Five Lessons in Sales from Tommy Boy

I know what you're thinking: How on earth can the late Chris Farley, known as Tommy Callahan in the hit 90's classic comedy, Tommy Boy, teach us anything about the art of sales? But after watching the movie probably over 50 times, and most recently last night, I had an epiphany: It was science, and not cinema, that allowed Tommy Callahan to save Callahan Auto Parts from being sold to Zalinsky's Auto and the cone-head himself, Dan Aykroyd. Here are the five lessons in sales from Tommy Boy:

1) Humor

Fat guy in a little coat, anyone? Yes, the ability to make people laugh is huge in sales. Not only does making someone laugh take their guard down, but it allows "connecting" to take place, which is arguably one of the most difficult experiences to accomplish during the process of a sale. Obviously this is a fine art, and trying too soon, or too hard, can be viewed as forced, so tread carefully. The big lesson here is to be light, make your audience feel comfortable, and when you have the opportunity, put on a small coat and.. You get the point?

2) Be Yourself

If there is one thing that can be learned, it's that Tommy was always his authentic self throughout the entire movie.  Yes, he evolved and improved his selling skills during his trip across the country with Riiiiiichard, but he always remained who he was at his core - no matter who he was around. It's important to always remain who you are and not try too hard to change your image or personality when making a sale or developing a relationship. People aren't made to connect with every person, and that's okay. Your authenticity will attract the sales from people that align with you - so why not just be who you are? You'll be much happier in the long run.

3) Vulnerability

One of the reasons people loved Tommy so much was his ability to relate to people and his outrageous self-deprecating humor. I'm not saying to go out there poking fun of yourself all the time, but like Tommy did, it's okay to share your insecurities - everyone has them. It's okay to share if you're not a great basketball player, or that your golf game could use some work. People like honesty. We are all insecure with certain aspects of our lives, and it is okay to show them. It took Tommy Boy seven years to graduate college, and he didn't mind sharing it. People in his town and at his company loved him for who he was. 

4) Confidence

This one is a bit tricky. It was obvious that this evolved for Tommy throughout his trip across the country, but in the scene where the kitchen was closed when he wanted chicken wings, he had an "aha" moment and miraculously persuaded the waitress to fire up the deep-fryer. Just like Tommy learned, confidence is a must for closing the sale. How do you get confidence? Sell, sell, sell. Like anything you do in life repetitively, you will improve, and when you improve, your confidence grows. It takes time, but when you're confident, you will attract more sales. 

5) Love Selling or Love What You're Selling  

The big one. Love. Yes, if you want to have any success in sales, you either have to love the art of making a sale, or you have to love and truly believe in what you're selling. It will be obvious with your words, your body language, and every part of your being if you don't believe in what you're doing. Does your service or product get you excited? Does closing a sale get your blood flowing? If you love the rush of closing the sale, and truly believe in what you're selling, it will come across. If you don't love what you do, or what you're selling, you may want to look for a new job or industry. Tommy might not have completely loved making the sale, but he sure did love the people in his factory, in his town, and he believed Callahan Auto Parts was a great company, selling quality products. Are you willing to strap fake dynamite to your chest to save your company? Me neither. But he did. 

Holy schnikes, this was a long article. Thank you for reading and best of luck selling! Maybe you'll sell a half a million brake pads, too!

About The Author:  William is the CEO and Co-Founder of Building & Enriching Alumni Networks (BEAN), author of "Movie UP in Sales", a fundraising and sales strategist, a life-long learner, a frustrated dog owner, and a blessed husband. *If you would like to read more fun and informative content on business and sales in the future, he would love to connect!