What can boxing do for salespeople?

A midlife crisis can take many forms… but mine came early and involved a pair of boxing gloves!

I first contacted Media Fight Night back in 2022; at the time, I was newly divorced, a heavy smoker, 18 stone in weight and was witnessing the annual coverage across LinkedIn, of clients and industry peers getting ready to get in the ring.

This was a good idea, I told myself… get fit, get a new hobby and give ALF some exposure in the process. Oh my, it’s turned out to be so much more that and the lessons learnt in that boxing gym filter to any career but particularly sales!

?Fundamental Training: Getting the Basics Right

?As an uncoordinated, flat-footed mess in the beginning, it all started here. In boxing, the foundation is built on mastering basic skills—footwork, jabs, combinations, and defence. Perfecting these techniques and repeating drills to build muscle memory. Without learning the basics, no amount of fancy tactics will matter in the ring. Pretending to be Mike Tyson means nothing if you can’t keep your hands up. In sales – the basics are just as essential. Like boxers, salespeople must practice repetitively to fine-tune their pitch, overcome objections, and close deals. Without a solid grasp of these fundamental sales techniques, succeeding at the more advanced stages of a sales cycle is impossible. When I realised that boxing wasn’t coming naturally to me, I went into sales manager mode – role plays (sparring), increased my effort – (I ensured I did more than people better to me – if they trained once a day, then I trained twice), I asked for feedback over and over again. I ensured I understood the basics with self-study – (I went out and qualified as a coach as I found that the best way to learn is to teach someone else!)

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Discipline and Consistency

?Boxing training demands strong discipline: early mornings, ?conditioning, sticking to a strict diet, and enduring tough sparring sessions. Skipping training or ignoring a weakness will not help when it matters. Sales, particularly New Business, has a similar demand. Consistently reaching out via different channels, achieving multiple sets of KPIS and activities day in and day out, staying organized and switched on. Success comes from showing up, refining the process, and pushing through the challenges. I’ve particularly felt this on my weight loss challenge – having to remain consistent, knowing one dreadful weekend can set you back weeks. Consistency and spreadsheets are everything, KPIS aren’t just for sales targets.

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Mental Toughness & Handling Rejection

?Rejection is inevitable in sales; you will hear far more no’s than yeses in your career. You will have bad months, quarters and even years. Resilience is a top trait for someone working in a new business, and in my experience, those who bounce back the quickest ultimately perform the best. This is something I’ve really had to test myself on in my boxing journey, physical pain, exhaustion, injury, and of course losing is something you have to adjust to. Resilience is key; my biggest personal battle has been getting picked for the squad in the first place.? I wasn’t chosen in 2023; there are far more applicants who train through the year that don’t make that final 16 and picking yourself up and starting over again can be a hard pill to swallow.

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Strategy

?While boxing is physical, it’s also strategic. Every boxer must study their opponent, identifying weaknesses to exploit and strengths to avoid. Fighters adapt their game plan during the match, adjusting tactics based on how the fight unfolds. I’ll be fighting a southpaw on fight night, which makes things very interesting and a little complicated, so I’m planning and adjusting every training session. Salespeople also need to be strategic thinkers. They must research prospects, understand their pain points, and tailor their approach to address the prospect’s unique needs. Just like in boxing, salespeople need to adapt in real time. If a sales pitch isn’t landing, adjustments need to be made on the fly to keep the conversation moving forward. Success is not just about pushing harder but about smartly adjusting tactics and positioning.

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Coaching and Support Systems

?Boxers don’t train alone. They rely on coaches, trainers, and sparring partners to help them improve. A good coach helps a boxer identify weaknesses, work out new strategies, and maintain focus. The support system is essential to pushing the fighter, keeping them motivated and getting them to perform. Salespeople, too, benefit from coaching and support. Whether through formal sales training programs, mentorship from more experienced colleagues, or regular feedback from managers, having a support system helps sales professionals hone their craft and stay motivated. Just like in boxing, having someone to push you, provide insights, and guide your development is key to continuous growth. Just like in boxing – in sales, you might be in the spotlight, but you’re only as good as the team behind you.

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The Hunger for Victory

This one doesn’t need much explanation. Boxing is a good sport for salespeople who want to win or have a hunger for success, as it drives all my previous points. This hunger fuels the effort, discipline, and resilience needed to succeed in both arenas, whether you are fighting to be the last one standing or just to hit the target.

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Conclusion

?If you're looking for a new hobby and you’re a salesperson (or anything else in fact) I would definitely recommend trying out boxing.? For those in the media world – Media Fight Night is a great introduction and journey to work on some of these skills listed. ?That 18-stone, uncoordinated heavy smoking Amanda would be in shock at today’s version of her. I’m very much looking forward to continuing my coaching journey post-November 7th and harnessing while supporting others with these skills.

If you're interested in supporting me or the other 15 boxers (many of which are in sales!), please drop us a message and a few ￡ on our fundraising page. Carney’s community offers a fantastic support system to kids in South London and as previously mentioned, a strong support system is everything so please give generously! Media Fight Night 2024 Fundraising

Your donations and comments really keep us going. Fingers crossed, I can get the win for ALF Insight on November 7th

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