How to Be the Best in Sales: A Performer’s Point of View

I’ve been performing in musical theatre for years now and one thing I’ve learned is that acting in a theater role and sales are very similar.

In sales, you are selling something, whether it be a product or an idea. In theater, you are selling yourself as a different character. In order to get the best role, you need to be the best at selling yourself. Sure, raw talent always helps, but some important skills that should be fine-tuned include self-confidence, the ability to thrive under pressure, and skills development. In this post, I will brush up on why these skills are important to have in both a theater and a sales role.

Confidence

Self-confidence in theater and sales will influence the first impression. When you are in auditions, if you don't have confidence in what you are singing, how you're dancing, and the way you read the script, you won’t get the role. The same goes for sales. If you enter a meeting with low confidence in what you are selling and how you are selling it, you will most likely not make the sale. When I was in auditions for “Children of Eden” I was nervous but I was prepared. I ended up getting one of the lead roles in the musical. Showing that you are confident, even if you aren't, is key to nailing the audition or closing the sale.

Thrive under pressure

The pressure to deliver the best performance you can is huge. Imagine going on stage in front of hundreds of people and trying your best not to screw up. Also, imagine selling your idea to a room full of professionals. The pressure for both is high. My advice is to always be as prepared as you can be. Rehearse your lines or your pitch. Don't just hope for the best outcome, be prepared for any circumstance.

Skills development

Continuously fine-tuning and developing new skills is a great habit to develop. Having a lot of different skills helps you make a good impression. If you know different dance styles, be it ballet, hip hop, or contemporary, you are bound to catch on to the choreography faster than anyone else. For example, knowing the basics of ballet gave me the opportunity to be a featured dancer even though I had never taken a ballet class. Likewise, if you know many different selling techniques, you will be better set to make the sale.

Summing it up

These skills are only the tip of the iceberg. In my opinion, those are the top three to master but so much goes into giving a killer performance and nailing a sale. Expect the unexpected and be ready for it. If the music doesn’t start at the right time, no one in the audience will notice if it is played off smoothly. Whether it be sales or theater if you always give it all you’ve got you’re bound to do well.