Watch this week's Short Attention Span Sales Tip here.
Good morning!
One of my goals this past summer was to revisit and improve my tennis game. It has been many, many years since I have stepped on anything other than a pickle ball court.
My wife, however, is a club champion whose love for the game knows no bounds.
She and I participated in a tournament this summer, and while we would lose in the finals, our last two matches taught us (and me, in particular) some very valuable lessons.
Specifically, the attitude you bring to a match can dictate the outcome more than the skills you have that day.
The same can be said for sales.
Our first match was victorious however, it was also a marital disaster. My "I need to be perfect" approach resulted in a lot of frustration directed towards Allison. We had two long conversations about what happened and I promised her the next match would be different … and it was.
Although we lost in the finals, we played together much better. I kept my promise to bring a different attitude and a funny thing happened: I actually enjoyed the losing match more than the winning match.
Think about your selling day globally.
Every day, try to look over the have-to’s and want-to’s and priorities. Take into account the personal commitments, too. Then, think about what it will take to do your best that day:
- You will never catch up. Never. Ever.
- Identify no more than 3 tasks you want to complete
- Ask yourself this question several times a day: “What’s the best use of my time right now?”
- Finally, organize tomorrow before you leave.
Don’t make it your goal to catch up. That can only end in frustration. Instead, promise you will make the best use of your selling time and then set out to meet that promise.
Playing tennis with an attitude of, “I will do the best with the game I brought to court and I will be the best partner to my wife,” I feel confident I will enjoy the outcome no matter what.
Selling with an attitude of, “I will make the most of my time today, I will accomplish my stated priorities, and I will set myself up for success tomorrow,” is the best way I know to gain success and enjoy getting there.
Find more sales best practices by joining The Sales Vault. Visit SalesVault.pro or call Bill Farquharson at 781-934-7036.
Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.