Many years ago we hired a salesperson at Slattery Sales Group, to help us grow our business. We gave him a quota.
In short order, he crushed it. CRUSHED it. Like, he came in at quadruple his quota.
So we asked him, "How in the world are you doing this?" We train salespeople, and we wanted to know his secret!
Here's the funny thing. He was literally an imposter by trade. That's what he did in his day job. He was an actor, but he was between gigs and he had a growing family to feed, and sales paid better than theater. So between gigs, he joined us as a salesperson.
His answer was priceless:
"It's just a role. I go out as a salesperson. It's a role, like any other role that I do as an actor. I have my lines, the prospects have their lines, and they're going to come to me and say these things, and then I'm going to say these things.
"And every morning when I get up and I'm in front of the mirror or shaving, I'm practicing my lines and I'm planning ahead to what they'll say. And then I plan ahead to what I'll say next. And that's pretty much it -- it's a role."
It was so beautiful to hear him say that.
Many salespeople, when they're out on sales calls, having conversations with prospects, maybe things are getting a little bit dicey, maybe the prospect's pushing back... they tend to get emotionally involved.
Getting emotionally involved can sabotage the sale. We don't stay in the moment, listening to the prospect, but instead we start thinking ahead to how we can respond. Maybe we even get a little defensive, especially if there's a lot on the line. We don't stay prospect-centric in our conversation. And that can cost us the sale.
But if you have imposter syndrome? Great! That can work to your advantage! If you feel like an imposter, embrace it.
Here's how imposter syndrome can be an incredible asset to salespeople: you can stay in character, even when prospects push back. This isn't about you. You don't need to get your emotional needs met here. This is about your conversation with the prospect.
Actors know their lines, right? That's call planning. Before you go out on a sales call, practice what you'll say. Speak it in front of the mirror. Practice your lines until you get comfortable with them, because prospects can pick up on your "congruence" (that is, whether or not you believe what you're saying), and practicing your lines until you've internalized them will help you deliver those lines congruently.
Then, when you talking with the prospect and you're guiding the conversation, there are really only a handful of responses that any prospect can possibly throw at you. Plan for those. Plan your responses, and again, practice your lines until you internalize them.
This is just call planning. This is what an actor does before a show. This is what you can be doing before your calls and be incredibly congruent; in character; believable; and honest, because you believe what you're selling.
You can have those conversations, even the difficult ones, without finding yourself getting emotionally involved or leaving the conversation momentarily to plan ahead when prospects start to push back.
You'll be in the moment, in character, focused on the prospect, guiding the conversation where you want it to go. It is the gift of a great imposter.
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At Slattery Sales Group, we empower great sellers and companies to win complex sales.
Our clients tell us we help them raise revenues, bolster margins, shorten sales cycles, and compete more effectively in the marketplace. We'd love to help you do that, too.
To expedite your progress:
🔷 Grab our new book HERE and get that important sale moving again.
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