Why Breaking "The 4th Wall" Will Make You a Better Salesperson

What Is "The Fourth Wall?" 

The formal definition of The Fourth Wall is a theatrical term for the imaginary “wall” that exists between actors on stage and the audience. 

Obviously, no such wall really exists, but to keep up the illusion of theater, the actors pretend that they cannot hear or see the audience and the audience gets to enjoy the wonderful sensation of being a fly on the wall. The same effect often occurs in movies, only the fourth wall in that instance is a camera lens.

In some of your favorite movies and television shows, actors purposely break the fourth wall and wink or speak directly to the audience. This happens in shows like Modern Family and The Office, when they conduct their interviews for the audience.

Another great example is Deadpool -- when Ryan Reynold's snarky humor and profanity is directed toward you about his true feelings in the moment. 

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Emmy-award winning comedy series, Fleabag, where fourth wall breaks are crucial to the success of the show. And according fans, it’s what makes the second season so astonishing.

Image courtesy of Julie Hansen, @acting4sales

How Does this Apply to Presentation Skills? 

You break the fourth wall by "calling the room."

How exactly do you call the room? Acknowledge the obvious in your surroundings... if you notice it, your audience notices it. This will keep everyone there with you in the moment and engaged in the experience. 

For example, if your pitch isn’t going well, it’s okay to break the 4th wall and say, “I feel like I’ve lost you. What are your expectations for our time together and how have I missed the mark?”

Then you have the opportunity to address your prospect’s concerns. The worst thing you can do is ignore negative body language and blindly press on.

 

Watch Jim Break The 4th Wall with His Whisper Voice!

And since we frequently discuss Jim Gaffigan in our workshops, I want to share one of my favorite clips about Jim's addition to cake! Notice what a great job he does both changing perspectives and breaking the 4th wall through the ingenious use of his whisper voice.

Want to learn more about how breaking the fourth wall will help your team build better relationships, differentiate from the competition and win more deals? Let's chat!