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.

http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Tom-Jackobs-Hardest-Phone-Call.mp4

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.

http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Storyselling-coach.mp4

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.

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