Selling is theatre

I’m sure that you’ve seen them – I certainly have.

They are the men and women who sell items of all kinds from street stalls and in markets the world over.

The ones I enjoy watching are those who sell kitchen items like vegetable peelers and mandolins – they are real show-people.

Even though their products may be of poor quality (they may have even fallen off the back of a truck!) and some of their tactics more than a little suspect they know one thing – they know how to draw and hold a crowd! They understand the theatre of selling.

While I wouldn’t encourage salespeople anywhere to adopt the dubious tactics that some of these people employ I would encourage them to accept that there is a deal of theatre in professional selling. Professional salespeople need to be able to draw and hold a person’s (or a group’s) attention throughout a sales discussion (or presentation).

With that in mind let a little of the inner actor emerge at your next meeting with a prospective customer – not to be phony or false but to help you draw and hold their attention.


(The up-coming post for Friday 27/2 is A lesson for sales managers. It's about being candid with failing salespeople - and what can happen if you aren't.)