In High School, I was in a Big Band where we played the “swing” style of music that is portrayed by the infamous songs like In the Mood, Superstitious, Pink Panther, etc. I played the trombone and senior year was on lead part so it allowed me the opportunity of improvising in songs when it called for 1st trombone. From what we have learned in sales about improvisation, it’s not much different than improvising on stage with my trombone.
When you’re on stage and the improv section opens up, you usually have the rhythm section laying down a beat, maybe some saxophones and trumpets popping in to play a couple notes, but mainly, it’s all the soloist. The nerve-wracking part about improv is that it’s all on the fly. There is no written solo for you to play, but it’s all in what you feel in that moment. Of course there is usually a scale, or key, that you should stay within to avoid wrong notes, but for the moment, it’s all about your creativity. It is how you respond to the rhythm in your head and translate those thoughts into music through your instrument.
The same idea applies to improvising with a customer. It’s obviously a conversation you are having with the prospect, only no instruments usually, but it’s all about listening and responding once their thoughts are translated in your own head. It’s responding in a way that is completely “off script” and more natural of a conversation where nothing seems as it’s being pushed. The art of spontaneity is put to the test when improvising because of a continuous circle of listening, translating, then asking more questions to find the pain.
BoweryJE22
I used to do improv comedy with my friends at a restaurant back home! I loved it. There is something amazing about letting the moment take you and being free to create on the spot. I also think its great practice for real world opportunists like sales conversations.