Act Like a Sales Pro

How to Command the Business Stage and Dramatically Increase Your Sales with Proven Acting Techniques

by Julie Hansen Career Press 2011 224 pages

Focus
Leadership & Management Strategy Sales & Marketing Finance Human Resources IT, Production & Logistics Career & Self-Development Small Business Economics & Politics Industries Global Business Concepts & Trends

Take-Aways
Salespeople and actors face similar challenges that share similar solutions, so salespeople can borrow some techniques from acting. Methods derived from acting the ultimate form of persuasion and engagement are more effective than traditional selling practices. To sell, you must make a good first impression. Use three acting methods: Develop a commanding presence, communicate with impact and create a special experience. Adjust your sales script to your personality and your prospects circumstances. Be fully in control of your attitude before you meet with prospective customers. To gain confidence, recall a positive experience just before you begin a cold call. To develop rapport with your prospects, stay alert for cues they send out, and respond to them appropriately. Always be ready to improvise. Success requires persistence. Dont resign yourself to being an extra; be a star.

Rating (10 is best)

Overall Applicability Innovation Style

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Relevance
What You Will Learn In this Abstract, you will learn:r1) How salespeople and actors are similar, 2) What techniques actors use that also work well for salespeople, and 3) How to adapt these techniques to achieve your sales goals. Recommendation Actress and salesperson Julie Hansen worked as a sales director for the National Enquirer and Star Magazine, and acted in HBOs Sex and the City, on the New York stage, and in commercials. In this clever manual, she details the special steps actors take to win auditions and to perform well on stage or in front of the camera. She explains how salespeople can adapt these acting techniques to increase sales. getAbstract recommends this fun set of instructions to salespeople and actors willing to try new approaches, and to anyone who has to take the stage.

Abstract
String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps You are your greatest selling tool: your mind, your voice, your physicality. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Each presentation is a new beginning an opening night. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps

Actors Sell, Salespeople Act Salespeople are like actors. They should prepare for sales calls as actors do for auditions. They must deliver compelling, convincing presentations in front of prospects as actors do in front of audiences. They must be sensitive to cues from their customers, just as actors must respond to cues from their fellow actors. Methods derived from acting the ultimate form of persuasion and engagement are more effective than traditional selling techniques, such as scripted presentations, mirroring and neurolinguistic programming, that prospects see right through. Act I: The Rehearsal People develop their first impression of you after only seven seconds, so actors work hard to make strong first impressions during casting calls. Salespeople have the same problem. If they dont make a good first impression, prospects will tune them out. To win potential clients over upon your first meeting with them, try three acting techniques: Develop a commanding presence, communicate with impact, and engage people by creating a special experience for them, such as helping them envision the benefits of a purchase. Prime yourself for a meeting with a prospect as an actor would for a casting call. Project a friendly, warm personality. Stand out from other salespeople who call on your prospects. Pay close attention to your potential client. Display confidence and focus.
Great actors adapt their roles to their personalities. Consider the parts you play as a salesperson. Dont try to fit your personality into the stereotypical roles of closer, coldcaller or negotiator. Find a sales style that works for you. Avoid compensatory or negative behaviors. For example, many salespeople hate making cold calls. As a result, they contact only people they already know, people who wont reject them, but who wont provide any new business, either. Analyze the personality attributes of great salespeople, such as being assertive, positive, resilient, persistent, confident, energetic and focused. Remember the moments of your life when you exhibited these traits, and add them to your repertoire of behaviors during sales calls.

Act Like a Sales Pro

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String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Acting and selling are active. They put you in a state of doing. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps No matter how compelling a speaker or presenter you are, the typical listeners attention will wane after about 10 minutes. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Salespeople must be every bit the performer an actor is in order to stand out in an increasingly crowded playing field. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps The sales call is your show and your time to shine. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps

