As some of you know, I am a pretty big college football nut.  

I enjoy the rivalries, and I enjoy the enthusiasm that players, fans and alumni have for their teams.

This morning, I read that Nebraska fired their pretty successful coach Bo Pelini (that really is him with the cat above).  Bo had a 67-27 record...which would seem like a pretty good one in college, right?

So when I heard the news, I wondered why an athletic director would make this decision...even after a season where Nebraska boasted a 9-3 record, and just beating one of their rivals Iowa on Friday.  Ndamukong Suh, a famous football player for the Detroit Lions, who was coached by Pelini was puzzled by the firing of a guy who seems to be doing a good job.

Isn't this the kind of success we strive for? 

And then I read this quote. Shawn Eichorst, in his second year as AD at Nebraska,  recognized that, if Nebraska expects to reach its desired position in the Big Ten and beyond, it's not about beating Iowa (a middle of the road football program).  It's about being above the rest of the teams in their division, conference and even the country.  

So this is what I take from this.  

EVEN THOUGH, Bo Pelini has provided the University of Nebraska 9-10 wins per season on a consistent basis

EVEN THOUGH, Bo Pelini has taken Nebraska to bowl games more times than most

EVEN THOUGH, Bo Pelini has beaten Iowa again:

IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH.

Shawn Eichorst made the brave decision to move past good in search for great.  He decided that Nebraska fans and his department were not going to settle for a good team.  He wants great.  He wants better than good.  He expects it.

So how does this relate to sales?

Easy.  Many salespeople are good.  You probably know some good ones.  Why be content with what some would consider good.  Strive for better.  Strive for more than just selling more than most.  Strive for the pinnacle of your profession.

December is upon us, and it is up to you to come up with a plan to not only beat Iowa, but to beat everyone else in 2015.  In the coming weeks, I will post articles on writing your 2015 sales business plan.

Start doing some research and get working on your plan to not only do well in 2015, but to kick 2015's butt.  Channel your inner Shawn Eichorst, and take yourself from "Good to Awesome".

As some of you know, I am a BIG proponent of what is happening here in Detroit.

Detroit has been the butt of jokes for years, but honestly, I find no reason to raise my kids anywhere else...

This video has all the excitement the I see on a daily basis here...AND ONE OF MY BASIC RULES is that you should always be excited about your product.

Please share....

Last week, I had a philosophical conversation regarding activity that leads to sales.

I was told that the more sales activity that you have, the more deals that will close.   There is no doubt that more activity leads to more sales...but that activity has to be meaningful and productive.  "Checking the Box" is another term for doing an activity only for the sake of doing the activity, not because we think it will lead to sales success.  Meeting with a prospect who doesn't have the likelihood of buying your product just so you can say you had a meeting is a great example.  

We can't just "check the box" to sales success.

A couple of months ago, I posted to my blog about which metrics should matter....Click here or scroll down to find that blog post.

So what is the deal with the gears?  

Simple.  In order to increase your sales, you either need to meet with more people OR YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR CLOSE RATIO.

Easy to say, but hard to do.  Aside from meeting with the right people, here are some other ways you can change that ratio in your favor.

1. Ask relevant questions:  I know a lot of salespeople who "show up and throw up".  In our company, we have had sales trainers who have emphasized going into meetings with a script.  While having a script and a talk track is important, it is even more important to ask questions and modify your pitch based on the answers to those questions.  
2. Take great notes:  During your meeting, be sure to write down key comments and buying signals.  You should have a great list at the end of the meeting detailing exactly what your prospect's pain, needs, and how your product/service fits.  When you have your follow up conversation, discuss those points.
3. Ask for the business:  This one always baffles me.  In the quest to not get the dreaded "No", salespeople won't ask for the "Yes".  Have you ever found yourself skating around the question, and settling for a non commitment?  Channel your inner New Yorker, and ask for the business.

For more helpful sales tips and tricks, check out my book