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Nerves of Steel:
Stand-Up Comedy Techniques for Improved Sales Presentations
What is art? Art is what moves us emotionally -- whether it is a play, a book, a movie or a song. In order for the artist to move the audience emotionally, they must first affect their own emotions. In sales, it is an established fact that people buy when they are emotional. This seminar will teach the various intensity levels of performing and how this philosophy applies to sales. You cannot sell at 1-5 and expect a 6-10 reaction, and, when the customer says, "no," walk out the door and be 6-10 in your anger and disappointment.
Overcoming the buyer's concern and persuading them to purchase is similar to a comedian winning over an audience. Through their self-confidence and the ability to connect to their talent at will, top comedians are able to entertain audiences that do not want to be entertained.
This seminar includes talks on overcoming the reluctant sales call, persuading customers to buy and class exercises in "riffing" -- the ability to connect to the salesperson's store of product knowledge and to deliver it in a personable way.
Key Psychological Techniques
- No attaching: Jerry Seinfeld says that when an audience does not
laugh at one of his jokes it simply means that they do not like the joke. It
does not signify that they do not like him. He does not attach a label to
himself for the failure of the joke, and, more importantly, he does not attach
a negative label to the audience for not laughing at the joke. In the same
manner, you as the salesperson should not attach a label to yourself for
failing to get the sale, and, during the process of the sale, not attach a
negative label to the customer. Not attaching labels will enable you to
persist.
- Opinions vs. Judgments: Opinions are individual truths and judgments are universal truths. We should take the objections of the customers not as a judgment on ourselves, but as their opinions, which we will influence to change.
- Approval: The need to have someone commend you on your performance
can become a crutch in order to operate at your best. Leading comedians
perform for the enjoyment of the audience -- not for their own approval. The
customer is the most important part of the sales process, not the salesperson.
Stop needing the validation of your customers or your superiors to achieve
excellence.
- Persuasion Technique: If a customer feels that they have been
dominated, controlled or manipulated in the sales process, you can almost
guarantee a product or service return, lack of referrals and bad word of
mouth. As a salesperson, like a comedian, you must persuade people to buy your
product. This technique can only work without giving alibis, excuses or
rationalizations about your performance. By thinking three dimensionally, a
lost customer turns into a potential buyer.
- Three-Dimensional Thinking: If you think two dimensionally, a
customer's objections might create an immovable roadblock (through your own
excuses and alibis) in your confidence. Three-dimensional thinking creates
space beyond the problem to technically provide a solution. It enables you to
solve the customer's objections and to move the closing process more quickly.
Key Performance Techniques
- Timing and Pausing: At the end of a punchline, a comedian pauses to allow the audience to laugh. The salesperson must use pausing to allow the customer to sell him or herself.
Timing allows the audience to react to the performance and absorb the
speaker's unique point of view. Pausing signifies confidence in the speaker.
Rushing through a sales pitch or stepping on lines or laughs prevents you from
connecting with the audience. Additionally, the pause provides the crucial
opportunity to create at will during the riffing process. Without timing or
pausing, the creative process is severely limited.
- Cleaning Up Speech Patterns: Unnecessary verbiage or messy speech
habits such as the use of "ums, ers, and ahs," hinder the creative
process and impede your message. A succinct speech pattern will ultimately
enable your brain to function at a faster rate resulting in greater use of
your imaginative capacity.
- Selling Versus Sharing: Selling is allowing your audience to decide
if your presentation has relevance or creativity. Sharing is when you believe
in what you are selling, which leads to a more emotional presentation. It lets
you put energy into your words; you are in a better position to influence your
audience. The best salespeople allow you to buy from them; they share
the item with the customer.
- Riffing: The ability to riff -- a jazz term meaning to connect to
your talent at will and create in the moment -- separates amateur from
professional performers. To riff, you must believe that you have the knowledge
and talent to share anytime and anywhere. In selling, riffing is the ability
to access your intelligence and skills when you need it most -- when things do
not go as planned. Those who can sell "off the cuff" and an
advantage over those who cannot. In comedy, Robin Williams is the premier
"riffer" because the audience cannot tell what is spur of the moment
and what are his set routines.
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