Last time, we talked about going off script during a sales call. Today, let's take that idea one step further. If you want to stray from your typical sales script but also remain focused and on track, then you've got to stay cool, calm, and collected. Easier said than done? You bet. In a perfect world, you would schedule a 90-minute massage to relax before a tough sales call. But that's not realistic for most people, so what can you do instead? Whether you’re someone who is generally confident and welcomes a challenge, or if you're someone who tends to get nervous and shy away from any type of confrontation, we've rounded up three techniques for clearing your head and thinking quickly on your feet, so you can be ready to handle any sales situation thrown your way.

When I first started working in sales, my manager handed out a script and told everyone on the team to film a video of themselves delivering the presentation. I found this to be a very useful exercise, and was surprised that some of my coworkers didn’t feel the same. I realized later that some of them had simply memorized the script and then filmed themselves reciting it. This is so much harder to do. It’s also a complete waste of time. Going off script can allow you to connect with the client. According to Hubspot, “buyers are less concerned with the qualifying topics salespeople are usually most interested in” so you need to meet them halfway and figure out a way to redirect the conversation while listening closely to their words and tone. In other words, drive the conversation while making the client feel like they’re in the driver’s seat. So how do you go off script?

A sale is in many ways a performance. There are lines to rehearse (sales pitch), costumes worn (your best business wear), and even a stage (the meeting room or the phone). All of this builds up to the big performance. But what is the end goal of any performance? What makes it truly compelling?

Sellers gain their biggest advantage when they can anticipate, prepare in advance, and react appropriately in the “heat” of the sales meeting. Finding patterns in what looks like random events is what the best performers do.

If you are a serious salesperson, you would never attempt to wing a sales pitch with no prior knowledge. Gathering as much information as possible before any sale is a vital ingredient to success. Are you gathering a sufficient amount of information to take your sales journey to the next level? Efficient information gathering will not only make you the smartest person in the conference room, it will generate a better relationship with prospects, leveraging a faster sale. It will help you position yourself and your product as the smartest solution to the client’s specific problem. Excellent research allows you to modify how you position your product/service so you can more precisely tailor your message to the client’s exact requirements.

Sales is a complex profession with a lot of nuances. More than a job, successful selling is a result of skill and practice. The most successful salespeople work incessantly toward improvement, practice regularly, and grow incrementally with each experience. But acquiring exceptional sales skills requires time and dedication. I know because over the past decade, I have had the privilege of training thousands of top business-to-business salespeople who sell for some of the world’s leading companies. This has given me the opportunity to observe, analyze, and reflect upon both common and uncommon sales situations and circumstances. While I can’t share all of my observations today, I’ve summarized a few common scenarios and will break down the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of selling in those conditions.