After college, I spent a year training in long form improvisation at the world famous iO Comedy Theater in Chicago. Improv is tough and humbling. It’s hard to be funny. Being funny without a script is the holy grail of comedy. Taking time to look back, I think there are parallels to sales, and I see where I was able to apply concepts from improv into my sales career.
There is truth in comedy. To be funny, you have to be honest in order for the audience to relate. For example, it would be difficult to carry a scene doing something unbelievable like sword fighting a dragon. But it sure would be funny to sit down and talk with a dragon to understand why he can’t eat ice cream anymore since he started breathing fire. The dragon explains that his fingers are too big to hold onto a spoon and the ice cream melts before he can get close enough to lick it. “All I want is some mint chocolate chip,” he pleas through tortured eyes, “I just want to taste it again.”
No one knows what it’s like to sword fight a dragon, but most people like ice cream. It’s fairly reasonable to assume that most people would be pretty upset if they couldn’t eat some mint chocolate chip whenever they wanted. We would laugh at this scene because we understood, we related.
Oddly enough, this actually ties into sales!
One of most important aspects of doing business is making a connection; a genuine connection. You have to establish that the service you provide will make someone’s job easier or are otherwise be a value-adding venture, but always remember that your contact is doing business with you first, then your company and product second. This is an important realization and an overwhelming reason why certain people are successful in sales.
When you talk to someone on the phone, just be yourself. In an earlier blog post, Sahil pointed out you have to be engaging in order to be successful at phone sales. Take for example:
You: “Hi, [contact] how are you today?”
Contact: “Good. How are you?”
The response was mostly meant as a pleasantry, but realize the opportunity for you to make a personal connection. Take an honest moment to gauge how you actually feel.
You: “You know what? I rearranged my closets this weekend and I feel great.”
People will almost always relate to that feeling, and it potentially gives you something to talk about.
Contact: “I had to do that once. It was terrible. But you sound like a good person, let’s do business together!”
Bottom line is that a personal connection is important in most everything you do. Whether you are standing in front of a live audience or talking to a prospective client on the phone, the connection is what will make you successful. And who knows- you might close the deal!
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Nice work Jason, I don’t think anyone could describe this as a plain vanilla posting.
I enjoyed the way you managed to sprinkle some comedy on top of your inside scoop on the sales process.
That’s enough dubious puns for now!
Thanks, David!
It took me awhile to realize that when you’re talking to someone, you just have to TALK to them. Drop the euphemisms, the silly corporate lingo and just have a conversation.
It’s been sweet ever since.
Ok- now we’re officially done with dubious puns
That explains why I’ve always had an easy time connecting with you Jason! I never knew you were professionally trained at making people laugh though
Good post.
Aw, thanks. But you know, Joe… there was a reason I only did it for a year.
*hint*
I wasn’t good.
But it was a great experience that I would recommend to anyone. In fact, there is an iO theater in LA (doooo it).
Glad you enjoyed the post!
Jason
Great post!
The initial connection is so important especially in sales.
Made me smile too
That first impression is so important. Charm, humor and enthusiasm make all the difference. Nice, Jason