Emotional Intelligence in Sales, Empathy and the Actor’s Magic “If”

“I’m curious about other people. That’s the essence of my acting. I’m interested in what it would be like to be you.” ~ Meryl Streep How did Meryl Streep play real people like Florence Foster Jenkins and Margaret Thatcher with such depth and authenticity? How did Daniel Day Lewis give

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5 Sales Role-Play Tips for Success from the Theater

Sales Reps hate to role-play. But you knew that, right?  Done well, role-play can be an exceptionally powerful tool in helping sales reps master communication skills and navigate many  changes in products, customers, and competition they continually face.  Unfortunately, approaching it with a gallows-like resolve as most sales reps do,

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How to use presenter notes for a natural delivery

Presenter notes in PowerPoint or Keynote are a great way to make sure you hit key points in your sales presentation or remember to ask your audience a question or reveal an insight. They’re right there in front of you when you need them so you don’t have to shuffle

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Presentation Winners and Losers from The Academy Awards

If you think presenting comes naturally, all you need to do is watch the Academy Awards where some of our best actors struggle to deliver a live speech or accept an award.  As a salesperson there are many key takeaways from the Oscars and I’ll be taking note of them

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Sneak Peek: Advanced Sales Presentation Tip: The Power of Intention

Sneak Peek:  Advanced Presentation Technique from my new e-Book:  “Take Your Sales Presentation to the Next Level” Get all 10 tips FREE here! A common concern I hear from sales manager’s centers around the ability of their sales team to passionately or enthusiastically present their solution: “I don’t know what it

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Dump the Company Selfie… I Mean Overview

The company overview is today’s business selfie.  It’s that slide (or series of slides) that seems to be in most salespeople’s decks that shows any or all of the following: a picture of your building (ho hum), the timeline of your company’s growth (blah, blah, blah), and the awards your

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Get Real Results from Sales Role Play (psst..the secret is in the casting)

Actors love to work with director Clint Eastwood for good reason:  “He expects you to know what you’re doing. And he’s going to take two giant steps back and let you do it,” says Morgan Freeman.  But some Hollywood directors are notoriously difficult to work with.  Kate Winslet said that

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Better Results from Sales Role-Play Part 1: Setting the Stage

I received a panicked call from a salesperson last week.  Carol’s annual sales meeting was fast approaching and she and her fellow sellers were asked to participate in a day of sales role-play with management.  While promoted as a “learning experience,” Carol knew better; this was a test.  Carol and

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An Actor’s Secret for Getting in a Selling State of Mind

“I’ve always considered myself to be just average talent and what I have is a ridiculous insane obsessiveness for practice and preparation.” Will Smith It’s no secret that a focused and positive mindset in sales creates focused and positive results. Learning how to let go of negativity and get in

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How to apply the Challenger Sale…when you’re not a challenger

“I don’t accept the status quo. I do accept Visa, MasterCard, or American Express.” Stephen Colbert I’m a fan of The Challenger Sale – despite the fact that the book came out the same year as mine (2011) and promptly soared past me. If you’re not familiar with the book

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