Are You Watching Game Film?

EVERY pro athlete watches game film. They study their competition. They watch and analyze their past performances. They spend as much time doing this, if not more than they do playing whatever sport they are professional at.

So why do these professionals spend so much time watching game film? I know you already know the answer, but I will tell you anyways. Professional athletes work hard because they want to be the best. Let me say it another way; professional athletes know that natural talent is not enough to get them to the top of their professions. They know if they do not always continue to improve, their skills will diminish, and they will quickly find themselves out of the sport that they love.

Now, I ask you this. Why don’t professional salespeople watch game film? And don’t say because no one is filming their transactions, so there is no game film to watch. This is just an excuse for the lazy. After every transaction, any salesperson could take the time to write out the things that we have done well and the things that did not go well or even prevented the sale from happening. However, this is work, and most salespeople do not see the value in analyzing their game films.

So, how can every top athlete be wrong about the success watching game films can create, and the majority of salespeople who don’t watch game films be right? They can’t.

Learning from the past is how the most successful people become successful. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the incandescent light bulb, has been quoted as saying:

“I have not failed 700 times. I have succeeded in proving those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”

Thomas Edison’s commitment to the invention of the light bulb, as we know it, changed the world. And if you want to change your world as a salesperson, you need to have the same level of commitment and start watching game film.

Learn From Your Successes

It has been said that you learn more from your failures than your successes, which is true. However, it does not mean you can not learn from your success. At the end of every transaction, take the time to celebrate the things that went well. Even if you did not close the deal, I am sure there were things you did well.

4 Ways to Learn from Your Success

1. WRITE the successes down.
2. WRITE down why they were successful.
3. WRITE down what you could do better next time, even though they were successful, and what could be done better to improve the results.
4. PRACTICE this improved success so that you execute it flawlessly when the same situation arrives next time.

Own Your Mistakes

Learning from your success is easy. Success is positive and easier to take credit for. On the other hand, mistakes lead to “excuses” for why the mistakes happen instead of taking responsibility. Salespeople are notorious for blaming others and outside influences for why a deal did not close. They use excuses such as:

“Our pricing is too high.”

“The customer doesn’t have the budget.”

“We don’t have any inventory.”

This EXCUSE list could go on and on. Making these “excuses” might make the salesperson feel better about the fact they did not close the customer. However, they will not do anything to enhance the salesperson’s bank account. Let me show you how you can take responsibility for these excuses and be better the next time.

Instead of “Our pricing is too high,” think of it as “I need to build more value in the presentation and create more excitement during the demonstration.”

Instead of “The customer doesn’t have the budget,” ask yourself, “Did I present and demonstrate the right product?” “What other products would have fit the customer’s budget and still solve their problems.”

Instead of “We don’t have any inventory,” be proactive, “I need to help acquire more inventory. I should get on the phones and in the service drive and start buying some cars so I have more inventory to sell.”

If you want to, you can always find a way to take responsibility for your “no closes.” The converse is true; if you want to find an “excuse” as to why you did not close the customer, you will find one. Which will help you sell more cars? I suggest you take responsibility for your mistakes. Take ownership of them and commit to learning from them.

4 Ways to Learn from Your Mistakes

1. ACCEPT responsibility for the mistake
2. WRITE down why the mistake happened
3. WRITE down how could the mistake have been prevented
4. PRACTICE what you can do to avoid the mistake from happening again

Every salesperson dictates their own success. It is not the market, the pricing, the inventory, the weather, or any other excuse that may come up. Instead of making “excuses,” start making money by watching your game film!