Category: Sports

If you haven’t watched Ted Lasso on Apple TV, you are really missing out! This show has so much heart, optimism, and belly-laughing humor. It’s winning all the awards and I see great parallels between the show’s lessons and sales lessons on how you can be a better sales pro and coach. 

In season one we meet Ted Lasso, a Kansas High School Football coach, starting his new career as Head Coach of an English Football team. He has zero experience with the rules, strategy, and terms used in the game. He should be completely out of his element but he persists with kindness, positivity, and a lightning-fast wit filled with pop culture references and unending optimism.

Every episode gives you “the feels” and some excellent life lessons. This is one of those shows that justifies the amount of time I spend watching TV!

Today let’s talk about the one and only Ted Lasso, and ask him for his best tips to help inspire me, and maybe you too. Let’s act as if Ted Lasso is speaking and coaching us.

Here’s my favorite scene —> https://youtu.be/3S16b-x5mRA

Enjoy, David

*Here’s Ted!

Greetings, sales team! It’s a pleasure to be here with you all today. As some of you may know, I’m Ted Lasso, and I’m here to offer some advice on how you can elevate your sales game.

First and foremost, I want to remind you all to be curious, not judgmental.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make as salespeople is assuming we know everything there is to know about our clients or customers. The truth is, we’ll never know everything about them, but we can always strive to learn more. So ask questions, be curious, and don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t know something. This will help you build stronger relationships with your clients and ultimately close more deals.

Another important lesson from my experience as a coach is to start where you are.

Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting out, it’s important to assess where you are and set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others or get discouraged by setbacks. Focus on your own progress and take steps every day to improve.

When it comes to feedback, remember to value the opinions of those who matter and forget the rest.

Not everyone’s opinion is worth your time or energy. Seek out feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, and clients who can help you grow and improve. And don’t forget to take the time to give feedback to others as well. It’s a two-way street.

Now, you may be wondering what it means to be a goldfish.

Well, in my experience, it means having a short memory when it comes to mistakes or setbacks. Learn from them, but don’t dwell on them. Instead, focus on the present moment and the opportunities ahead of you. This mindset can help you stay positive and motivated even in challenging times.

To be your best self, you need to nurture the best version of yourself.

This means taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Make time for exercise, meditation, and self-reflection. Take breaks when you need them, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. By investing in yourself, you’ll be better equipped to serve your clients and achieve your goals.

In sales, making quality connections is key.

It’s not just about making a sale; it’s about building relationships that will last. Take the time to get to know your clients on a personal level, and show them that you care about their needs and goals. This will help you build trust and loyalty, which are essential for long-term success.

Remember to make others look and feel good.

Celebrate their successes, offer encouragement when they face challenges, and be generous with your praise. By lifting others up, you’ll create a positive environment that inspires everyone to do their best.

Finally, don’t take yourself too seriously.

Be vulnerable, and don’t be afraid to show your human side. We all make mistakes, and sometimes the best way to connect with others is by sharing our struggles and challenges. By being open and authentic, you’ll build deeper connections with your clients and colleagues, and ultimately become a more effective salesperson.

So there you have it, sales team. These are just a few of the lessons I’ve learned from my time as a coach, and I hope they’ll help you as you navigate the world of sales. And remember, if you ever need a little inspiration, there’s no better time to brush up on the lessons from Ted Lasso Seasons 1-3. Good luck, and happy selling!

Ted Lasso

*Credit Phil Gerbyshak for this article.

Happy Selling,

David

Last Tuesday we looked at the Top 4 lessons from Tommy Boy so this week I decided to do a blog on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso.

If you haven’t watched Ted Lasso on Apple TV, you are really missing out! This show has so much heart, optimism, and belly-laughing humor. It’s winning all the awards and I see great parallels between the show’s lessons and sales lessons on how you can be a better sales pro and coach. 

In season one we meet Ted Lasso, a Kansas High School Football coach, starting his new career as Head Coach of an English Football team. He has zero experience with the rules, strategy, and terms used in the game. He should be completely out of his element but he persists with kindness, positivity, and a lightning-fast wit filled with pop culture references and unending optimism.

Every episode gives you “the feels” and some excellent life lessons. This is one of those shows that justifies the amount of time I spend watching TV!

Today let’s talk about the one and only Ted Lasso, and ask him for his best tips to help inspire me, and maybe you too. Let’s act as if Ted Lasso is speaking and coaching us.

Here’s my favorite scene below

Enjoy, David

*Here’s Ted!

Greetings, sales team! It’s a pleasure to be here with you all today. As some of you may know, I’m Ted Lasso, and I’m here to offer some advice on how you can elevate your sales game.

First and foremost, I want to remind you all to be curious, not judgmental.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make as salespeople is assuming we know everything there is to know about our clients or customers. The truth is, we’ll never know everything about them, but we can always strive to learn more. So ask questions, be curious, and don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t know something. This will help you build stronger relationships with your clients and ultimately close more deals.

Another important lesson from my experience as a coach is to start where you are.

Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting out, it’s important to assess where you are and set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others or get discouraged by setbacks. Focus on your own progress and take steps every day to improve.

When it comes to feedback, remember to value the opinions of those who matter and forget the rest.

Not everyone’s opinion is worth your time or energy. Seek out feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, and clients who can help you grow and improve. And don’t forget to take the time to give feedback to others as well. It’s a two-way street.

Now, you may be wondering what it means to be a goldfish.

Well, in my experience, it means having a short memory when it comes to mistakes or setbacks. Learn from them, but don’t dwell on them. Instead, focus on the present moment and the opportunities ahead of you. This mindset can help you stay positive and motivated even in challenging times.

To be your best self, you need to nurture the best version of yourself.

This means taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Make time for exercise, meditation, and self-reflection. Take breaks when you need them, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. By investing in yourself, you’ll be better equipped to serve your clients and achieve your goals.

In sales, making quality connections is key.

It’s not just about making a sale; it’s about building relationships that will last. Take the time to get to know your clients on a personal level, and show them that you care about their needs and goals. This will help you build trust and loyalty, which are essential for long-term success.

Remember to make others look and feel good.

Celebrate their successes, offer encouragement when they face challenges, and be generous with your praise. By lifting others up, you’ll create a positive environment that inspires everyone to do their best.

Finally, don’t take yourself too seriously.

Be vulnerable, and don’t be afraid to show your human side. We all make mistakes, and sometimes the best way to connect with others is by sharing our struggles and challenges. By being open and authentic, you’ll build deeper connections with your clients and colleagues, and ultimately become a more effective salesperson.

So there you have it, sales team. These are just a few of the lessons I’ve learned from my time as a coach, and I hope they’ll help you as you navigate the world of sales. And remember, if you ever need a little inspiration, there’s no better time to brush up on the lessons from Ted Lasso Seasons 1-3. Good luck, and happy selling!

Ted Lasso

*Credit Phil Gerbyshak for this article.

Recently my daughter and I re-watched the movie “The Sandlot.” It is a wonderful and entertaining film about friendship, growing up, baseball and adventure. I loved it. But within this film I noticed a very important business lesson.

The several pre-adolescent members of this rag-tag sandlot baseball team often would lose a baseball into the backyard of a mysterious recluse. The backyard itself was home to a slobbering, behemoth canine the size of a horse. Legend had it that any kid venturing into that yard would never return. Every kid was convinced that the dog had already eaten several brave but unwise lads who had dared enter the dreaded yard littered with bones and scores of lost baseballs.

A good portion of the movie is devoted to the team’s elaborate attempts to retrieve a baseball autographed by Babe Ruth that had been put into play through ignorance and inadvertently knocked over the 10-foot-high, steel-paneled wall into the backyard patrolled by the demon dog. They built contraption after contraption and used technique after technique, but each failed when lives were threatened and the dog toyed with their juvenile attempts to recover the treasured autographed ball.

Finally, after an unlikely chase scene, the ball is retrieved but the dog is injured in the process. Overcome by compassion and responsibility, the boys rescue the dog, befriending the beast in the process. They finally lead the dog to the front door of the mysterious recluse and, with great angst, knock — not knowing what wrath they will encounter. The hulking gent who answers the door turns out to be a gentle giant who is also a fan of the grand old game of baseball. Crisis averted!

All throughout the movie these kids use incredible means and wonderful creativity to try to accomplish their goal of retrieving their prized ball. An amazing amount of energy is expended but without the desired result. Sound familiar? Many of our businesses do the same. We are very creative; we think outside the box; we are incredibly busy. Action is the plan of the day. Yet, we find that our goals are illusive.

In working with to help them discover and become the kinds of businesses they really want to be, I often find that they are taking the “sandlot approach” to getting new business — lots of activity and creativity, very few results. Like “The Sandlot” boys, they focus on indirect approaches to acquiring new customers and building their businesses. They create and execute creative ad campaigns and produce beautiful literature. But what they do not do is identify specific potential customers and directly ask them for their business.

If you cannot identify specific potential customers by name, you’re taking an indirect approach to reaching your goals. Always take the most direct approach to acquiring business first. Only after exhausting direct approaches should you venture into the world of the indirect. In simple terms, here’s the hierarchy of contact:

1. A personal visit

2. A personal phone call

3. An e-mail directly to the decision-maker

4. A direct mail piece addressed to the person you intend to reach

5. A mailer addressed only to the company you targeted

6. Print ads in targeted publications that you know your customers read

7. General print ads in nontargeted publications

8. Mass media ads

The rule of thumb is this: Do first things first. Don’t move to No. 2 until you’ve exhausted your opportunities with No. 1. Don’t move to No. 3, until you’ve done all you can with No. 2 and so on.

If you follow this strategy, you’ll see better results faster.

The key reason for the failure of these “Sandlot” boys was that they ignored the most obvious and direct solution to the problem. When they eventually told their story of woe to the mysterious recluse he made this startling proclamation: “Why didn’t you just knock, I’d have gotten your ball for you!”

D’oh!

David