How to Get to Carnegie Hall

We sales folks never think that our jobs require practice.  Practice is what musicians do; it's what actors do; it's what athletes do--not what sales people do.
I was speaking recently with my good friend, Sal, a small business owner.  Sal is a volunteer firefighter and he was talking with me about how, once a month, firefighters are required to operate every piece of equipment--including doing things as simple as extending ladders.  Even firefighters who have been doing their jobs for decades are required to go through the practice--no one is excluded.
So what does this have to do with us sales folks?
I have spoken over and over again in my blogs about the need for preparation.  NEVER go into a meeting without an agenda.
But I'm going to suggest something more.  I'm going to suggest that you actually practice your sales pitch. Practice it on your wife; your kids; your boss; your colleagues.
Sales people who thinks that they're too good or too smart to practice are misleading themselves.  When I ride with a regional sales manager or another sales person, I like to go over the proposed sales pitch--practice it over and over.  In fact, one of the regional managers that I rode with used to debate with me: he would take the part of the customer or he would take the part of the competitive product sales person.   We were constantly discussing the merits of our product and debating the merits or failings of the competitive products.
Sales people NEED to practice their craft.
I have a major sales presentation in a couple of weeks.  My plan is to have the three presenters meet the morning before the meeting and prepare very carefully.  I refuse to go into a meeting without thorough preparation--without practicing.
How do we keep robots from taking our jobs?  By being better--PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.  As I said in my previous post, overconfidence is a deal killer.  Practice requires humility; it requires you to admit that you can get better.  And every one of us can get better.  Be humble; practice your craft.