In the Groove

My wife and I, along with Cal and Jane, close friends of ours, took a couple days off for a long weekend in Traverse City MI to cross country ski, wine taste, shop, eat, and enjoy conversation.

On Friday morning, Cal and I started at the Vasa Pathway trail head, consulted the map, charted our course, and embarked on a 8 mile trek. The Vasa Pathway's trails are very well groomed - for both traditional cross country skiing and skate skiing. Since we don't skate ski, (Although Cal might tell you that I've attempted it a few times, unsuccessfully. He'll also tell you that I successfully looked the part of a dork. Hmmm.... I think I do that well most days), we settled ourselves in the two grooves for traditional skiing.

Saturday morning we opted for a 6-mile loop at the Muncie Lake Pathway - a favorite. (There's a downhill that I've yet to conquer. It's fast and it has a horseshoe turn to the right. The fast doesn't get me. It's the dang turning! It just keeps on going and going... I always fall. I fell again. Twice. Pisses me off) However, I digress...

The hypnotic rhythm of cross country skiing allows for plenty of time to talk. However, Cal and I have skied together for many years. When we're on the trail we settle in like an old married couple. Words aren't necessary to communicate. I do find the quiet of the woods and the swooshing of the ski's gliding so effortlessly in the grooves comforting. During the 8-mile trek, I was able to relax and do some thinking - or as I like to put it, pondering!

What struck me during our two hours on the Vasa was a simple revelation, really. When I'm in the groove(s), skiing is easy. When I use correct form, I glide effortlessly. When I have a system, it's easy. The more I ski, the better I get

At work we've been spending a fair amount of time on refining and simplifying the sales process. Connecting the dots between the ease of skiing and the ease of selling isn't difficult.

When use correct form, I make better connections with prospects and customers.

When I have a system, the entire process, from suspect/prospect to close of sale, improves.

The more I use correct sales form and the more I use a sales system, the better I get at it.

Simple. Yet, we choose to complicate it.

Stop complicating it.

Stop being a perpetual sales "firefighter".

Work on your form (planning/organization/strategy/selling skills) and use a sales system. As one of my reps says, "Having a system lets me sleep at night".

Get in the groove!