How To Use Improv When Selling with Sean Kelley #66

How To Use Improv When Selling with Sean Kelley #66

Today we meet Sean Kelley. Sean is an advertising and marketing content creator during his day job. But at night he’s the co-producer/director /actor of the Improvised Star Trek podcast.

Today we talk about improv acting and how it relates to sales. This whole episode is all based on a chapter in my FAVORITE book on sales “To Sell Is Human by Dan Pink. In this episode we talk about the power of having a real conversations when selling and the value of listening NOT telling.

What is Improv?

Improv – a style of acting that depends on scene partners working together.

Except all offers …. the idea is to not disagree with the reality of the first person speaking
Yes And…… is the starter version of improv. Whatever your partner says you respond “Yes and…..” and you continue the discussion farther with a statement.

The next step is to take the statement and morph it into a richer an deeper direction.

How to Use in Sales

Agree to the context… if you’re selling gas powered lawn mowers and they want battery powered ones (this was an example in this episode) understand the clients thinking
Behave with each other like human beings, NOT an automaton.
Don’t disagree with a prospect flat out. Dig into why the said, what they said.

Example “Yes And”

As Sean said the basic foundation of improv was to say “Yes and”. Let’s say you’re making sales call and the prospects says “Yeah we want to solve this problem with XYZ machine but we’re struggling with getting it rolled out.” Now you KNOW the XYZ is the WRONG solution. You’re an expert in this field. That’s why people pay you because of the value you bring to their business. This prospect doesn’t know that yet, or more likely doesn’t trust you yet.

Instead of saying “that’s a dumb idea” … “ore you don’t want to do that , try this….” in both situations you’re going to ostracize the client. You’re not going to win the deal. Instead try “yes I can see that, many other try that approach.. and how did that go…..” this opens up the conversation for you. Once you can hear their answer and it opens up the opportunity to share when it doesn’t work, you can say “yes we’ve heard that from other, did you ever try this….” .. NOW you can share your product and service in a way that the client is now ready to hear.

Sean Kelley and the Improvised Star Trek

Improvised Star Trek Podcast Website

Improvised Star Trek on iTunes

Twitter @improvstartrek

Sean Kelley on LInkedIn

Sales Training, Sales Coaching, Sales Consulting

Become confident in sales and grow your business. Check out the Selling With Confidence Sales System for both new and experienced sellers. This is an opportunity for you to

Be Yourself
Add Value
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Don’t be shy. You too can start Selling With Confidence today!

June 2, 2015June 2, 2015

How To Sell a Fine Dining Experience with Tony DeSalvo #62

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How To Sell a Fine Dining Experience

In this episode we visit Moe’s Cantina in Chicago IL. Moe’s Cantina is fatastic restaurant famous for it’s fusion of Latin American and Brazilian cuisines. My host and our guest is Tony DeSalvo, Vice President of day to day operation at Moe’s Cantina, John Barleycorn and the Old Crow Smokehouse.

Today we talk about how to sell a fine dining experience and how it’s more that just great food, great service, cleanliness, or great hospitality. It’s actually all of these aspects working in harmony.

The Big Four

Tony believes a terrific dining experience is built upon:

Incredible hospitality
Amazing food and beverage
Unwavering cleanliness and sanitation
Superior speed of service

The Wait Staff and Sales

Tony believes the Wait Staff are the front line of the dining experience. Great waitstaff demand:

Training
Role playing
Selling a specials
Giving people what they want

La Flaca Margarita

He noted that many people want to be told what is great and told what to eat. They are visiting a restaurant for the first time they want to experience what makes it unique.

As an example, Tony did a great job selling me a La Flaca Margarita

A great server is able to sell without being pushy. Their primary focus is for you to have a great dining experience.

Key Takeaway

You have to engage with your customers

The Golden Rule

Do onto others as they would do onto you

The Platinum Rule (attributed to Tony Alessandra)

Do onto others as they would want you to do onto them.

Name on Social Media

Website for the Restaurants

John Barleycorn

Moe’s Cantina

Old Crow Smokehouse

Facebook – Moe’s Cantina Facebook Page
LinkedIn – Tony DeSalvo

Twitter @tony_desalvo3

Sales Training, Sales Coaching, Sales Consulting

Grow your confidence in sales and grow your business too. Check out the Selling With Confidence Sales System for both new and experienced sellers. This is an opportunity for you to

Be Yourself
Add Value
Make Sales
You too can start Selling With Confidence today!

November 4, 2014May 6, 2015

SB032 – How Sellers are the Plucky Sidekick an Interview with Aprille Janes

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In this episode we meet Aprille Janes, the podcast host of the Bolder Business Podcast. Aprille is a business coach, mentor with a background similar to mine in software development and IT. She’s worked as an executive for Minute Maid and Coca Cola and is now focused on small business owners and entrepreneurs.Her mission is to help them take action and think like a CEO.

