We recently learned about how improvising is very important in a sales conversation. Improvisation has grown in popularity. Salesmen used to rely on heavy training and memorization for sales conversations. Responses to objections were scripted. This is the approach that telemarketers still use (and no one is really a fan of getting a call from them). However, we have recently seen a shift in the way sales conversations work. Many sales people now rely on improvisation during their sales conversations (which is much more effective). It is often portrayed by a comedian on TV. Even actors can take improvisational classes to become more open minded and creative. Improv teaches people how to think on the fly and to not prepare every single word you are going to say in the conversation. This relates to sales because salespeople have to be spontaneous. As much as a salesperson thinks they can, you cannot plan out exactly how a sales conversation is going to go. Salespeople need to learn how to react to different types of information that they learn in a sales conversation, in different ways, depending on who the customer is.
Even in The Office, we see Michael Scott, the best salesman at Dunder Mufflin, take improvisational classes (to Jan’s dismay). Although he is not particularly good at it, it probably did teach him how to be more creative. Improv can teach us how to think outside of the box. Learning how to be improvisational can transfer over into our careers, relationships, and how we think.
BoweryJE22
I love the parallel between Michael Scott’s improv classes and his ability to sell. He could at least be quick on his feet and it allows him to be a successful salesman as a result. That’s a lot of the job – just being able to respond to things out of the ordinary that are thrown your way by a client.
I’ve never seen The Office, but I have heard quite a bit about it this semester, and I would have to agree that Michael Scott is certainly able to think on the fly! I loved the clip Sweet showed in class of the sales conversation over drinks, where Scott completely de-railed the “sales pitch”, but ended up making the sale anyways by appealing to the client’s emotions and humor.
I really do think that improvisation is very important in sales now-a-days. It makes a whole new level of selling and creativity when reaching a potential customer. I feel as though I have been blessed with the great skill of thinking on my feet with quick remarks and good comments in conversations and I believe it is very important for a productive salesperson.