Me: Acting ?
Him: Acting.
The question asked before this astonished answer was:
What other profession does selling most closely resemble ?
Me: But a salesperson isn’t an actor.
Him: A good one is.
Me: How so ?
Him: They both control their emotions don’t they ?
This is getting tougher, so I’ll let the sales manager I was talking to tell you what he told me.
An actor or a salesman must control:
- His emotions
- His facial expressions
- His body movements
- His voice
Without control of all of these an actor can’t portray drama and if he doesn’t control all of these a salesman may create drama.
About now, the principle was starting to sink into my often closed, never quiet mind, so I asked:
In what other ways does a salesperson resemble an actor ?
A salesman or actor must be able exude confidence.
Not necessarily playing dumb, I asked – How ?
By the tone of his voice, the expression on his face, the words and facts he uses and how he weaves them into the conversation.
Basically, he said, by being sincere.
Suppose, I said, the salesperson isn’t all that sincere.
An honest salesperson never tries to sell anything that the prospect doesn’t really need, no more than an honest actor will take an phony part.
Hey Will Farrell, you listening ?!
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I really like Hopkins as an actor, and I do think he would make a good salesperson as well. He has the look voice, mannerisms to do about anything, acting wise of course, and I do know a lot of sales people who are real characters, so to speak.