One of my favorite quotes, first discovered in Mark Cuban’s book How to Win at the Sport of Business, is from Coach Bobby Knight (former men’s basketball coach at Indiana University and Texas Tech, most wins of any coach at the time he retired):
The key is not the will to win. Everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.
Many want to win. Few take the time to do it.
In his early years, Mark Cuban sold software. He took a different software manual home every night and read it.
Why? Because no one else did. When people asked him questions, he knew his stuff and could give assessments and comparisons on everything he sold. This helped him build rapport with clients and ultimately led to more sales and consulting work.
Do you spend the time preparing? Before you visit or speak with a client, do you know your desired outcome? What actions do you plan to take to deliver these results? What will be the client’s reaction and how will you respond? Do you truly understand the client’s needs and how your goals align with theirs? Does the client really feel like you care?
The difference between winning and losing can be very small. What would it mean to your business to have won an additional 5% or 10% deals this year?
Do the work that nobody else does. Put in the time and you will reap the rewards.
It’s one thing to talk and another to take action.Excellent advice for all readers. If someone complains about his or her “failures,” ask them if they took any of these steps.
Thanks Eric. Brilliant thought. Well done.
You nailed it Eric. Inspiring and right to the point.