Most actors go from one audition to another, hoping to best other actors seeking the same roles. The audition process is identical to the endless cold calls salespeople must make to win appointments with prospects. How do actors keep their spirits up during this time-consuming, frustrating process? Among other tactics, they use the moment-before technique. Remember a positive experience, such as getting a call from a customer who wants to place a big order. Make this memory and the associated emotions as real as possible. Bask in the good feelings that wash over you. With this positive prelude, make your cold call. You will be much more enthusiastic. Before actors go on stage or begin an audition, they go through elaborate warm-ups. Likewise, you should make warm-ups part of your sales-call preparation: Physical warm-up Breathe fully and easily to get rid of any body tension. Stand up straight then become a rag doll, bending forward and rolling your head down toward the floor, vertebra by vertebra. Wiggle your arms to loosen them before rolling slowly back up again. Scrunch up your face to relax your facial muscles. Vocal warm-up To ensure that you breathe and speak properly, repeat the sounds ba-ba-ba pa-pa-pa and ka-ka-ka ga-ga-ga. Mental and emotional warm-up Recall positive emotional experiences as you review your presentation. Waiting room warm-up Stay focused. Dont read random magazines. Utilize the moment-before technique; dont dissipate your energy or mental edge.

Act II: The Curtain Up Actors must convey the feelings, emotions, attitudes and mental states of the characters they play. To do so, they must discover and project the motivation of those characters. Consider your inspiration for making a sale. Of course, your commission is a strong incentive. But perhaps you need something more. Like an actor, adopt a powerful positive attitude. Asking, What do I want? is not enough. Instead, ask, What am I fighting for? When you fight for something, you engage all your energies. Think of the many benefits that sale will provide. Put these uppermost in your mind. Become excited fire yourself up about the special opportunities you can develop when you close this sale.
Actors need scripts that tell them what to say and do. Great thespians make acting look easy. They use script-reading techniques to breathe life into the words. Salespeople also use sales scripts, but they rarely enjoy using them. Most sales scripts are neither Shakespeare or Mamet. Sadly, they are more often dated and dull (What will it take to get you into this car today, Mr. Buyer?). Dont just memorize your sales script; engage with its content. Be like an actor evaluating a script. What is your sales script supposed to convey? Actors use a technique called scoring the role to delve into scripts. They try to discover the meaning behind each line. Many actors tie their characters actions and dialogue to their own lives. Do the same with sales scripts. No one would pay to watch a movie in which Brad Pitt spends two hours deciding whether to buy a pair of black or brown shoes. Wheres the drama? Everyone including prospective sales clients loves drama. Prospects want your sales presentations to excite them. Look for the five dramatic elements in each selling situation interest, uncertainty, emotion, conflict and action. Discover where prospects feel a sense of urgency, and adjust your presentation accordingly. Pinpoint your prospects hot buttons, such as self-esteem, pride, ambition, security and relationships.
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String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Props can enhance an actors performance or detract from it. The same holds true for salespeople. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Adding acting techniques to your sales toolkit can put the fun back in sales. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Relying on your words to do all of your selling is a quick route to being out-sold. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Learning how to let go of negativity and get in an ideal state of mind greatly increases your potential for success, and it feels a heck of a lot better. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps

Actors need to relate to their scene partners that is, to establish rapport with the other actors in a piece. Salespeople must do the same with prospects. Some salespeople use neurolinguistic-programming techniques, such as matching and mirroring. These are inauthentic, copycat techniques. Instead, use the magic if technique developed by Russian director Constantin Stanislavski, in which an actor generates empathy for a character by identifying with his or her thoughts, feelings and mental pressures. Consider your prospect. For example, ask yourself, What if I were a 40-year-old single woman working at a family-owned firm that is struggling to stay profitable in a competitive market? How would this situation affect you? Modify your presentation appropriately.

