I hooked a HUGE rainbow the other night. After an excellent fight that lasted several minutes the fish broke my fly off. It was an incredibly difficult day of fishing; in fact that was the only fish that came to my fly all day. It was a bad day and it got me down a bit. As I walked home I related the day of fishing to the sales process and realized why I may have lost the fish.
The prospect got in my head and took control
Immediately after I saw the fish take my fly my first thought was "that is a huge fish and I want it." However, the fish immediately took control and got downstream and negative thoughts entered my head; "I'm going to lose him." With those thoughts in my head the fish had already won. Lesson learned: don't fear rejection or losing a sale, it is going to happen and is part of the process.
I let the missed sale affect my sales process
After I lost the fish all I could think about was the missed opportunity. I continued to fish but it is doubtful my mind or heart was in it and there was little surprise that I didn't get another take all day. Lesson learned: don't let a missed sale affect your sales techniques.
You haven't closed until the check clears the bank
I let my guard down because of the size of the fish; he owned me from the beginning. The hardest part was done my prospect said "yes I want that." Done deal right? Not really because I stumbled in the closing process and he got away. Lesson learned: the sale is never final until the money is in the bank or the fish is in the net.
I have always thought good salesman would make excellent fisherman. Fishing helps me to sell better and selling helps me to fish better. The only thing I know for certain is that you will not catch anything without your fly on the water.