I grew up playing competitive hockey, and my coaches always said something that resonated with me: Do the little things well. It resonated so much that I’m sure I sound like a broken record to the high school boys I coach today when I preach about the little things. I also incorporate the advice into my career as a sales professional every day.
In hockey, the little things add up to winning games. They include things like coming out to practice ready to execute on the first drill, working on the skills needed to make good passes, paying attention to position and making healthy eating decisions.
On the other hand, in sales, the little things lead you to win deals. They include sales activities like prospecting calls, new business meetings and opportunity progression.
But regardless of which little things we’re talking about, here’s what it all comes down to: In order to do the little things well you need to understand what those little things are that will drive you to success. That’s key. Then in order to carry out those activities in a strong, consistent way, you need to be able to execute. You need to be able to set personal goals for each of these “things” on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to ensure success. You also need focus.
All in all, doing the little things well isn’t so little. It requires skills. But once you’ve got those skills down, they can take you to the next level in sales…or hockey to set you up for some serious wins.