Act III: The Performance A directors standard instructions to actors include, Take command of the stage! Own the spotlight! Actors must own the stage and convince audiences of the reality of their scenes. You must seize control of your presentation, especially when you speak to a group. Communicate to your audience as actors do, using body language to emphasize your points. Use appropriate gestures. Block your stage; that is, plan where you will stand, where you will look and how you will move during your talk. Establish eye contact with audience members. Smile.
An actor who ignores another actors cues wrecks the moment. As Robert Redford said, A lot of what acting is, is paying attention. Do you pay attention to your prospects? Like a train barreling down the tracks, many salespeople shoot straight through their presentations and miss cues that prospects offer involuntarily. For example, clients may fold their arms defensively or knit their brows to show displeasure. Stay aware. Never deliver a monologue; create a dialogue. Monitor how you are coming across and tailor your presentation to the moment. Listen proactively. On stage, props that dont work or suddenly break make an actor look ridiculous and destroy the magic of the performance. Savvy actors always test their props prior to a performance. Salespeople should do the same. Run your PowerPoint slides, and check your flip charts, product models, and so on. Toastmasters International reports that a week after a presentation, listeners remember only 10% of what theyve heard in a speech without visual aids, but they remember 67% if the speaker utilized visual aids. Many actors suffer from stage fright; they choke up before a performance. Seasoned actors bypass this common problem in different ways. First, they fully prepare for their shows. They focus on the present and use the moment-before technique. Before they take the stage, they work out any tension in their bodies. Salespeople can boost their presentations by transforming their backstage nervousness into energy that gives them the edge they need for strong performances. Sooner or later, actors who cannot think on their feet will encounter an onstage mishap that will blow up their show if they dont think and react quickly. Another actor may forget a set of lines, miss a cue or do something thats not in the script. In such cases, alert actors immediately react with a fitting improvisation to deflect the audiences attention away from the onstage problem. You also may need to improvise during the sales process. For example, you might prepare your presentation for one group of prospects, but a different group, with a different perspective, shows up. To prepare for such a situation, do as actors do: Role-play improvisational situations. As singer-songwriter Paul Simon put it, Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.
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String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps The whole essence of learning lines is to forget them so you can make them sound like you thought of them that instant. (Academy Award-winner Glenda Jackson) String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Acting pros arent made overnight, and neither are sales pros. String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps String that jumps Acting, like sales, is about taking risks.

Obstacles, roadblocks and difficulties make great drama. Think of the film Rudy, where a small athlete overcame immense barriers to play football for Notre Dame. Salespeople must find ways around obstacles, such as customer objections, and external roadblocks, like budget cuts that seemingly preclude new purchases. Deal with impediments by gathering as much information as you can. Do not let obstructions prevent you from closing a sale. Research says that 44% of salespeople stop contacting prospects after only one call. However, most sales do not close until after the fourth call. Persist.

Act IV: The Encore Johnny Depp is a highly original actor who always imbues his roles with his own special flair. So does actress Tilda Swinton. Their characters and performances are unique. They stand out memorably, so they never lack for roles. For his part in The Godfather, Marlon Brando stuffed his mouth with cotton. This resulted in a mumble that audiences will never forget. What about you? Can you differentiate yourself from hundreds of other salespeople? Can you make yourself unforgettable so that you win first and repeated sales? When your customers think youre special, leverage their regard, and ask them for valuable referrals for additional business.
Productions often bomb when actors and directors dont work well together. For example, actor Val Kilmer and director John Frankenheimer had a major conflict while making The Island of Doctor Moreau. As Frankenheimer said, There are two things I will never do in my life. I will never climb Mount Everest, and I will never work with Val Kilmer again. As a member of a sales team, your relationship with your sales manager is similar to an actors relationship with a director. Concentrate on your bosss strengths, not on his or her weaknesses. Communicate honestly. Do what the boss asks, on time and willingly. Play your role, and do not react personally to boorish behavior at least until you can move on to the next role.

A Star or an Extra? Do you want to be a star, or have you settled for being an extra? Actors who become stars work hard to be as professional as possible. They spend extra time rehearsing. They train with coaches to improve their performance. They attend every casting call. They make an effort to keep their spirits up, no matter how many rejections they suffer.
Are you ready to make the same sacrifices and put in the same hard work and effort? If so, practice applicable acting techniques at every stage of the selling process. Dedicate yourself to becoming the best, and persevere, no matter how many sales you dont make. Actors get excited before they go on stage. They cant wait to win over the audience. You should be similarly excited about your efforts to win over your sales prospects. These onstage techniques can help make sales activities more fun and rewarding. Prospects buy from confident salespeople who enjoy what they do. Stay positive. Work hard. Practice your craft. Revel in the spotlight.

About the Author

Actor Julie Hansen, a former sales executive, owns the Acting for Sales consultancy. A columnist and frequent public speaker, she teaches acting at the University of Denver.
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