Learn the habits of highly skilled athletes
People often ask me: “How does sports psychology help sellers, of course, these are completely different areas of knowledge?” And my answer is:
Each sport has different sets of skills and disciplines and requires different areas of knowledge, but most, if not all, now accept that mental strength and readiness are the most important factor that separates winners from others.
I am sure that you will agree that on the top of any sport the level and abilities of the highest athlete are very close?
My sport is golf. In any of these weeks, there are 20, 30, even 40 players who can win a tournament - if all of this was due to their inherent ability to hit a golf ball. But it is not so! Every week, a player who correctly thinks and plays correctly wins - not necessarily the most skilled player on the show!
If you follow the football; Does the best team always win the match? No.
It demonstrates how you think!
And as a person who has been involved in sales and sales management for many years and is now actively involved in the training and development of sales forces throughout the country, I believe the same applies to our industry.
What sellers think is important!
Sales success is all in the mind. Yes, you need sales skills. You need product knowledge. You need the ability to plan and cook. Like a golfer; he should be able to drive the ball, play bunkers, play flop shots and hit. BUT! That says it all; this is how he thinks during the round that will determine his success, and therefore he is also for sale. Do you think that during the day, during the call, your success is extremely determined.
So, here is a brief look at some of the areas that successful athletes and women are doing in and how they will be useful to us in the game with sales.
Practice, Practice, Practice ... but correct:
Top echelon athletes and women makes every second count when practicing. They work most effectively in all areas of their game, and not just with glasses that they like. They reveal their sport in their smallest components and ensure that they are world class in each of them.
Take a long jumper. The Olympic qualifying distance in the UK is 8.20 m. If an athlete approaches this goal - let’s, say, 7.90mts, he doesn’t just continue to practice, running and jumping again and again, hoping to get more time - he has been practiced correctly. He and / or his coach analyze each area of his performance and are working on it to improve.
Technique: Take off and landing - is this his method?
Physical: Does he have enough leg strength to explode? If not - to the gym!
Diet: Is it right, how many pounds does it have?
Smart: Does he have faith in himself and his abilities?
Technical: Does he use the entire overclocking zone - jumps too fast in front of the board?
You understand? They do not just continue to do the same thing as hiring again, it will improve.
The first thing you need to do in order to sell better is to think about how you practice and rehearse your sale, your supply, your style of sales (even if you do it!) And create a solid routine.
First impressions: approach to the client, appearance? Do you adapt to what you see?
Presentation: Do you set client goals? Translate points of sale in the benefits? You say, but do not ask?
Profitability: do you always look for a sale? Provide additions?
Closure: Do you say “yes” easily? Ask referrals?
I have worked with many golfers and vendors of all abilities, and what correlates most with improved performance is how you practice. To maintain motivation, create a personal progress log - divide your sales role into all its different facets and note where your own performance in each area is not sufficient, good enough or excellent, and then work out no more than a few in each area at that time - to bring them to perfection.
Study, study and rehearse - sales is your practice - the equivalent of going to the driving range for golfers. And, as I tell all golfers, if you want to improve, do not practice, do hard work and challenge yourself. What can your team do to become committed to continuous improvement?
Stay focused at the moment:
Being in the present means that you give everything that you do, your full and undivided attention. In sports, this means that you are not thinking about your score, why do you think that you are just shooting this shot or 3 laid out the last hole. All your energy is on task. This is also true when selling. There is no point in thinking about missing this latest sale, being caught by an objection or forgetting about selling your add-ons and accessories while you go to the next meeting or expect your next customer to go to the store. Last sale is over!
Yes, you will and should have time to think later when the day of the sale will be completed, but DO NOT do this on the way to the next call or while you are waiting. Don't get off of yourself. Focus on the positives in your abilities and think about how the next sale will be successful.
This is counterproductive, not to be in the present!
For example, if you play golf, just remember that the last time you started to play well and usually thought about shooting the best result ", if only I can save it for the last few holes - just for your game to unravel!
Being in the present is easier said than done, I appreciate it; and, like everything else, practice is required, but it can and should be done.
Create a very repeatable procedure - follow the sales process:
In golf, the best players in the world go through the same routine before each shot, right down to the number of swings. Watch them and you will notice that the number of seconds it takes to pre-process them is the same every time. It helps them focus on the shooting process and not get too hung up on thoughts like; “This kick is for the Open” or in football, when they think “This is a punishment to get to the World Cup finals” (Many football fans will be too familiar with what happens when a player focuses on income fines!)
What is your sales routine? Pre-sale or at the time of sale? Post a sale? No one? Do you take part in the sales process and plan and prepare accordingly?
Well, if you are not perfect - take a piece of Pro and get a routine that makes you feel comfortable and confident, so that you are at best in the sale.
Know how to calm down when the pressure continues.
How do you face the pressure of the required goals? Or deal with a tough client that is not easy for you? In sales, nerves can and do a blow when the pressure continues, and once again we have an area where the sale can learn directly from the sports arena.
I worked with enough golfers to know that the good ones know powerful methods to calm down, to prevent nerves that turn into panic and negatively affect their work. They use nerves to their advantage. Because if you are nervous, this is a really good sign - it shows that what you are doing is important! You care!
There are many ways to control nerves, such as breathing techniques or using your peripheral vision, or to have special thoughts / places that can be found in your head. I recently read that Jesper Parnewick tried to solve math problems in his head when everything became too much when played. So there are many ways to do it! You just need to find a technique that will help you.
Remember that nerves can not be completely eliminated, IF you do for you. If this is not important or does not correspond to your level of abilities and skills, you probably will not be nervous. But when it matters, then you need to be aware that the feeling of nervousness is “normal”, in fact it is desirable, and then you have a way that suits you, and allow your nerves to help your work, not hinder it.
The power of acceptance and movement:
No one will be successful in 100% of cases. Mistakes happen. Sales are lost. But beating yourself will not improve your next performance!
By all means, at the right time analogue, what went wrong, and will take steps to make sure that he will not be repeated again if he is in your power to do it, but able to accept failure and prevent it from harming you Mentally necessary for maximum performance.
In golf, the ability to take the result of each shot is a feature that all the best players possess. Although it’s almost impossible to reach an optimal state for golf, it would be if you could become emotionally indistinguishable from good and bad shots and stay on the same level - but show me any athlete who is not emotionally charged and not pumped up for winning and I will show you the loser !
This is a balancing act. Remaining in emotional control, when it matters, can be done, but once again it takes practice, discipline, and finding the methods that work for you. Then you need the ability to allow it all - when it goes wrong!
Padreig Harrington tells him that he is part of his pre-purchase, although he has a positive intention to take a picture, if he doesn’t go where he wants it, it’s better to accept him and move on rather than get upset. He wants his mind to be clear, ready for the next shot - where it can be from - without going back to the previous swing, which put him in trouble.
Try giving yourself the same conversation with pep before your next sale call. Don't let failures pull you down!
Conclusion
provide your sellers make every second sale time! The fact that they perform their profession, their skills, their chosen career.
encourage to put these ideas into practice, and you will see a constant improvement in their sales and productivity.
The sports industry has spent millions of dollars, and decades of research has been fine-tuning these technologies. Use them. They work!
If you want to discuss how sports psychology can help you and / or your team improve sales performance, feel free to email me or call me.
Here to the successful sale!
Inner trainer
You can find more information on how sports psychology can help your sales right here:
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