Jennifer Wagner

It’s that time of year that golf-lovers live for. The air bristles with the summer heat and the course calls for enthusiasts to come and swing their blades through the manicured grass. I am not a great golfer by any means, but my time on the golf course brings to mind parallels between sales and golf. Whether you love the sport or not, golf is a game that garners respect. Not only does it require physical excursion, it also demands mental focus and emotional fortitude. On top of that, the external factors of the weather, the wind and your equipment can also impact the game – from moment to moment and hole by hole.

There is an irony with golf as well. The more you focus on a good (low) score, the worse you actually shoot. An obsession with the number actually puts you in a worse spot. The same could be argued about sales.

Before you think I’ve lost my mind and that hitting the number and achieving goals isn’t the ultimate mission, hear me out. The problem in golf with obsessing over a low score is that you’re focusing on something you can’t control – in sports psychology, this is called outcome focus. If just focusing on a low score lead to a good score, then it would happen every time. When you focus on what you can’t control, anxiety sets in, your muscles tense and bad shots start to mount up. And the same rings true in our sales job – when we just focus just on the number, anxiety can set in, deals are lost and days turn unproductive.

There are some tips that lead to a strong golf round that translate to how you can approach executing on your personal sales strategy:

Do the Things: Golf instructors will tell you there are a few key things to focus on with each swing. Look at the flag, adjust for the wind and line up to the target. Keep your head down, eye on the ball and follow through. If you start jerking your head and taking your eye off the ball, you’ll miss your target and might even lose your ball, costing you a stroke and building frustration. Same with your daily routine. Do the things that will lead to your goals. Whatever that is in your day to day to see success – making the connections, doing the follow up, paying attention to details; map the path to your goals and don’t take your eye off the ball.

It’s not the Arrow, it’s the Archer: New technology in golf becomes available and can improve a player’s game. But when a player upgrades to new tools, there is an adjustment period where their game looks off. There’s a temptation to blame the clubs and threaten to dump them and go back to the old ways. But to take their game to a new level they have to adapt. It’s not the arrow; the archer has to adjust. The same goes for us as new sales tools and techniques have been developed and designed to help elevate the game. Learning to incorporate them into the sales process can feel clunky and unnatural but to take your game to new places, you have to do new things. The tools won’t work unless you do.

Flexible Tenacity: During a round of golf, it’s all about the “bounce-back”. You are not going to ace every hole, stick every shot or perfectly strike each ball. You may have the perfect line-up and swing, but a gust of wind carries your ball off-target. A sunny day turns rainy and conditions can change. Mind games start to mess with you when things don’t go your way – so how do you handle that and bounce back quickly? How you handle adversity is a big factor in accomplishing your goals. If you can show tenacity and flexibility when things outside of your control impact your day, you will bounce back quickly and be ready for your next opportunity to win.

Easy Speed: When you’re out on the course and taking your shots, there’s a cadence and pace you find that leads to hitting your target consistently. When you rush your swing or try to swing too hard, your shot will push or pull, taking you off your game. What you have to find is that even keel that feels right and leads to results. Quiet the noise, own your emotions and don’t let them be an excuse that gets in your way. Taking a step back, remembering you love the game and embracing the fun in the round helps to reset and bring that “easy speed” to your swing. Same with your day to day – remember what you love about the job. Remind yourself of what you’re grateful for and what was great about your day. If the highs don’t get too high and the lows don’t get too low, you’ll find that sweet spot where you consistently hit your target.

This is the best time to be in sales. The course is green, the forecast is sunny and the golf clubs have a reflective shine. The game is complex and challenging but equally exhilarating and rewarding. It only takes that one good shot to keep you coming back for more. Control the controllable, focus on the things and find excellence when you stick to your execution.

Jennifer Wagner

Stuart, Florida, United States 3K followers 500+ connections

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Articles by Jennifer

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By Jennifer Wagner

The Paradox of Sales

By Jennifer Wagner

Experience

OneDigital

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Education

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Recommendations received

William Sabo, SHRM-HCMQA

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