| Today's sale, this month's target, your yearly | | | | can be sure about is that you can't be sure about |
| quota -- this is the game of your life. Why, | | | | anything. |
| because you're only as good as your last | | | | Let's look at training and preparation from a |
| accomplishment. If you win, you're praised and | | | | different perspective. Do lawyers prepare for |
| rewarded. If you lose, you pay a toll no matter | | | | trials? Do doctors prepare for operations -- run |
| how bulletproof the excuse. | | | | tests, check x-rays, discuss the procedure with |
| More importantly, it carries you to your next | | | | assistances, anesthesiologists, nurses, etc.? Do |
| phase -- your new status, your new income, your | | | | engineers prepare before they commit their |
| new office, your new job. So what are you doing | | | | designs -- measure, calculate, sketch, confer, and |
| to prepare for the game of your life? Sales | | | | redo as necessary? Of course they do. |
| managers, what are you doing to prepare your | | | | Additionally lawyers, doctors and engineers by law |
| team? They are your only game in town right | | | | are required to take continuing education courses |
| now? | | | | in order to maintain their licenses. Why, because |
| Now let's reflect for a second. Are you satisfied | | | | conditions, behaviors, technologies, etc. change and |
| with your past performances? If not, you've got | | | | they must be attuned and ready to handle them. |
| to get help. If you're a sales manager, are you | | | | What about selling? Is selling so easy that training |
| satisfied with the past performances of your | | | | and preparation can be ignored? Is the reward for |
| sales team? If not, you've got to step-up -- give | | | | winning meaningless or the consequence for losing |
| help and get help to improve your management | | | | insignificant? If not, let me suggest you start |
| skills. | | | | training and keep training for rest of your career. |
| This is playoff season. Do you think the | | | | Then, get in the practice of preparing and keep |
| professional athletes who made the playoffs are | | | | preparing for every game, as I indicated above. |
| working-out? Do you think the coaches are having | | | | If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. |
| strategy sessions, film reviews, and practice drills | | | | Getting better requires learning, training, executing, |
| to simulate what plays the other team will run? | | | | reviewing, and redoing. There is plenty of material |
| Do you think the coaches are conferring with | | | | and people available to help you. No matter |
| each other and then coaching the players? Do | | | | whether you're a salesperson or a sales manager, |
| you think there are team practices? Of course | | | | we all need continuing education. We also have to |
| there are. This next game is important -- the | | | | prepare for each upcoming game. No matter |
| game of their lives. If they win, they move on. If | | | | whether you're a salesperson or a sales manager, |
| they lose, they are out, and tomorrow could | | | | we all have to prepare for each sales meeting |
| mean the coaches and players are cut. | | | | and sales pursuit, and how we will coach, mentor |
| Sales is the same. Every game is like the playoffs. | | | | and train our salespeople. Executing without |
| When you win, you're a hero. When you lose, the | | | | training in preparation is the best way to a slow |
| chatter of blame starts. There are no acceptable | | | | death. |
| excuses for losing. Sure, the bosses seem to | | | | So this is the beginning -- a new year, a new |
| understand, but behind you, they are full of doubt | | | | quarter, a new month, new week, or new day. |
| and covering their own tails with talk of how you | | | | This is the first time you're seeing this prospect, |
| screwed up. | | | | or the first time meeting this customer under the |
| So what are you doing for this game of your life? | | | | conditions that have transpired since you last saw |
| Are you training to get better? Are you taking | | | | him or her. In other words, the game of your life |
| courses, reading books, listening to teleseminars, | | | | is about to begin. Do you have the skills, and can |
| watching sales training videos? Are you planning | | | | you pull them off? |
| your strategies and conditioning yourself for your | | | | Do you have at your fingertips the combinations |
| upcoming season, or should I say your ongoing | | | | and sequences to handle what's thrown at you? |
| sales challenges? | | | | Or, are you coming in from the bleachers ready |
| Are you preparing for your sales pursuit? | | | | to wing it -- out of shape and unaware of the |
| 1.Scoping out all the customers' playersa.Setting up | | | | obstacles? Are you thinking this sale will be like all |
| meetings to learn and understand each ones | | | | the others and you can handle it? |
| desires?b.Determining how you will relate to show | | | | Before you get too full of yourself and feel you |
| how you fit each player best? | | | | can handle selling and sales management without |
| 2.Have you scouted the competition for this | | | | further training and preparation, consider how well |
| game?a.How will competition handle all the | | | | you've handled your previous games. Are you |
| customers' players? | | | | happy with your past performances? Sales |
| 3.Who are your coaches?a.Who can you develop | | | | managers, are you happy with your team's |
| as coaches? | | | | performances? Are you at the status and income |
| 4.What are your red flags and strengths?a.How | | | | level you'd like to be? Are you getting rave |
| will you use your strengths to overcome your | | | | reviews from your bosses? If not, start learning, |
| red flags? | | | | training and preparing before you suit up for the |
| This is what preparation requires, and should be | | | | next game. Remember, today is the first and |
| done before each game (sales pursuit) if you | | | | most important game of the rest of your life. |
| want to win. Even the sure wins need a game | | | | And now invite you learn how to overcome one |
| plan to ensure no surprises. The only thing you | | | | of your biggest obstacles. |