What Exactly is Improv?
Improvisational Acting or “Improv” is a learned performing arts skill that develops a person’s ability to spontaneously tell a story without a script or prior rehearsal in front of a live audience using only their imagination and observation of the environment around them. While Improv is not about being funny, most scenes are because such honest in-the-moment, interpretations of life are humorous.
How Does Improv Relate to Sales?
The same principle and discipline apply to sales, especially in the virtual world. Salespeople must be fully present with their prospective customers to establish a rapport, qualify their requirements and overcome objections to successfully close deals. Experienced sellers use refined intuition to interpret body language, vocal tone, and word choices to adjust their presentations and guide future customers through the buying process. Developing this skill takes years of experience to acquire. You will develop this intuition or hone it further on an accelerated schedule practicing the fundamentals of improv.
WITH PRACTICE, IMPROV WILL ESTABLISH A UNIVERSAL CORPORATE COMMUNICATION STYLE CONDUCIVE TO:
INSPIRATION
By learning to accept the information being offered by your scene partner or in sales, your customer, you are more easily inspired by the suggestions of others. This brings all participants of a conversation into the experience where a common vision or feeling can be shared by everyone.
VISION
Stories are more believable when you provide detailed information to your scene partner about the who, what, and where of your relationship. By offering specific descriptions of landscapes and locations, with colors, textures, and even smells you are painting a picture in the mind of your audience.
IDEA
Improv is a creative outlet encouraging performers to tap into their instinctive side. Games embrace spontaneity between actors, as they utilize rapid communication in order to further develop their scenes. With practice, new ideas form faster while sentences describing them become more clear.
MINDFUL
By learning to listen on an acute level, coming up with ideas quickly, and trusting your instincts to respond intuitively to the information you are receiving you are developing the ability to be more present in complex conversations. You will naturally become more mindful and aware.
IMAGINATION
By Learning to agree with and add to the information offered by your scene partners you are building on a concept by incorporating the talents and experience of the others. Improv scenes are collaborative exercises where new ideas grow quickly with the collective imagination of a group mind.
INNOVATION
Improvisational acting exercises encourage performers to use observation, imagination and spontaneity without seeking perfection or even logic for that matter. Actors are coached to explore and expand a scene free from preconceived notions or anxieties creating a platform for innovation.
Develop Your Sales Superpower with Improv
Plus learning, practicing, and performing improv with your peers is fun.
The sales superpower of a practiced improviser is a higher level of “Emotional Intelligence” for all conversations both personal and professional. As a skilled performer, you will read the subtleties of eye contact, facial expression, and body language. You will accurately interpret the cadence, tone, timbre, and pitch of the individual words spoken for an inherent understanding of how to develop a story or in the case of sales, how to guide the discussion. With practice, you will instinctually be able to create a “buying” feeling in the heart of your future customer. You are training in sales EQ with each exercise and adding it to your repertoire.
MEET YOUR Coach
"Although it was relatively easy to gain new knowledge, it took a while to become comfortable with different techniques. Many times it didn’t feel genuine or authentic, I was in my head thinking too much. I risked a lot to refine my abilities- what I needed was more practice. All of this changed eleven years ago when I began taking improv classes once a week.
By combining my newfound skills in improv with my existing sales experience, things became much more instinctual."
MICHAEL EATON,
FOUNDER OF VIRTUAL INSTINCT
Here’s What Others Have to Say About
Their Experience with MichaeL
After spending countless hours perfecting his craft with improv classes and some on-camera work, Michael has truly developed his communication skills. Every time he takes the stage, his impeccable understanding of improvisational concepts shines through. It’s clear he has the talent and dedication to be an excellent instructor for a new, one-of-a-kind course that bridges the connection between creativity and business. With Michael at the helm, this curriculum is sure to be a game-changer in the world of sales.
Nick Conti
Founder, Nick Conti’s Professional Actor’s Studio
I've known Michael for many years and watched him progress from sales representative roles into executive leadership positions in various firms. From the time he first mentioned Improv as a sales tool, I've been intrigued and could envision this as a unique differentiator. Michael has continued to master this area and has trained others to rapidly grow results by augmenting their client interactions via Improv. Michael's triumphs and team results are a testament to Improv and accelerating sales training methodologies in this manner.
I'm fully convinced that Michael's firm can craft an unparalleled program to level up your sales expertise, no matter how seasoned or new participants are in the field.
David Elrod
Former Equifax, National Account Sales Leader
Years ago, I had the pleasure of working alongside Michael in a startup company. He had always been a top-notch salesperson, with a knack for technique and connecting with people. However, it wasn't until he started taking improv classes that he truly became a shining star in the field. Michael's passion for improv as a means of improving communication was infectious - he even incorporated some of the exercises in our training which made learning how to sell a complicated product offering fun.
