with flowers.
“It’s as much what you do as what you say. So? fortify your words with gestures. Back up your sizzles with action. Synchronize them with showmanship.
“Say and do all in one motion.”
4. DON’T ASK IF ASK WHICH!
“Always give the other person a choice between something and something never between something and nothing.
“Be a good lawyer and ask leading questions. Ask ‘Why?’ or ‘Where?’ or ‘When?’ or ‘How?’ or ‘What?’ Not ‘if’ but ‘which!’
“Give others a choice between two things you want. You can’t lose on this principle.”
5. WATCH YOUR BARK!
“The little dog has only one word, and only one tail to wag; but the way he barks and the way he wags his tail convey his meaning.
“So watch your bark. The best sizzle in the world flops with a thud if your voice is flat.
“Your voice, remember, is the carrier of your message. How you say it is as important as what you say.”
Download Our Member’s Resource Area: Sizzlemanship: New Tested Selling Sentences
You can grab your copy for free in our Member’s Resource Arena.
Click here to become a member! It takes just a minute or two!
Learn More of Elmer Wheeler’s Story
If you would like to know more about Elmer Wheeler, you need to check out an old article about him in the April 16, 1938 issue of The New Yorker.
The article is called The Sizzle by John McNulty and it’s really interesting.
It contains details that I’ve never seen before about Wheeler.
You can read the article here.