Today we talk about story, how the customer is the hero, the problem is the villain and you’re the plucky side kick.

Right Click Here To Download Podcast

In This Episode …..

We tell stories about how you can use story when selling. And use it masterfully!

Aprille believes that ……

The story has three main characters:

The Hero – the person the story centers on. You are not the hero, the customer is the hero.

The Villain – the problem the customer has, it or they keep them from what they want.

The Plucky Sidekick – the person (You the Seller) who is here to help.

Story has three parts:

Beginning – the hero is struggling with a problem.

Middle – you the plucky side kick arrives and shows them a way out of their problem.

End – this could be you too (the start of the close).

Stories are powerful and connect with the prospective client. Vanilla will Kill’ya Be special, stand out!

Resources

Aprille has a podcast at BolderBusinessWomenPodcast

Click here for her free eBook 11 Bold Strategies to Swipe From the Corner Office

Aprille can be found on LinkedIn at ca.linkedin.com/in/aprillejanes

Here she is on Twitter twitter.com/AprilleJanes

Selling With Confidence Webinar

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August 19, 2014May 6, 2015

SB021 | Powerful Presentations and Demos that Persuade

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In this episode we’re going to try something different. I’ve received some terrific feed back regarding my blog posts on SalesBabble.com and the desire to provide this content in more than one media. So I decided to take my last blog post, Powerful Presentations and Demos that Persuade, and record it here as a brief solo podcast. I’ve really accelerated my writing and would like to share it as widely as possible. So let’s give this a try. Are you ready?

Right-click here to download the MP3

In This Presentation

We talk about

How a great presentation or demonstration is like theatre
How you can’t show everything, but you can give the impression you do everything
How to use a list to drive the presentation AND slowly close the buyers
How using a list gives the illusion of control to the buyer, yet you control the sale

Housekeeping

Now if you would like to get a transcript of this podcast click here for the blog post.

Also, don’t forget about the opportunity to get a free copy of Diana Schneidman’s book Real Skills Real Income. If you haven’t listened to that episode, take a moment and download it on Stitcher or iTunes or at Salesbabble.com/20

Click Here for a Free Copy of Real Skills Real Income

So what do you think? Was this episode a good idea?

Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts. Leave a comment or find me on LinkedIn or Facebook. And if you like to tweet got www.salesbabble.com/love and tweet your affection for SalesBabble.

August 5, 2014May 6, 2015

Powerful Presentations and Demos that Persuade

Consider the product or service you’re selling today. It beats the competition hands down, doesn’t it? If not why would you be selling it.

Yet what you know is true and what your prospective customer “thinks” is true, are two different things. Sales is not a process of order taking. It’s about influence.

Demos that Delight and Direct Desire

You’re excited about a technology and pumped to show off all its bells and whistles. You want to serve the audience and make sure no stone is unturned. It’s taken a lot of work to get this meeting and you’re ready to give an epic demo. Yet nothing could be farther from the desires of the client.

Your audience has time constraints. And they have criteria they’re using to compare vendors. You may have all day, but they don’t! Given the time limits of a two hour demonstration, care must be taken to ensure you showcase the highlights wisely.

Audiences get bored easily! So how do you overcome this in an attention deficit world?

Consider the Demo Theatre

Since you can’t show it all, give the impression you can do it all. At the beginning of the meeting, ask the audience for a list of items they want demonstrated. Use this list to guide the demonstration. Focus on features that add value to their business. Focus on features that put your product in the best light.

You may have some cool innovation that blows away the competition. But if your audience isn’t in the market place for that innovation, they don’t care! Save that for the end of the meeting.

A List That Guides the Demo

One by one, click off items on the list. When first starting, demonstrate how your product addresses their need in great detail. Show them the user functionality, how the process is addressed and the resulting outcome. Answer their questions simply and completely. Guide the conversation but keep reminding the client, it’s their list.

Tell stories how the technology works. Make a show of each scenario you demonstrate. Create context. This is more fun for you and more interesting for the audience.

As time runs out, they’ll be asking: “Can you do this? Can you do that?” Now that you’ve earned credibility you can answer without the need to demonstrate details.

What you’ve created is the sense you can do it all!

Leaving a Great Impression

Again you can’t show it all. But assuming you have a great product, demo in a manner that gives the impression you can meet most needs and desires. By using their list to drive the demo, you give the client the illusion they’re running the meeting.

In reality, you’re controlling the sale.

Know the market. Have all the questions in your hand. Play the cards as the questions arise. Win the deal with confidence, clarity and panache.

Want to learn a selling style that fits your personality and works? Click here!