Earlier this summer, the VA Partners team had an event and that got me thinking that sales is like fishing. Yes, the team did in fact go fishing on Lake Ontario with King Slayer! It was a great afternoon with many fish and smiles. Here are a few of the ways that sales is like fishing.
Target the right fish
Like in sales, you want to make sure you are targeting the fish equivalent of your ideal customer profile. This will drive your strategy and tactics.
The right equipment
We were fishing for brown trout and salmon. In order to get to the fish and to be able to get them in the boat, we needed downriggers and heavy-duty rods. This is the equivalent of your CRM and research tools to help you close your ICP.
Go to where the fish are
The fish we were targeting were about 30 to 45 minutes offshore. We had a great boat to get there in a timely manner. This is similar to in-person events and using platforms like LinkedIn to find and connect.
The right bait
We had different lures in the water that had worked in the past. Once one started working well, we switched up a few of the rods with the one that was working. This is similar to having your messaging and doing some A/B testing.
On the line, but you need to get them in the boat
You get a fish on the line, but that doesn’t mean you get them in the boat. They could spit the hook or break the line. Just like in sales, the discovery meeting could be the first major step, but you still need to get them through to close.
Better with experience
On our trip, everyone got better over time as they better understood the proper techniques to reel in the fish when it was on the line. Over time you get better at sales. You feel more confident and make fewer mistakes.
It’s fishing, not catching
You can do everything right in fishing and still not catch a fish. This is why it is called fishing, not catching. The same thing can happen in sales. The key is to stay at it. If you do have the right messaging, targeting the right ICP, and have the right timing, you should be successful.
Get some help if needed
We had a great guide named Devin. He helped provide information and best practices on most of the aspects related to our trip. Could we have caught fish without Devin? We could have caught some, but we would not likely have been as successful. It is okay to get help with your sales strategy and outbound efforts. This is especially the case if you are new to sales or fishing.
If you want to talk about growing your sales faster or swap fishing stories, please connect with me.
