Failing to Fame

The average batting average for a baseball player in the Hall of Fame is .303. For those not familiar with the sport, that number is calculated by taking the number of hits divided by the number of at bats. By this math, if a player gets a hit on one out of every three at bats, there is a good chance of getting to the Hall of Fame.

This is a statistic that I use a lot. Most of us would consider not succeeding two out of every three tries as failing. The sport of baseball says that we would be wrong.

When we look at the .303 average, perfection starts to look like an irrelevant pursuit. In sales, I expect a close rate of about 30-35%. This is right inline with Hall of Fame statistics.

Creating opportunities is more important that creating closes. The closes will be there. The activity needs to happen. With activity comes opportunities. If there are no at bats, there can be no hits. No hits and there can be no runs.

The Five Percenters.

Only 5% of people are ready to buy right now. The other 95% are in some other state of need or solution awareness. Some of them are even in out right denial that they need what you are selling.

With 95% not ready to buy, gear up for objections. They are going to come your way. And logically you should get objections.

Understand that objections are coming. Prepare for them. Get curious and explore the objection.

Selling is a math problem. If you know that 5% of prospects are ready to buy now and that there are more prospects in the 95% group than the 5% group, then priorities should be very clear. Close the 5% now and start working on moving the 95% up to where they are ready to buy.

It is just math. And follow up. So, do not skip the follow up because you only want the low hanging fruit.

Perfect 33% of the Time.

I was prospecting in the field with a new agent last week. For reference, we do our best work when we approach businesses in person. So that is what I was demonstrating.

My first approach bombed. My second approach would have bombed if the owner was actually in. I screwed that approach up in all kinds of ways.

The third approach. That one was perfect. And we got the appointment and tour of the shop. You can screw something up twice and still hit a home run on the third attempt.

I have been doing outside sales for 10 years. Sometimes people think I am really good at it. And I do have some elevated skillsets. But my super power is knowing the only way I loose is to quit.

Quitting is a controllable. I can mess up all day. As long as I am still out talking to people, I can still set appointments. The game is over only when I quit.

So, I rarely have the perfect approach to a business. And that is just fine. I just keep moving. Activity and action are what is important.

Adjusting Desired Outcomes.

Appointments are important. We cannot sell if we are not running meetings. Focusing only on appointments can push us to drive to the wrong things.

Sales is about relationships. If we only want the appointment, our relationships are going to be very transactional.

Be curious. Learn as much as you can while prospecting. Make learning the goal.

The appointments will come. Engage with people like they are people. Ask relevant and meaningful questions. Aim to get the info.

Take Aways.

You can fail your way to the Hall of Fame. Relax. Do not take prospecting so seriously. Aim to build relationships and learn about the people you are doing business with.

You will become a resource, not a vendor. People do not change resources very often. Vendors come and go with the seasons.