When I hear from team members about struggles with certain tasks, trouble hitting numbers, etc., the first thing I ask them is about their practice routine.
๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐ค๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐?
๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ง๐ค๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐?
๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐ค๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง?
The answer I usually get: “We don’t.”
That’s a problem.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ป ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป’๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ?
Where along the way did we begin to think that our first customer of the day is going to walk in the door and the conversation will work out perfectly?
We are in the business of muscle memory. One of systems and processes which are all very intentional. But we can’t create muscle memory if we don’t practice. What does that look like?
โShe says this; I say that.โ
โCustomer goes there; I go here.โ
โProspect wants this; I say this in return.โ
We have to know exactly what is going to happen in this process before we engage with customers: what our rebuttals are; what our word tracks are. If we’re not in control of our conversations it will be harder for us to arrive where weโre making people feel like what they want and need is the most important thing, and bring them to a place that is a WIN-WIN for them and us.
But none of this happens if we’re not practicing.
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ: ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ ๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐.
I choose before the workday begins to get the day started in this way with my team; about 5-10 minutes blocks and 20 minutes total. Take a small snippet of your business to practice each day.
For us, it’s things like:
- value statement
- transition statement
- onboarding
- referrals
- the open to our sales program
- sharing stories about certain lines of coverage
Create word tracks to rehearse that help you guide the conversation. Pick something new each day. Practice how you are going to deliver the script. And yes, you’ll have impromptu moments and go “off-script” depending on the exact situation, but you will be able to direct the conversation where you want it to go. Make a point to make mistakes during practice so you can refine your answers based on various scenarios.
In this business, we have to be intentional with what we do. And this includes practicing.
If you are not used to doing this now, it will be uncomfortable to start, all change is.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐: ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐.
