BERMAN E-NEWS
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And the Best Salesperson Award Goes to...Meryl Streep
Seen any good movies lately? If you notice how immersed you were in the action, the characters and the plot, you've just been watching great salespeople in action. Acting and selling actually have a lot to do with each other. Both involve convincing your audience (client agency) that you have an important, worthwhile message. Both involve keeping the attention of that audience (client) and holding it throughout your narrative. And both demand that you find the line between being intrepid, curious and assertive - and hammy.
In fact, I'd recommend acting classes to anyone who wants to be in sales. Meanwhile, I'll let you in on a few acting tips that can make a big difference in your next sales call.
1. One word: Prepare. We all know that forgetting your lines isn't pretty, either on stage or in the meeting. But acting isn't simply rote memorization, just as selling isn't about a clever pitch. Great actors dive into their material. For her recent role in "Medea," Annette Bening not only read the Greek tragedies, but also studied how the original plays were performed. Daniel Day-Lewis famously stays in character when doing a period film. Like actors, great salespeople also immerse themselves--in analysis, competitive studies, industry trends, you name it. And believe me: Every moment of research shows in the "performance."
2. Separate strategies from tactics. Before a scene, actors live in their heads. They have to examine their character's motives, reactions and behavior. They then have to dig within themselves to find experiences that relate to that character's emotions. Only then can they go on stage with the appropriate tone of voice, gestures, and movement that will create the scene they want.
In selling, too, it's also critical to separate strategies (thinking) from tactics (behavior). Just as you can't live in your head when you're on stage, you can't intellectualize your way through a sales call. You have know what you want to have happen, be ready (through all your prep work) to make it happen, and then - once you're "on stage" - you have to be present and in the moment with your client. Only then can you trust that everything you've learned will carry you safely through to "yes."
3. Identify your obstacles, and then move past them. Every play or movie boils down to this: Character, obstacle, change. Some stories deal with emotional obstacles (anything from Woody Allen), some with situational obstacles (Gone with the Wind), and many, many with obstacles to true love. Whatever the story, whatever the obstacle, the lead character always struggles toward a positive change.
In effect, that's a lot like selling. Pretty much every sales call is the "story" of your attempt to get clients to change buying behavior. During your "performance," you might face physical obstacles ("We don't have the budget"), emotional obstacles ("I don't like your website"), or situational obstacles ("We're downsizing our company.") For your "story" to have a happy ending, clearly, you must supply the solution (your media) that will ensure your client's trust.
4. Don't just act - react. Generous actors are the actors who get work. They're the ones who have the ability to set up a scene so the star can shine. They can feed the straight lines with sincerity, listen attentively, and reflect the energy of the lead player so that the audience buys into the story.
Frankly, I wish more salespeople were like that. You have to be willing to let the client be the star. Let's say, for instance, that you enter your "scene" thinking that your client should run a 6X schedule and a web program. As you start talking, you begin to hear your client talk about how she's going to be in charge of virtual events. Now it's time for you to "give up your good story" (as they say in improv) and switch the discussion to how to implement the program that excites your client. The ability to "adjust" (to use the acting term) is central to success, no matter which stage you're on.
5. Stay in the action. If you've wondered - as I have - how an actor can create the same character night after night (and twice on Saturdays), you soon find out in acting class. Every performance is now. It doesn't matter what the co-star did last Thursday or how great you were two nights ago. What matters is this moment, this scene, right now.
It's the same with sales. You can't let history blind you to what your future experience might be. If your client said last time he preferred the competition, remember that today's a new day. You might hear today that he's not happy with the competitor's redesign, or that the company's new account manager wants to explore other media. Salespeople who approach every call with the willingness to stay open and attentive are often pleasantly surprised at what results.
6. Make every move count. A good play never suffers a meaningless moment. If an actor taps a pencil on a tabletop, he might be showing annoyance and tension. If another scratches her nose, she might be buying time or signaling deception. That's a good lesson for salespeople, as well: Any action, however humble, can be used to make a connection with your client. If you're getting a cup of coffee, for instance, that action might be used to signal congeniality. Or it might be used to break tension. Or it might simply be used to gain time to organize your thoughts. Sensitize yourself to which actions keep you in the flow of the sale, and which might be killing time (and maybe your sale).
7. Take a lesson from Sinatra. Until his role as Private Maggio in "From Here to Eternity," Frank Sinatra was already a has-been. Which makes his song "That's Life" a perfect accompaniment to the salesperson's typical up-and-down career: "Each time I find myself flat on my face, I just pick myself up and get back in the race." Whether you're in acting or sales, you must marry talent to perseverance in order to have a great future. So go on out there and break a leg.
Helen Berman
Ad & Media Sales Training
Helen Berman
Media Sales Institute
