Are you Michael Phelps or Gis van Hoecke? Who is Gis Van Hoecke you may ask? My answer…EXACTLY! Like any great athlete, salespeople can determine the outcome of a sales call before the event even takes place. They will win or lose based on preparation. The appropriate preparation will yield a positive result. A lack of preparation or the wrong kind of preparation will yield a negative result. Here are 5 Olympic sales tips guaranteed for a win.

Coaching
Every athlete, no matter how gifted, needs coaching. The same goes for salespeople. We slip into bad habits without even realizing we are doing so. We tend to look at a bad closing streak as a random event failing to look at ourselves and determining what we’re doing wrong. A good sales coach can observe, suggest, refine and motivate. A good sales coach can get us back on track. I’m a great sales coach. I help sales people re-focus, sharpen skills and close business. The secret to my success? I have a great sales coach.

Practice
Practice makes perfect. Those who train succeed. Those who rest on their laurels find other lines of work. Work on your pitch. Research how you can help your client or new customer. Practice listening. Role-play with other salespeople. Know your product and know your competition.

Technology
Adapt with the latest technology and use social media to assist you in everything from scheduling, research, creating presentations, building relationships, and communicating with your clients and/or guests. If you don’t have a presence on social media, you’re missing out, but don’t be overwhelmed by the latest trending topics on Twitter, the Tik Tok dance crazes or finding the perfect picturesque image for Instagram. Focus on the platforms that make sense for your business, use them frequently and continually re-evaluate effectiveness. Our best advice is don’t get distracted by social networks that appeal to you personally, but don’t offer much impact professionally.

Lead Generation
The greatest coaching, practice regimen and most expensive technology will go to waste without someone to sell your product to. Generating actionable leads and capitalizing on them when you have them is crucial for success. Our best leads come from referrals from happy customers, tenacious follow-up with prospects who contact us, and cutting-edge technology. Uncovering actionable leads is hard enough but they mean nothing without a stellar salesperson who will aggressively follow up and continuously close.

Teamwork
Every person that works with you is a part of your sales team, regardless of department, title or geographic office location. Each colleague has multiple conversations every day with potential sales prospects that can lead to closed business or referrals. Lean on your team! Help them to identify potential revenue opportunities and you will create a profit-making machine. You’re not in this alone.

Your Olympics don’t come every four years. Your Olympics happen every day you wake up and go to work. Don’t just participate. Take home the Gold!

Toni Jacaruso, CEO of Jacaruso Enterprises Inc.

March 24, 2021