During my insomnia, I was scrolling through Twitter and came across a post that I thought would be relevant.
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This is the tweet from @nathanbaugh27
A few months ago, I went to a $15 open mic in Austin.
Dude gets on stage. The crowd goes bonkers. It's Shane Gillis, one of the most popular comedians in the world.
He pulls out a notebook and a pen, grabs the mic, and starts telling jokes.
When the crowd gives one of those loud, genuine laughs, he jots down a note. When the crowd looks at each other, confused, he jots down a note. When the crowd stares at him, expecting more, he jots down a note. When the crowd give that knowing chuckle, he jots down a note.
You get the idea. He's testing jokes. Making a not of what's connecting and, even more importantly, what's not.
Then, I imagine, he cuts or changes the parts that don't connect. Tests them again at another open mic. And repeats the process until the joke, his story, is tight and compelling throughout.
He made me realize:
This is how you can treat Storytelling, too.
Your story is flexible. You can constantly test, get feedback, improve, repeat. Like Shane, what you're looking for is moments of connection:
• Your boss starts nodding along.
• Someone leans forward in their chair.
• There's a spark of interest in your partner's eye.
You get the idea. You're searching for that visceral reaction in your audience.
When you see it, double down. Iterate until you get there.
End of tweet
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After reading this, it got me thinking about how we go about our day to day activities, specifically, sales.
Many of us use the same email (like using the same joke) or the same open line to get someone to give us another 30 seconds to share our story. We don't take notes, write down what works and try new things. We don't perfect our craft.
If we really make a go at being a professional sales person, it takes hard work. If your pitch is not polished, you will get what the comedian gets when their jokes don't connect.
I challenge each of you to start taking notes on your communication with your customers and potential customers. Perfect your pitch. It'll take time, but with some real effort and dedication to your craft you can really make a difference in your communication.
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.
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