I stumbled and stammered several times until my prospect gruffl

y

demanded, “What do you want?” At that point I tossed away my script,

believing that scripts did not work. When I refl ect on that experience I

realize that the only person to blame was me. I did not practise my script

until I was completely comfortable and familiar with it.

Th

e objective of a script is to make your discussion of a topic more ef-

fective. Th

e diff erence between an average salesperson and a sales profes-

sional is that the latter will rehearse her lines and deliver them the way

they are meant to be delivered. I compare this to an amateur actor ver-

sus a Hollywood star. An experienced actor will place the right emphasis

on the correct word, use the appropriate tone, and deliver his lines in a

manner that will have you believing he is actually that character.

A well-practised script will sound natural. It will be convincing. It will

be believable. I use scripts in the form of stories or anecdotes in most of

my training workshops and keynote presentations. When I create a new

presentation, I develop new stories (scripts) and practise them until I

can tell the story in a convincing manner without stumbling or stam-

mering. At that point, my script is ready. A short script takes less time to

perfect than a fi ve- or ten-minute story, but I have learned that practice

is critical in both situations.

Th

is concept also applies to your sales presentations. Most people do not

give a sales presentation much thought. Th

ey ask a few questions, then

launch into a discussion about their product or service. However, they do

not invest the time practising their presentation, and just wing it instead.

Th

ey may cover most of the relevant information, but their presentation

will not have the impact it could have had they created a script.

SALES TIP

What story, key point, or message do you want to deliver? Create a script for your

key message and practise it until it sounds exactly the way you want it to.

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