“Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.”
-Paul Simon
Ever marveled at how skillfully Improv players respond to the seemingly unrelated suggestions thrown at them? There is no script to follow, no direction and typically only the thinnest of plots. Does this sound familiar to you? It should!
As salespeople, how often do we walk into a situation with a thread-bare plot (i.e., an information-gathering meeting), unsure of what’s going to confront us (objections, personality conflicts, budgets, etc.) and last but not least, an audience waiting to be entertained. (Yes, your client expects some entertainment for their hard-won time and dollars!)
Sellers can learn a lot from Improv players, like how to take a curveball and turn it into a homerun. But there is more to Improv than just spitting out the first thing that comes to mind. Improv actors work long and hard to achieve the kind of focus and lightning-quick speed necessary to react to ever-changing circumstances. And, they make it look entirely effortless and spontaneous. If you’ve ever watched master sketch artists like those from Chicago’s Second City or television’s “Whose Line is it Anyway?” you’ll know what I mean.
In comparison, how much time do we as salespeople spend sharpening our reactions and getting the creative juices flowing? The rules of the sales game are changing daily and there’s never been a more important time to be on your toes; learning to react quickly and skillfully to the unexpected can mean the difference between getting and losing the sale.
The Seven Rules of Improv as applied to sales are:
1. Know Your Material.
Sounds obvious, yes? But this critical step is often overlooked in our rush to get in front of a client. Before you can improvise something, you must know it inside and out, forwards and backwards. You must know WHAT you’re saying, and you must know WHY you’re saying it -- and “My manager told me to” is not a good enough reason! Practice your sales script. Read it out loud to the dog. Rap it to your roommate. Know it so well that if you had to, you could pick it up at any point within the script, ad-lib it and run through it with ease.
2. Fire the Editor
Nothing kills creativity faster than judgment and critique. And often we are the harshest critics with ourselves. Give that little editor in your head the afternoon off before exploring all possible options. You don’t want to stomp on the seed of a good idea before it has time to blossom.
3. Be in the Moment
This Zen-like quality applies to sales as well as Improv. Only by being in the moment are you aware of subtle shifts in your partner, both verbal and nonverbal. Silence for instance, which we are so anxious to fill, can mean: “you’ve lost me, I’m not convinced” or “show me why I should buy you.” Stop, pause and take in the moment. You’ll be amazed at what you may have otherwise missed in your rush to get through your presentation.
4. Commit to Your Choices
Commitment? Yikes! As salespeople we reserve the right to change our opinion based on what the client thinks, right? Wrong! See your choices through; don’t be batted around by every wind. You may not win everyone over, but you’ll win something that is too often overlooked in sales: self respect.
5. Use Your Mistakes
Persistent interruptions? Faulty powerpoints? Forgotten brochures? Great! The fact that we’re fallible makes it easier for people to connect with us. Quit trying to be the perfect “sales clone.” A mistake isn’t a big deal unless you make it one. So laugh at yourself. Use mistakes to join the human race. And move on!
6. Say, “Yes and…”
In Improv as in sales, you must always keep the action moving forward. A key tenet of Improv is that no matter what your partner gives you, you reply with “Yes, and…” For example, lets say your client tells you that they have never bought anything but product X. Instead of saying “Yes, but you’ve never tried our product,” (which instantly puts them on the defensive), you reply: “Yes, and that’s why you don’t have anything to compare it to.” In a sense, you’re agreeing with them, taking their point in, and offering them a different perspective without getting their defenses up.
7. Communicate With More Than Words
Sometimes a well-placed hand on the arm or a meaningful look can say more than words. More than eighty percent of what we perceive comes from the physical body. Leaning toward the client at a key moment or pausing thoughtfully can carry tremendous impact if used correctly.
Now you’re ready to add Improv to your sales toolkit.
Think fast! And whose line is it anyway?!
| Julie Hansen - |
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Julie Hansen Sales Trainer, Actor and Speaker, helps salespeople across the country apply acting techniques to their sales model to develop powerful communication skills, boost confidence and increase sales. She shares weekly sales tips from her upcoming book, “Lights, Camera, Sell!: Actor’s Secrets for Dramatic Sales Success” on her blog For information on sales training or speaking, contact Julie at 303-717-3935 or click here. Read More >> |
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