Michael Jordan’s Rules (Adapted for Sales) – Keep It Simple
This is the 4th in a series of posts based on the Golf Digest Article by Michael Jordan on how to be more competitive in golf. The whole thing carries over, though into sales and probably all aspects of life.
Rule #4 - Keep It Simple
Man, I love this. If you haven't read the book, the Power of Simplicity, bounce over to Amazon and get it. Here's the link.
If you're selling something, make it easy to do business with. Sales is a tough job. You deal with rejection from all angles at all times. Why would you want to bring more pain on yourself by not making things as simple as possible for you and your colleagues?
Why make it tough for your customers? Just keep things simple. Don't over analyze. Don't over complicate. Speak in simple language, people will trust you. Deliver simple emails, they're easier to digest. Leave short voicemails, no one has the time to listen to you ramble on for 2 minutes about a long email you sent.
Why make it tough for yourself? Send simple response. Have simple, frank conversations with people. Don't try to over sell stuff because people will see through your bull shitake. Manage your calendar in a way that will get stuff done.
Remember the K.I.S.S principle and you'll do great.
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Michael Jordan’s Rules (Adapted for Sales) – Don't Think About the Prize
This is the 3rd in a series of rules outlined in Golf Digest by Michael Jordan on how to be more competitive in golf. I've been working on how to adapt them to be more successful in your sales career. I suppose, that at the end of it all, I'll a
dd a bunch of links and compile everything.
Rule #3 - Don't Think About the Prize, Think About the Work
Admit it, that hint of the big commission check comes into your head when you get your comp plan. You've already spent the money, haven't you.
That spiff that your VP rolled out this quarter? You're already on the beach.
Put it out of your head. Don't even think about, because when you're thinking about sipping mai-tais in Maui, you're not thinking about doing the work that is required to get there.
You're not thinking about the cold calls you'll need to make, the meetings you'll need to go to, the follow up letters you'll need to send.
You certainly won't be thinking about the work that will need to go into strategically moving your deals forward.
One of my prizes from last quarter was a trip to Pebble Beach. I didn't even realize that I was close to it until after the quarter was over. Had I known I was getting close, it would have been really hard not to picture myself standing on the #7 green (where I knocked it stiff, of course). And that leads to not doing the work involved to get there.
Little things add up to big things. Make the calls, do the follow up, focus on the things that will take to get to your number. Don't focus on what happens after you get there.
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
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Michael Jordan’s Rules (Adapted for Sales) – Have Total Confidence
This is the second in a series of 10 posts based on the Golf Digest article in which Michael Jordan discusses how to be more competitive.
His second rule is 'Have Total Confidence In What You Can Do'.
A few weeks ago, I tweeted that I was totally convinced that if a company didn't use our software that they would be out of business in 3-months (of course I can't find it, but here is the RT). I recognize that this isn't true, but I go into every deal with the conviction that this is the case.
I'm so convinced that my product is the best thing for my customers. I'm convinced that I'll win every deal that I go into. I'm convinced that companies that don't choose our software will be toast.
This conviction carries over in your voice, your mannerisms and your decisions that you make for your customers. It's easy to say that you have their best interest in mind, but do you really? When you are totally and utterly convinced that you have the right thing for your customers, that will come out and you'll win more deals.
On the flip side, be honest with yourself and your customers. If you work for a company with a shit product, leave. If you work for a company that is unethical, get out of there. If you don't believe you have a good fit, walk away from the deal and recommend a competitor that would be a better fit (believe me, nothing builds future credibility like this).
If you don't believe, who is going to believe for you?
Michael Jordan's Rules (Adapted for Sales) - Focus on the Little Things
- Image via Wikipedia
