Sell your self!: act your way to sales success!

276 Pages·2010·2.615 MB·English

by  McCormack, Bryan

Sell Your Self!

Bryan McCormack
First Published In Great Britain 2010
by www.BookShaker.com
© Copyright Bryan McCormack
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
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Cover Design & Illustrations Bryan McCormack
Contents
CONTENTS 
PRAISE 
ACT ONE & BEGINNERS PLEASE!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
FOREWORD
BEFORE WE BEGIN
ACT ONE - ACTING & SELLING
1 - CURTAIN UP! ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
ACTORS. THERE’S A LOT OF THEM ABOUT… .................................................................................................................................................... 3
THERE’S NO ESCAPING ESCAPISM! ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
LET’S TALK RADIO!......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
WHY ACTING SKILLS MATTER TO SELLERS ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
THE SELLER SELLS THE SALE ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
WHY SELLING SKILLS MATTER TO ACTORS ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
PRODUCT PLACEMENT ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
ESP ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
WHAT IS A PRODUCT? ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
WHAT DOES A PRODUCT DO? ................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
HOMEWORK ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
2 - AN ACTOR’S LIFE FOR...YOU? ............................................................................................................................................................. 13
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
GETTING STARTED ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
BITTEN BY THE ACTING BUG! .................................................................................................................................................................................. 14
TURNING PROFESSIONAL ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
SO WHAT IS AN ACTOR? .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
A [VERY] BRIEF HISTORY OF ACTING ................................................................................................................................................................. 17
STANISLAVSKY & STRASBERG ................................................................................................................................................................................ 18
SO THIS STANISLAVSKY BLOKE. WHO’S HE THEN? ..................................................................................................................................... 18
STANISLAVSKY’S SYSTEM & STRASBERG’S METHOD ................................................................................................................................. 19
HEAD & HEART - TWO APPROACHES ................................................................................................................................................................20
ACTING IS A BUSINESS ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
PARALLEL WORLDS ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
HOMEWORK .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
3 - ACTING & SELLING 101 .......................................................................................................................................................................... 23
ACTOR FOR SALE! ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
ACTING? WELL IT’S, ER… ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE... ............................................................................................................................................................................... 24
WHAT DO SELLERS KNOW ABOUT ACTING? .................................................................................................................................................. 24
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM… .................................................................................................................................................................... 25
…A PRESENTATION PROBLEM! ............................................................................................................................................................................... 25
THE NIGHTMARE SCENARIO ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
FACING YOUR FEARS................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26
FAITH IN REVERSE ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
EVEN I MAKE MISTAKES ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
HOMEWORK .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
4 - ACTING & SELLING 102 .......................................................................................................................................................................... 31
WHY I LOVE THE TRUMPSTER ............................................................................................................................................................................. 31
THE ALIENATOR ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 32
HYPERBOY & HYPERGIRL ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
THE ODDBALL ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 32
BOMBING IN THE BOARDROOM! ............................................................................................................................................................................ 33
WHEN THINGS GO WRONG .................................................................................................................................................................................. 34
WOT’S A SWOT? ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
THE FAMOUS FLEETWOOD FOX FIASCO ........................................................................................................................................................... 36
HELLO VIEWERS! .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
HE SAYS HE’S AN ACTOR… .................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
HOMEWORK ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
5 - ACTORS & ACTING .................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
THE DRAMA OF DRAMA SCHOOL ........................................................................................................................................................................... 41
THE AUDITION AND ITS AFTERMATH .................................................................................................................................................................. 42
ON THE OTHER HAND… ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
WHAT IS AN ACTOR? ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
WHAT IS ACTING? .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45
EMOTIONAL AVAILABILITY ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
FICTIONAL REALITY ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
A REALISTIC UNREALITY............................................................................................................................................................................................ 47
TALKING TO TOLKIEN ................................................................................................................................................................................................48
ACTORS AS SELLERS ..................................................................................................................................................................................................48
HOMEWORK ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
6 - MAKING A CRISIS OUT OF A DRAMA ......................................................................................................................................... 51
SO YOU WANNA BE AN ACTOR, HUH? ................................................................................................................................................................ 51
GETTING IN THE CAST .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
LEARNING YOUR LINES .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
THE READ-THROUGH ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 53
