Don't Be Deflated: Sell More
I love football. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I had to worship at the alter of THE Ohio State University football team. It was everywhere…sportswear in the grocery store; flags proudly displayed on homes; game highlights pre-empting Presidential vetoes; and yes, learning the fight songs in elementary music class. I loved it then, and it is a Fall ritual that I share with my family today.
This fanaticism did not translate into participation. I played only one year of tackle football.
After school ever day, I played touch football with my brother and neighborhood friends and displayed a rocket arm and an elusiveness that rivaled Houdini. I was a pitcher in baseball, so logically I played quarterback. I had visualized escaping 800 pound linemen, and hoisting a long pass that dropped nicely past the defensive back’s hands and into the hands of a wide receiver. Unfortunately, my parents did not agree with that visualization. They thought football was too rough and I’d get hurt, so I couldn’t play.
After constant badgering, my parents relented and let me play. On my first day of practice, my coach asked me what position I’d like to play. Feeling full of team spirit I responded, “Anything that will help the team, coach.” He looked at my taller height, and husky sized pants and said, “Great, you’re going to play offensive tackle.”
That year was awful. Every day we practiced how to hit, block, tackle, hit, shove, and hit. No throwing. No elusiveness. No fun for me. It was a clear mis-match of my talents, but only I knew it. Coincidentally, there was no success for our team either. My lack of goal setting led to a miserable experience for the team and me.
Goal setting is crucial for sales success. What do you want to accomplish in the coming selling season? Are there new markets to enter or a large account you'd like to sell? Here’s three steps for setting your goals to be successful:
Say it--Write down your goals and objectives for the coming year, and then tell others about your plans. It need not be formal or fancy, just something to give you accountability and inform others.
Visualize it—Feel and see yourself accomplishing your goals. Hear the client saying yes or touching the signed contract. You will encounter problems , so you need to be resilient and focus on the end result.
Practice it— If you wing it, you will suck (feel free to tweet this precious wisdom). Take the necessary time to get the muscle memory and your mind convinced to accomplish your goals. Practice your elevator pitch with video or role play meetings with another salesperson, so you are confident and ready.
This 3 step approach helped me start companies, win United Healthcare’s largest employer account, and cross off The Masters off my bucket list. I look forward to hearing from you about your many accomplishments.
P.S. Sorry if you thought this article was going to be on Tom Brady’s balls.
###
Dave is the co-founder and CEO of Second Story Sales Company, the leading sales consulting firm for the healthcare services industry. Register for upcoming sales presentation events. He trains frequently on sales, sales pitches and health care innovations, and is a sought-out keynote speaker at seminars and conferences.