Home Features Mastermind Videos About Advertise Blog Network Contact
   

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

Featured Ebook


ebook Famous Entrepreneurs - Modern Empire Builders


Featured Ebook

More Evan Carmichael
Have A Suggestion?

Sales Lessons From Starbucks And Dell

Selling is Baseball Backwards



Selling is Baseball Backwards
   

© 2006 Paul Johnson. All rights reserved.

As I was watching one of the Atlanta Braves final spring training games, I got to thinking about how baseball players and salespeople use some similar terms and principles. Then it occurred to me how hard it is to score in the game of selling unless you apply some of them backwards.

For example, salespeople can track their batting average, or closing percentage. We do that by comparing the number of sales "pitches" to the number of sales, or "hits," we get.

Here's where it gets goofy. Once a batter earns a trip to first base, only THEN can they get a lead. Salespeople need the lead first. In fact, their batting average depends on a generous supply of good leads.

The truth is, many salespeople never become big hitters because they never get enough leads.

IN PRACTICE, LOOK FORWARD.

When leads are scarce, a salesperson can't become efficient and productive. They never get a chance to develop a rhythm and dial in their optimal sales approach.

In baseball, hitters take batting practice because they want to look at a lot of pitches. They know that the more opportunities they have to hit, the better they'll get. Their batting average will go up.

It's the same with salespeople. They need a lot of regular plate appearances to give them opportunities to swing away at incoming leads. The more leads you give them, the more effective they become. The batting average, or closing percentage, will go up. That means more revenue while cost of sales goes down.

ARE THEY ANY GOOD?

A lead is someone who has indicated they want your product or service. Handing your salespeople a page from the phonebook does not qualify as "providing leads."

Like a baseball pitch, an incoming lead has got to be hittable, or it's worthless. If you have the best salesperson in the world on your team but give them nothing but junk to swing at, you'll both get frustrated, and your potential Hall-of-Famer will leave.

Some leads will be "in the dirt" or otherwise out of reach. When salespeople only get a few leads to work with, they'll chase the bad ones, wasting time and energy. If your salespeople seem to be striking out a lot, check first to see if the leads they're seeing are over the plate.

SOMEBODY'S GOING TO PAY.

It takes time and money to generate good leads. You need to decide if salespeople should do it themselves, or if the company will do it for them.

Professional ball clubs invest in pitching machines because they know that sharp, well-practiced hitters will have a positive impact on the scoreboard. They provide the resources to make sure their players are ready to play at their best. When the game's on the line and it's time to put the bat on the ball, a few inches means the difference between a home run and a strike out.

When you invest in a lead generation system for your business, you let your salespeople do what they do best: sell!

FINAL SCORE: YOU WIN!

In baseball, a base runner can't get generous leads until AFTER they've gotten a hit. In sales, there's nothing backward about getting great leads first, and then expecting big hits from your salespeople. Invest in a generous supply of good leads, and your sales team will score more often. The next thing you know, you'll all be cashing big league pay checks.



Selling is Baseball Backwards - To learn more about this author, visit Paul Johnson's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends
[Get Copyright Permissions] E-Mail | Print | More  


Related Articles Related Articles
Selling is Baseball Backwards
  Baseball sure is a backwards game, at least compared to the game of selling. Make sure your approach to sales isn't backward so your sales team can score more often.
RIPKEN BELONGS IN BRANDING HALL OF FAME
  This summer Cal Ripken will be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame -- not so much for his baseball numbers as for the fantastic brand he created. Cal’s career batting average is not even close to .300, and he did ...
The Canadian Comic Creator: Todd McFarlane Is Born
  He was always the best artist in his class. When a teacher needed something drawn on the blackboard, they would call on little Todd McFarlane to help. McFarlane, however, never wanted to become what he is today: one...
4. Penetration Selling -- Penetrating Your Prospect's World
  The number one barrier that needs to be penetrated during the Qualifying step of the sale is the lack of knowledge of the key motivations a prospect has for possibly purchasing one of the salesperson’s products or s...
Rule of 3 not 2 not 4
  When arranging flowers, balloon bouquets, or business presentations, do you use the rule of three?

Related Forum Posts Related Forum Posts
When to run advertising? When to run advertising?
Re: Franchising 'where to advertise?' Re: Franchising 'where to advertise?'
Blog pinging Blog pinging
Business magazines Business magazines
TV Viewing habits TV Viewing habits
Online Sales-Keep it Simple! Online Sales-Keep it Simple!
Website suggestions Website suggestions
Prime Means of Selling Prime Means of Selling

 
About the Author


Paul Johnson
(Visit Paul's Website)
Paul Johnson is Trouble Breaker #1 at Shortcuts to Results LLC. Paul works with organizations to convert trouble into double and triple digit performance breakthroughs. Clients like ADP, AutoNation, Nortel Networks, and Akzo Nobel enjoy more revenues, more productivity, with more simplicity, and more confidence. Contact Paul at 888-320-7719, and visit www.sho rtcutstoresults.com
Have A Suggestion?

View Author's Blog
Paul Johnson sez:
Paul Johnson sez: "I'm Looking for Trouble!" - Hey, that doesn't mean I'm looking for a fight. No, as Trouble Breaker™ #1, I'm here to help you get OUT of trouble. I deliver breakthrough results in 4 areas: Creating Curiosity (Marketing), Gaining Commitment (Sales), Managing Change (Leadership), and Achieving Results (Production). Here you'll find articles, tips, and resources to help you break past trouble and make things happen.
Become An Author

View Author's Video
Become An Author

Free Downloads


Paul Johnson's

Complete
List Of
Sales
Articles

First Name
Last Name
Email
 
If you enjoyed this article, get Paul Johnson's Complete List of Sales Articles For FREE!
Become An Author