“Find in yourself those human things which are universal.”  –  Sanford Meisner,

(1905-1997), Founding member of The Group Theatre

If you are selling a product or service you deeply believe in with someone who truly could benefit from it, on a very simple and profound level, you’re offering the opportunity to improve that person’s life.

When we connect with the deeper dream — those human things which are universal — we have tapped into a much larger realm, one that is infinite, inextricably connected to the human condition, and one that allows the other person’s issues to be our own.

As an actor you must be a great student of human behavior.  If you’re playing a scene in which your character goes through experiences that are foreign to your own life, you must find a way to conjure the emotional state of that character and live “truthfully in those imaginary circumstances” as Sanford Meisner would say. You can do this either by finding something in your past that is similar to the play’s circumstances or by projecting yourself into that fictitious world to imagine what it might be like.

We all have aspirations, dreams, fears, insecurities, days filled with challenges, joy, and newfound hope.

And behind every purchase is an emotion, often unconscious.  When people buy, they buy not simply the product but more importantly, for the dream behind it.

At Bosley, the renowned hair restoration company, we talked about this in our communications sessions. The company wasn’t simply in the business of hair transplants; they were in the business of confidence and self-esteem.

Those who do well in sales have the compassion to understand what their prospects are facing and the ability to identify with the fear, insecurity, hope, dream or vision behind the purchase.

What are the emotional benefits that accompany your product or service?  What is it that your customer really wants?

Tap into that “universal human thing” and you will connect with your client, customer, or prospect on a level far more meaningful than one based on data, percentages, details, and dollars.