WHO AM I PLAYING AGAIN? ................................................................................................................................................................................. 53
REHEARSALS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
DRESS REHEARSAL ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 55
SHOWTIME! .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
STILL WANNA BE AN ACTOR? ................................................................................................................................................................................ 57
7 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ACTING! (PART ONE) ................................................................................................................................ 61
THE FIRST BIG SECRET .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 61
WHAT IS TALENT? ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62
A BIT MORE ABOUT TALENT ................................................................................................................................................................................ 64
THREE KINDS OF SELLERS ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
SOLVING THE PROSPERITY PUZZLE .................................................................................................................................................................. 65
HOMEWORK ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
8 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ACTING (PART TWO) ............................................................................................................................. 67
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 67
THE TRIANGLE OF FIRE ..............................................................................................................................................................................................68
THE TRIANGLE OF TRIUMPH .................................................................................................................................................................................. 69
TALENT, TIMING & CONNECTIONS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 70
WHEN FLOYD MET LLOYD... ................................................................................................................................................................................... 72
AN EXAMPLE OF TALENT....................................................................................................................................................................................... 72
AN EXAMPLE OF TIMING ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 73
AN EXAMPLE OF CONNECTIONS...................................................................................................................................................................... 74
BRYAN’S ULTIMATE EXAMPLE ............................................................................................................................................................................... 74
HOMEWORK .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 77
9 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ACTING (PART THREE) ........................................................................................................................... 79
THE TTC PRINCIPLE .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 79
CONVERGENCE ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 81
OPPORTUNITY ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................84
ADVANTAGE .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
TTC - THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS ................................................................................................................................................................84
10 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ACTORS! .......................................................................................................................................................... 87
ACTING IS SELLING ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 87
THE SECOND BIG SECRET ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 88
REMEMBER YOU’RE A PRIAM ! .........................................................................................................................................................................89
WHY ACTORS FAIL .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 90
DON’T TELL ME - SHOW ME! ........................................................................................................................................................................... 90
THE SPOTLIGHT. GETTING IN IT IS ONE THING................................................................................................................................................. 91
CROSSING THE ARID DESERT ................................................................................................................................................................................. 91
THE DEFINITION OF MADNESS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 93
THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE .................................................................................................................................................................................... 93
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A WINNER ................................................................................................................................................................. 94
GLASS, BOTTLE, BOTTLE, GLASS............................................................................................................................................................................ 94
11 - SELL YOURSELF! TO YOURSELF! ..................................................................................................................................................... 97
THE SECRET OF REAL SUCCESS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 97
ME, HER, HIM - YOU CHOOSE! ............................................................................................................................................................................98
INTERNAL DIALOGUE.....................................................................................................................................................................................................98
TALK TO YOURSELF, NOT THE TREES............................................................................................................................................................ 100
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL… .................................................................................................................................................................. 100
ROBERT BURNS’ BEST LINE! EVER! .................................................................................................................................................................... 101
PERFECT PITCH? ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 102
MAD MEN .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 103
SELLING YOUR SELF .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 103
BUYING THE LIE .........................................................................................................................................................................................................104
THE THIRD BIG SECRET ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 105
HOMEWORK ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................106
12 - BUT I CAN’T ACT! OH YES YOU CAN! .................................................................................................................................. 109
ANYONE CAN ACT BUT NOT EVERYONE IS AN ACTOR ............................................................................................................................109
THERE ARE SINGERS AND PEOPLE WHO CAN SING .....................................................................................................................................109
POLITICS .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 110
MCCORMACK’S RULE OF POLITICAL ALTERNATION ..................................................................................................................................... 111
