How a Sales Team is Like a Sports Team

When outsourcing sales, it might be helpful to liken your sales team to a sports team. If your sales floor is anything like ours, you’ll know exactly what we mean. Here at Acquirent we’re running a full-contact sport (okay, not really, but…) and we treat our sales representatives as exactly what they are…a team. There are actually more similarities between sports and business  than you might realize. Read on…

Attitude is everything

As outsourced sales professionals, we know that attitude can make the difference between a win and a lose. Do you think Rudy would have ever gotten on the field if he had a bad attitude? No way! It’s the attitude of a team that makes it great and will eventually lead it to victory. The same goes in the world of outsourced sales.

Envision the win.

One thing we tell all of our sales representatives before an important call or meeting is to envision the win. You must first see success and success is then more likely to follow. Successful athletes like Tom Brady and Michael Jordan are documented to envision victory before it happens. They envision the baskets or touchdowns and use the power of their mind to set the reality in motion. It works the same in sales as well!

Motivate, motivate.

A team without a great leader is nothing at all. You can have the best athletes together on one team and if they do not have a great leader, they will not be successful. Same goes for outsourced sales. As outsourced sales professionals, we know that sales management is an integral part of a successful sales campaign which is why we hire only the best. We motivate our representatives to do their very best, and we keep them hungry and driven to seek out that next win.

Practice makes perfect.

Even the most raw talent can go wasted if not for practice. No matter how great of an athlete you are, practice is key. There is no substitution for working on your craft – and the same goes for sales. In our outsourced sales business, we have daily meetings to address issues that need working on, weekly goal meetings with sales managers, and sales training seminars to make sure our sales skills stay sharp and ahead of the curve.

Strategy can make up for skill.

The best team does not always win, but the most strategic usually will. In a triathlon, for example – a race can be won or lost in the transitions. You might not be the best biker, runner or swimmer – but you can still win race based on transitions. When it comes to sales – we look for the most strategic way we can win more clients for our companies. We think outside the box and look for unique ways we can get the inside track.

Change plays mid-game.

When something isn’t working, it’s time to try something new. A football coach will often call a time-out to change strategy mid-game, an as outsourced sales professionals, we will too. We track our progress and the success of our sales efforts and if we don’t see results in a realistic time frame, we’ll change tacks and try something new.

Consistency is key.

There is nothing more frustrating than an inconsistent sports team. Play great one game, horrible the next. What gives? When it comes to sales – consistency is key. You must show up every day with your A game, consistently. Only then will you be a true success. If there is one thing Tiger woods is – it is consistent (and we mean on the golf course).

Be hungry for the win.

If there is one glaring similarity between athletes and sales professionals it is the need for competition. Both of these groups thrive on competition and rise to the occasion when it’s presented to them. If you don’t want the win bad enough – either on the field or in the office, you’re probably not going to get it. It’s as simple as that.

Victory is short lived

You must work to stay on top. You don’t get to the Superbowl after winning one game – no, you must win many and you must win against the very best. Same goes in outsourced sales. Competition is fierce out there in the business world and sales has some of the toughest trenches out there. You must fight to stay on top and remember never to become complacent!

So there you have it! Is your sales team a true team? If not, maybe you should take a trip to the nearest sporting arena and learn a few things!

Happy selling!