I was listening one Sunday to a motivated golfer. He was maybe 30ish and clearly wanted to be good at the game. So he took lessons. Afterward all the lessons, he went out for a round and began by thinking about all of the things he was supposed to do.
He thought about:
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his stance,
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his grip on the club,
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how high the ball was supposed to be on the tee,
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his hip rotation during the stroke,
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his follow through,
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and all the other things the golfing coach was trying to teach him.
He stood there with his ball on the tee, thinking about all of these things he was supposed to do.
Then he brought his club back up, went for the swing and connected with the ball. It soared up into the air! It went about 200 yards, and landed in the middle of the fairway! But…
…it was the neighboring fairway that it landed in.
He went after the ball. You can imagine his thoughts.
When he got to the ball on the 'wrong' fairway, he looked back towards the hole that was his goal and, lo! There was a break in the trees just where he needed to hit the ball in order to go back towards the hole that was his goal.
Let's cut to the chase. 8 shots later, his ball dropped into the right cup.
Now, when I first shared this story with someone who golfs, what I heard in reply was laughter. It is an amusing story.
But when you apply this to the principles of selling manufactured homes, there are a number of potential lessons to be learned. Before continuing with the sales lessons, let's finish the true golfing story.
The young player approached the next hole differently. Instead of thinking about all of the rules, all of the things he was supposed to do, he simply relaxed.
Then, he began his swing, the follow through and the ball sailed 200 yards down the fairway. And it was the right fairway! This time, he shot par!
Now let's look at the take aways from this and how it applies to sales.
First, the player never gave up. He did finally sink the shot, even on the errant first drive. He kept aiming for his goal and finally achieved it.
Second, the player didn't let his love for the game be harmed or negatively impacted. He kept his attitude. He wanted to learn and did so.
Third, all of the rules that he was taught WERE in fact very IMPORTANT. Those rules and tips DID make him a better golfer! But he first had to relax himself, then the young player had to focus on the ball and his goal. Then the player simply had to “just do it.”
We've commented before about similarities between fishing and selling. If you pull back on the line before you have the hook in the fish's mouth, what happens? You scare the fish away, right? The same thing often happens in sales. I've see sales people who try a take away or other 'strategy,' but they don't even have their prospect hooked yet! Is it any wonder that they lose the customer?
Of course not.
The rules of good golf are as important to the
pro as to the student of the game.
The rules of good salesmanship
are as important to the newbie as to a veteran.
The focus of selling is first the customer, but then you and what you say or do! The rules of professional sales engagement are there to guide you to be a better you in serving the customer. Good salesmanship is not about tricking or manipulating a customer.
It is about learning how to engage the customer in a professional fashion that will routinely produce the right outcomes when followed.
Doctor's don't save every patient. That in itself doesn't make them a bad doctor, so long as they are saving the patients that can be saved.
Sales begins with your mind set. You have to have the right attitude about the customer, and you have to want to serve them in a professional fashion.
The reason on our MHProNews.com website that we have an Inspiration blog, plus featured articles by Zig Ziglar, Tim Connor or Greg McClanahan is precisely to refresh and inspire the right motivations in all those who serve the public and who serve their peers too.
The young golfer had to learn how to internalize the rules he learned, but also to keep his focus on the ball.
The focus in student of sales is the customer and their needs, wants and desires. But the rules help both the golfer and the sales pro to advance and improve.
Even professional golfers want to improve their game. A pro still has a coach.
The same is true for the professional sales person, they still have a coach.
The doctor who tries to 'heal himself' is often guilty of malpractice! It is a common principle of good medicine that you don't treat yourself. The doctor who does may not have enough perspective to do so effectively.
The same is true in sales. Jim Carpenter said it well in a recent guest column. When the only 'training' that is going on is in house, it is often 'old stuff' that is being re-hashed, instead of a truly professional blend of the tried and true along with the good and new!
When you learn the rules of good sales engagement and then make them a part of what you say and what you do – naturally! – then you too will see shots soar down the fairway, and you will see them land on the right fairway! Having an outside sales trainer or sales coach can be as critical for your location, career or business as the golf coach is for a pro – or new comer! – who wants to improve his game. ##
PS: Check our many Exclusive and Red HotFeatured Articles for August and see the other new stories at MHLivingNews.com too.
L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
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