Mr Miyagi says, “Act As If, Salesman, san”

Take on the qualities of others to overcome short-term self-doubt

This technique, "Act as if", seems so “new age-y” that I’d like to tell you that I learned it from some Mr Miyagi style sales guru in a misty Japanese valley when training as a complex-sale ninja.

In fact I learned it from an obnoxious middle-aged sales manager halfway up a tower block in Bristol. Still, it really works, and if you suspend your scepticism for a moment, you could take a look at this and see if it’s for you.

All of us have been in situations in which we feel out of our comfort zone. Meeting senior executives early in your sales career, negotiating lump-in-the-throat important contracts, or presenting to large numbers of people are good examples for most people.

The strange thing is (unless it requires specialist knowledge you don’t have), you do actually know what needs to be said and done to successfully deal with the situation (for example, “I need to go in there, shake hands with everyone, look confident and strike up conversation with the CEO”).

Furthermore, in almost all cases you are physically capable of doing these things (i.e. saying the words, making the movements), but some how you feel you just “can’t” do it, because of all the things that make you, you.

This is an effective quick fix that can get you through those moments of self doubt :

1. Ask yourself “Who would THRIVE in this situation? Who would absolutely ace this, without question?” (Perhaps a family friend, former boss or colleague, TV/film character)
2. Picture this person in your head successfully dealing with the situation. Watch them in your mind, look at their movements, listen to what they say, and think what they would think, adopt their body language…
3. Take the useful elements of what you have just seen and heard, get up and walk into that situation, imbued with the qualities of the person you were thinking about.

Ridiculously simple and very effective. If you find using other people as examples weird, just think of a time in the past that you performed brilliantly and replay it in your head. It may take you a little time to "get", so try it 5 times in the next week or so before you make your final judgement.

Even if you are sceptical now, I guarantee you’ll try this next time you’re faced with such a situation (That’s just a guess by the way – seeing into the future is next week’s sales ninja blog post ;-)