In case you're living under a rock or you're just not a sports fan, you have probably heard about Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buerhle's perfect game on Thursday, July 23, 2009 against the Tampa Rays. What strikes me most about this moment immediately following a great catch by outfielder Dwayne Wise to preserve history, is the calm and cool demeanor that Buerhle displays after the catch. If you have a chance to watch the video again, look at Buerhle after the play. You wouldn't know he was only two more outs away from history by his poise and calm at that moment.
(Click on th image above to view the mlb.com video)
Mind Like Water
How many times have you seen sales people "over-celebrate" both success and failure? You and your sales team could learn a lesson from his "mind-like-water" state of mind.
Just like throwing a perfect game in baseball, striving for perfection in sales takes concentration and the ability to eliminate distraction. Giving your success or failure too much credence is the sign of a loser. A real pro knows that if you just closed a deal, you are thinking, "What's next?" If you lost a deal, that same high performer asks, "What did I miss?" Either way in the life of a heavy hitter, opportunity is waiting around the corner.
Ability to Concentrate Is Key
Watch the video once more and look at how the fan, announcers and teammates are going crazy while he remains calm like the eye of the storm. Think about the sales calls where your people become distracted by tough buyers who are bent on out negotiating your sales person.
Do your people "lose it" when faced with pressure? Or do they calmly respond with a question that moves them closer to getting a deal?
Having a Short Memory Helps
The funny thing about Mark Buerhle is that his last start against the Minnesota Twins resulted in him getting shellacked. Obviously Mark has the ability to remain "in the moment" and deal with the task at hand and not think about the past or the future. As sales professionals we could learn a lot from this performance indeed. Your sales team should know by now that thoughts of failure or success from the past have nothing to do with the situation you currently face.
You must forget the past other than the lessons leaned and stay in the moment as well.
Can We Really Be Perfect?
I am really not sure if there is something like a perfect game in selling. Just like Buerhle, his perfect game included some hairy moments. You may even say that he was lucky in many ways. I think that top performers always look lucky, They always seem to get the "good calls." They make what others think is impossible look easy. Think about it this way. If you strive for perfection and fall just short of perfect but still win the game by getting the sale, you are still doing great.
Yes, in sales you don't have to be perfect to get the results you want, But you do have to stay poised, concentrate, stay in the moment and have the ability to respond in tough situations. Get your team to do those things and maybe, like Mark Buerhle, your sales results will go down as legendary in your sales team.
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About the author: Joe Crisara is CEO of www.ContractorSelling.com a website that helps sales professionals to change their thinking and grow their sales. You can contact Joe by emailing him at joe@contractorselling.com
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