President/CEO of Tyson Group, #1 WSJ and USA Today bestselling author, expert sales negotiator/consultant for the world's biggest brands.

Pick a team sport—football, baseball, soccer, hockey—you name it. When you boil down all the playbooks and strategies, each sport ultimately results in teams attempting to do one of two things: 1) set up a score, or 2) score.

Of course, this is a dramatic oversimplification of all the blood, sweat and tears that go into playing any sport at the highest level, but essentially the goal is to score and win. Sounds a lot like sales, doesn’t it?

What if sales actually was a professional sport? The overarching objective for sales teams would be exactly the same as any other sport: 1) set an appointment (set up a score), or 2) close a sale (score).

But a few critical details would need to be agreed upon before a formalized, competitive sport could be established, the least of which is what constitutes a “score.” Prior to our world being changed by Covid-19, most salespeople considered a score based on how much new business was closed.

Now that the sales landscape has changed, what is considered a score probably needs to be rethought. Scoring a goal is much more incremental. Gone are the days of only counting the touchdown or homerun. Now just getting on base or gaining a few yards is huge—such as confirming prospect information in your database or setting that first one-on-one call.

Once we’ve all agreed on the new definition of what constitutes a score, it’s time to establish the rules of the sales game. After all, you can’t dominate the field if you don’t know how to play.

To score at any level in the sales game, one key component is to always maintain a sense of balance. It’s no different than a running back or a forward in hockey needing strong balance while playing. Effectiveness in sales comes down to balancing the following three elements: understanding, rapport and credibility.

Because understanding leads to openness, can you demonstrate you understand your prospect’s needs? Because rapport yields influence, can you build a strong enough connection that someone recognizes and feels comfortable with you? And because credibility invokes trust, have you established yourself as someone who does what they say they are going to do?

Too many of my colleagues get this one wrong. To compete in the sales game and win, you need to realize that selling is not about relationships. A relationship with a prospect is an outcome; it’s not required to do business. Likeability, however, is required. If you want to gain enough interest from a prospect to score time on their calendar, you need to be likable. And how does likeability occur? See Rule #1: Maintain Solid Balance.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Sales. Is. Hard. Before we even get a chance to present our product or service, we need to help our prospect overcome their preoccupation with the millions of things going on in their lives before we ever came along. We need to pierce through that veil of distraction. And for all the books and articles out there on the attitude of the buyer, the salesperson’s attitude is even more critical. To invoke a football metaphor, the sale, as the Superbowl, is won or lost in the six inches between the ears.

I’ve heard so many salespeople say, “I'd do great if someone just put me in front of the right people.” What they don't understand is that 20-30% of their efforts need to go into that “score.” Working hard to always put yourself in front of the right people is a prerequisite. Playing and winning the sales game means finding balance, being likable and maintaining the right attitude.

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