improvisation and selling

[Russ Schoen]

Some colleagues of mine Tim Dunne and Gregg Fraley wrote a great article on an application of improv to sales. If interested, check out the article here. http://www.instantbrainstorm.com/selling_with_status.html

best wishes,
Russ

[Bård Brænde]

A little frantic shout-out for help: :)

Anyone know of some good books/litterature written on applied improv for salespeople? One of my clients is requesting a literature list, and I do come up embarrassingly short...

Thanks for any tip!

[Randy Sabourin]

Sales & Status - Business Improvisation at its Best http://www.anderson-sabourin.com/Sales_status_business_improvisatio...

Business Improvisation: The Diving Catch of the Corporate World http://www.changethis.com/47.05.BusinessImprovisation

Sales Training: Improv Improvement
http://www.trainingmag.com/msg/content_display/training/e3ib32aa438...

hope that helps
Randy

[Bård Brænde]

Many thanks!! :)

[tim dunne]

Brent,

Thanks for your comments on the article. The status element in a high ticket sale is subtle, and that's why it's important. Low status, at least here, doesn't mean fumbling, groveling or not confident. It does mean deferential. I think the best example, in terms of status, would be the sommelier with a well versed diner. The sommelier offers the high status role to the diner. If the sommelier is helpful, the diner may offer back the higher status role to the sommelier. A natural flow of the high status role back to the salesperson is often an indication of a good sales interaction.

Salespeople make the mistake of going in too low status some times. Your examples illustrate that. And sometimes, they (we) go in high status and miss the opportunity to learn and to connect.

Best!

Tim

[Randy Sabourin]

Nicely said. I also think it is the ability and awareness to move your status higher or lower compared to the client at the appropriate times is critical. In our sales training and leadership workshops we spend a lot of time doing exercises that isolate status awareness. Its key to tie to status to how we pay attention and get attracted as well.

[Russ Schoen]

hi Brent,

great points, I have just forwarded this comment onto one of the authors for his take! stay tuned.

best
Rus