How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling Ch 28

Baseball Lessons for Selling

• Baseball insights helped the author in sales.
• Manager Tommy Stouch advised focused practice to improve hitting, referencing Jesse Burkett's success. Burkett hit 300 balls daily, practicing a smooth swing until perfect timing.
• This inspired the author to practice his sales pitches with a roommate by hitting 300 balls daily.

Example Sales Preparation: Jesse Burkett

• Jesse Burkett was a renowned hitter who batted over .400 in multiple seasons.
• He attained this by dedicated daily practice, hitting 300 balls each morning.
• This illustrates focused practice and repetition improve skill.

Transferable Skill: Sales Technique

• The author's roommate, "Reds" Wingo, also practiced with the author.
• They both joined the St. Louis Cardinals.
• The author later applied this baseball lesson to sales.
• Demonstrating a sales pitch, rehearsed extensively, the author benefited.
• Improving the pitch boosted enthusiasm and led to a successful large sale.

Sales Pitch Rehearsal

• A good time to perfect a sales pitch is immediately after delivering it.
• The author advocates writing down the sales pitch immediately after, as it is fresh in mind.
  • Edit and improve the pitch consistently.
  • Rehearse until thoroughly familiar, without memorization.
  • Get feedback from trusted individuals (wife, manager, other salesmen) until the pitch is satisfactory.

Continuous Improvement in Selling

• Salespeople lose interest and enthusiasm when call frequency reduces.
• John Barrymore's extensive rehearsal of Hamlet, despite years of familiarity, highlights continuous improvement in performance.
  • He rehearsed daily for months for optimal performance.
• A successful sales demonstration often benefits the presenter more than the audience
• A pitch, like any other skill, needs constant practice and repetition

Fundamental Principles in Selling

• Knute Rockne, Notre Dame football coach, stressed the importance of mastering fundamental selling principles.
  • Repetition builds fundamental skills into automaticity.
  • In selling, as in football, strong fundamentals and ingrained principles allow for quick readjustments in negotiations. Proficiency in fundamentals saves time and mental energy in handling sales leads.
• Improvement comes from consistent practice and drills.

Summary of Key Takeaways

• Focus on improving fundamentals in sales via consistent practice.
• Frequent, focused rehearsal yields quality sales pitches.
• Regular feedback loops on pitches lead to improvement and enthusiasm.
• Dedication to perfecting fundamental principles will improve selling performance.

This quiz explores how baseball principles, particularly those exemplified by Jesse Burkett, can enhance sales techniques. It highlights the importance of focused practice and repetition in mastering sales pitches, as seen through the author's experience with a management mentor and a roommate. Discover how dedication in practice can lead to success in both fields.