POLITICAL ALTERNATION - AMERICAN STYLE! ............................................................................................................................................... 113
YOUR MO AND YOUR PM .................................................................................................................................................................................. 114
CHURCH ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 115
BEING AN ASP ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 115
ACTING SKILLS PRACTITIONER .............................................................................................................................................................................. 116
WORKING WITH AN AUDIENCE ........................................................................................................................................................................... 117
YOU ARE AN ACTOR & YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IT! .............................................................................................................................. 118
THE CONVINCIBILITY KEY ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 119
GO ON - CONVINCE ME! ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 120
INTERMISSION ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 123
ACT TWO & BEGINNERS PLEASE! .......................................................................................................................................................... 127
ACT TWO - SELLING & ACTING
13 - PEOPLE WHO EAT PEOPLE... ............................................................................................................................................................ 131
THE PROBLEM OF PEOPLE ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 131
THE ONION ANALOGY ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 131
HEAD & HEART ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 132
BREAKING THE BELIEF BARRIER ........................................................................................................................................................................... 133
SPIRIT, SOUL & BODY ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 134
SELLING YOUR SOUL ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 134
BUT WHAT ABOUT... ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 135
TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK ................................................................................................................................................................................ 135
NEGATIVITY COMES NATURALLY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 136
BEWARE THE PEOPLE EATERS! ............................................................................................................................................................................ 137
THE SEVEN SPHERES ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 138
THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING EVERYMAN... ........................................................................................................................................................140
HOMEWORK ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 141
14 - HOW TO BE A SUPER SELLER ..................................................................................................................................................... 143
NOBODY ELSE CAN SELL LIKE YOU DO ............................................................................................................................................................. 143
WHY YOU CAN’T SELL LIKE I DO ...................................................................................................................................................................... 144
SELL YOUR SELF LIKE YOU WOULD SELL YOURSELF ............................................................................................................................. 144
YOU REALLY NEED TO STOP SELLING! ...........................................................................................................................................................145
CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET? ................................................................................................................................................................................145
THE UNIVERSALITY FACTOR ................................................................................................................................................................................. 146
SUPERHEROES & ALTER-EGOS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 147
YOUR SPI INDEX ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 148
GROWING INTO YOUR GOALS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 149
FUTURE TIMES PAST ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 149
THE PIG & THE PIT ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 151
HOMEWORK ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................154
15 - REFLECTIONS ON REJECTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 155
I CAN’T HANDLE REJECTION .................................................................................................................................................................................. 155
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT REJECTION ........................................................................................................................................ 155
TOXIC EMOTIONS ......................................................................................................................................................................................................156
WHAT GOES IN IS WHAT COMES OUT ......................................................................................................................................................... 157
PURPOSEFUL POSITIVITY ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 157
EFFICIENT LIVING ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 158
AUTHORISING AUTHORITY .......................................................................................................................................................................................159
PARETO’S PRINCIPLE ................................................................................................................................................................................................160
INSIDE OUT LIVING ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 161
I EXPECTED TO BE REJECTED ..............................................................................................................................................................................162
WHO WOULD BUY YOU? .................................................................................................................................................................................... 163
BUYING SIGNAL? WHAT BUYING SIGNAL? .................................................................................................................................................... 164
THE SECRET TO HANDLING REJECTION............................................................................................................................................................ 164
TARGET PRACTICE .....................................................................................................................................................................................................165
SINK THOSE SDBS! ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 167
HOMEWORK .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 168
16 - WHY ACTORS MAKE THE BEST SELLERS LIST! .............................................................................................................. 169
THERE ARE ONLY TWO KINDS OF ACTOR ..................................................................................................................................................... 169
THE CHARACTER OPTION ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 169
THE PERSONALITY OPTION .................................................................................................................................................................................... 170
HOW AN ACTOR CREATES A CHARACTER ....................................................................................................................................................... 170