What can sales managers learn from football?

You might think that professional footballers would know how to do a throw-in.  It is an elementary part of the game and performed by all footballers across all ages and abilities.  However, statistics will tell you that professional teams lose possession of the ball from about half of all throw-ins.  Since the team with the most possession tends to win the match, giving the ball away from a set piece is not a great way of going about winning.

However, by focussing on this skill and using specialist coaches, it is possible to improve.  Teams who are regularly coached in throw-ins can retain possession about 70% of the time, leading to an overall improvement in results.  Coaching throw-ins does not just involve learning to throw the ball further.  It involves the whole team.  It is the collective movement of the team that enables one of them to find the time and space to control the ball from the throw in and create opportunities to score.

Imagine what your results would be like if you were able to create more opportunities.  More opportunities leads to more revenue and bigger bonuses!  Is there an element of your sales process that could be improved?  Are there ways that your team could work together more effectively to achieve greater results?

Having an external person reviewing your sales process can lead to major improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of the sales team. Even if you are doing well, small improvements can make a big difference to your overall results. The most successful teams focus on all areas of their activities to improve, not just the weakest areas.