Find your Voice

Early in my Stand-up career, as any young comedian, I was trying to find my voice.  My stage persona.  I’d scour Los Angeles from West Hollywood to the shores of Santa Monica looking for clubs, open mics and guest spots.  The more stage time you found, the faster you’d improve, tighten up your act and find your voice.  Finding stage time was the easy part.  Finding your voice, at least for me, was a struggle. 

I struggled for a few reasons.  First, I was a young comic that cared deeply about what the audience thought about me and would pander to them in search of acceptance and laughs.  So, depending on the venue I could swing from squeaky clean, to offensive.  What’s fantastic about tenured comics is the range of personalities and perspectives they bring to the conversation. 

A point of view. A voice.  Buddy Hackett once told me, “You won’t know who you are on stage for 7 years.”  Meaning that it takes that long to craft your persona. I’ve seen comics do it in less time, but he had a point. Watch Chris Rock’s first HBO special to his last and you’ll see his act and voice mature before your very eyes. 

It only makes sense that maturing as a comic takes years. You know what takes place over long periods of time?  Life!  Bumps, bruises, heartache, failure and if you hang in long enough, WINS!

Which leads me to sales.  I’ve seen dozens of young sellers quit sales and move on to other professions due to not finding their “voice” and selling persona.  If you are teetering on the edge of giving up on a sales career, ask yourself “why?”  Is it due to constant rejection?  Or perhaps your messaging isn’t eliciting prospect responses to even get a “no”?

You’ve no doubt heard, “If it was easy, everyone would do it.”  A sales profession is no exception.  Take a step in guaranteeing your success by following a tried and repeatable sales process.  Every successful salesperson has one.  From messaging tactics, setting expectations, closing business to asking for referrals, each stage has a process.  Don’t overlook the intricacies of your sales stages. 

Best to you all in ’24,

Jason