Tim Gunter
Former Core States Group, Director of Human Resources
Working with Michael was an absolute pleasure. He was always a talented colleague with natural people skills, but when he started attending improv classes, it was like he found his true calling. His passion for using improv to improve corporate communication was infectious and inspiring. Watching him apply the fundamentals to re-frame difficult conversations and overcome objections with ease was truly impressive. Michael made it look effortless as if he was born to do it.
Evelyn King
Associate Director, Health & Benefits Compliance – Willis Towers Watson
Michael's talent for improv was evident from the start of our classes together. His natural sales persona and enthusiasm made him open to discovery, and that made each scene come to life effortlessly. Watching him absorb and apply the fundamentals with skill was truly impressive, and it wasn't long before he was one of our more advanced improvisers. But more than his own abilities, it was Michael's contagious passion for improv as a corporate communications method that set him apart. He loved what he did so much that he even brought me in to host a workshop with his company. That's how you know someone is truly dedicated to their profession and lifting others up.
Matthew Cornwell
SAGA, AFTRA Professional Actor, Teacher, and Producer
Michael has been attending my on-camera and improv classes for a while now. I have to say, his commitment to becoming a top-notch communicator is nothing short of impressive. Michael's eagerness to embrace constructive feedback and his willingness to step out of his comfort zone whenever challenged really set him apart. Oh, and did I mention his passion for improv being an effective tool for boosting sales? He brought that into the classroom a lot. In fact, he even went a step further and asked me to work with his sales team on the fundamentals. It's always refreshing to see someone so enthusiastic about their craft!
Jeff Cole
SAGA, AFTRA Actor, Writer, Director
Michael has been in my improv class for over a year now. He walked in, already skilled in the fundamentals, and advanced techniques, and has only grown from there. But what truly sets him apart is his dedication to his scene partner. He effortlessly weaves together engaging and hilarious stories with partners of all levels of experience, always building on their ideas and exploring colorful possibilities. It's hard not to be inspired by his contagious commitment to the craft. I have no doubt that with his knack for teaching and innovating, Michael would make a brilliant sales instructor with his unique and creative curriculum influenced by the art of improv.
Tim Stoltenberg
Artistic Director, Dad’s Garage
As a founding partner in the startup, Powertrade, we knew that our success would hinge on finding the right leader to spearhead our sales and business development efforts. That's when Michael entered the picture, bringing with him an entrepreneurial spirit that allowed us to close countless major accounts and become a multi-million-dollar operation in just four years. Thanks to his resourcefulness, we established a sales model with real and replicable results. Michael is taking his skills to an exciting new project that will empower professionals to reach new heights.
Stephen Avalone
Former Amazon Director
As an improv instructor, I had the pleasure of teaching Michael in my advanced class. Michael stood out with his dedication and consistency in attending my class. He was always enthusiastic about using improv to improve corporate communication, especially in sales. With his passion for the topic, he even brought a couple of his sales reps to class to participate in the exercises with him. Together, they performed some enjoyable scenes. I'm confident that Michael has the skills to design a curriculum to help enhance the sales skills of any team.
Brian Chapman
Improv Instructor, Acting Coach, and Drama Teacher
Michael was my sales leader. His years of experience made him a highly skilled salesperson, but he was much more than that. Michael was a patient coach and mentor, passionate about sharing his knowledge with others. Working with him, I learned invaluable skills. Michael suggested we take improv classes together, which turned out to be a game-changer. We had a blast, and our sales abilities improved dramatically. Michael's infectious enthusiasm for improv and sales has inspired him to design a unique curriculum for his classes.
Aneesh Iyengar, JD
Business Development
As an experienced broadcast journalist and corporate communication executive, I know the value of sharpening your skills. Years ago, I took an improv class where I met Michael, and his natural talent and willingness to experiment caught my attention. We both shared a belief in the power of improv to enhance personal and professional relationships, which is why I knew he'd be the ideal candidate to develop an improv-based sales training program.
Donna Adamo
Arcadis, AVP Growth Leadership, Former WTVH 5 News Anchor
Michael has been a pioneering force in the world of telecommunications infrastructure, e-commerce, and regulatory compliance for as long as I've known him. What impresses me the most is his knack for introducing new ideas to national accounts and then scaling them successfully. His dedication to cultivating strong communication skills through improv is an essential component of his growth. I can't wait to see what he accomplishes with Virtual Instinct.
Jeff Kelley
SVP & Principal at Colliers International
I've always been impressed with Michael's expertise in sales. Michael has honed his skills as a startup success story through years of experience developing and teaching cutting-edge sales methodologies. With a background in improv and on-camera scene work, his ability to connect with and inspire others is unmatched. Let Michael revolutionize the way you think about sales and take your profession to new heights.
Shannon Myers
President & CEO at William Myers Group, LL