Issue #23: 4 Things Sales GOATs do in Q4 (and Beyond)

Now look, I think most people that know me understand, without a shadow of a doubt, that I am a hockey guy.?

However, as this is my 23rd blog, I figured to focus in on a world-renowned athlete who wore #23 on his back (really, the first “Greatest of All Time” or GOAT, in my lifetime).

Across every sport, no one can discount the impact and legacy of Michael Jordan (even if you’re a fair weather sports fan).

If we take a look at the stats (because you can only manage what you can measure), Jordan was in a league of his own:

• Total Points Scored: 32,292 (5th overall), which breaks down to just about 30 points per game
• Total Steals: 2,514 (3rd overall). Jordan didn’t just score; he helped prevent the other team from scoring (and did it pretty well, actually)
• Total Assists: 5,633 (47th overall). Jordan didn’t just score and play defense, he set up the team around him at least 5.7 times per game in his career.

And he did all of this ^ with less games played than other notable players in our lifetime (see: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant).

Now, with access to the same resources and information everyone else in the NBA had, the question ultimately becomes: what did Jordan do differently??

He put in the work.

“I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.”? - Michael Jordan

As clichè as this will sound, the same mentality and focus applies to us in business and in sales.

As a student of sales, I’ve always admired (and celebrated) the effort and focus of top performing sales executives across my experiences at the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Google, LinkedIn, and now at MNTN, and what I’ve come to find out is that our “GOAT” sales executives do these four things well in Q4 (and throughout their career):?

• The best sales executives prioritize watching game film: It may not be widely known, but Jordan watched more game film than any other player at his time. Surely he was talented, but MJ knew there was always something to improve. With sales coaching technologies available to us like Gong, Chorus, (or wait, OUR CELL PHONES!), there is always an opportunity to get better and perfect how we pitch, how we ask deeper discovery questions, and how we build credibility with our prospects & customers.?
• The best sales executives take their shots, repeatedly. Jordan scored 32,292 points in his illustrious career, but he also took 24,537 shots (yes, I know that some shots are worth 3 points in the NBA— don’t @ me). Not all sales calls result in an immediate win (or score). Good sales executives set up calls and follow up; great sales executives do this at a faster and higher clip than others.?
• The best sales executives plan ahead. To fuel his game, Jordan was conscious about what he put into his body ahead of time. A 1996 Chicago Tribute profile revealed a typical meal plan for Jordan, which featured “a good-sized breakfast — the biggest meal of the day — followed by a midmorning fitness shake, lunch, a midafternoon fitness shake and a light dinner.” I’ve always admired sales executives that I’ve worked with and learned from in the past (like Alex Nichols-Vinueza ) who found a rhythm to sell for the future (January) while in the present (October). Selling with urgency will almost always remain a staple of sales coaching and foundation; however, meeting the customer where they are at and building (and nurturing) future pipeline ahead of time will net out positively more often than not.?
• The best sales executives start out of the gate fast and strong in October. MJ is retired, but he still wakes up early to get after it. It’s been written that when he wakes up, he jumps right into his workout routine, which includes weight lifting, cardio, and other strength and stamina training. Great sales executives don’t wait to make an impact each day - they approach each week with an intention. And with a limited amount of true working days in Q4, they make the most of October (which only has one real national holiday in Indigenous Peoples’ Day…and then there’s Halloween).

“If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” – Michael Jordan

Welcome to Q4.

Let’s get after it.

KL