Who makes you laugh? If you were going to see a comedian live would would it be? Jimmy Carr at The Comedy Store? Katherine Ryan at the O2 Arena? Michael Macintyre Live at the Apollo?

Do you think these legends started out at these massive venues being flawlessly funny? No such luck. They have all ploughed the smaller venues, trying out materials, honing their craft, practicing their skills until they get it right for the bigger venues. Even when established, the big guys come up with a plan, run the script past their trusted people, do smaller venues to warm up for a tour…..

The process and systems are in place so they get it right when it really matters. Does your sales team have the same?

Practicing the script

Write the script and read the script until you are really comfortable with it. Some people read it out loud in front of the mirror or repeat it again and again on the school run. You need to get to the point where you are super comfortable and sound really natural and un-scripted on the call.

“Amateurs practice until they get it right, Professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong”

Handling the heckles

Until you are live in front of an audience/in front of a customer, you can’t prepare for the objections or reactions that you are going to come across. Put a system in place to analyse these so you are prepared for when they come up again. You may be able to find themes or common objections coming up which you can then have preprepared answers ready..

Obviously, some people are naturally funny but you don’t really think comedians come up with all those quick responses on the spot do you?

Ready with natural stall tactics

Every comedian has techniques to give themselves some thinking time:

“It’s the way I tell ’em, It’s the way I tell ’em”

Or repeating a question/objection back can give you a moment to think too. What could yours be? No one enjoys an awkward silence and it is so important to keep a sales conversation flowing.

 

Ready for the big one?

After Live at the Apollo, someone asked a comedian how long it took to prepare for the 5 minute set he did. His response was “15 years”. Every experience is of value as long as you have the systems in place to learn and improve with them.

You’ve got this. Break a leg.