Always Be Learning…

Recently I tried out to be a referee for the 2010 Men’s Lacrosse World Championships (the equivalent of the World Cup in soccer).

There were 84 players trying out for Team USA and 19 other referees vying to be the U.S. representative for this prestigious event. Well, I worked hard and when the tryout was over I was not selected.

As much as I wanted to be a part of this and be recognized, I will say I was disappointed in not being selected. But you know what — that disappointment went away very quickly because I immediately shifted my focus to working towards tryouts for the next event. I took feedback from my peers and assessors, and am implementing steps that will leave me better prepared to qualify when tryouts come around again in 2013.

What does this have to do with sales? Everything! As professional salespeople we must continue getting better. Never be satisfied; never be complacent. As a salesperson myself, I know when I gain a new client I always take time to celebrate in some way. But that may also be the best time to uncover how I could have done something better — maybe asking a different question or sending a client an article relevant to them might have garnered me a greater margin or a significant referral.

I encourage you to do something every day that will improve you as a person, salesperson or sales manager. Whether it is reading a book, an article or something as simple as asking a prospect or customer how they feel about how you interact with them.