What are you aiming at?
The best golfer in the world wasn't aiming at a clubhouse. He was aiming at a window pane. The difference between a good salesperson and a great one is the same conversation.
| 01 — THE STORY
Shinnecock Hills. Three targets. One lesson.
Years ago, I had the privilege of playing Shinnecock Golf Club, one of the most storied courses in the world. I was playing alongside a club pro, and we had a caddy who knew the course better than most people know their own backyard.
On the course where the first lesson landed.
Standing on the tee, I asked the caddy where to aim. He told me: aim at the clubhouse. Simple enough. A big, unmissable target sitting on the horizon.
I looked over at the pro. He wasn't aiming at the clubhouse. He was aiming at a window.
The caddy leaned in and told us that back in 1996, the best golfer in the world stood on this same tee, and he was aiming at a specific window pane. Not the building. Not the window. A single pane of glass, roughly 4 by 6 inches, from over a thousand feet away.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, NY.
The clubhouse on the hill. The target everyone can see.
Think about that for a moment. Three people. Same tee. Same shot. Three completely different targets.
| 02 — THE TOOL
IBS: The Three Letters That Changed My Career
Early in my career, I was taught an acronym: IBS. Initial Benefit Statement.
Three letters that forced me to change everything. Not what I was selling. Not how I was positioned. My thinking. Specifically, it forced me to stop thinking about myself and start thinking about what was important to the customer. What benefit would they receive from the very first words out of my mouth?
In a crowded market where everyone is selling the same thing, the reps who win aren't the ones with the best product. They're the ones with the sharpest aim.
THE TWO-QUESTION TEST: Before you send any message, ask yourself two questions: So what? Who cares? If you can’t answer both clearly, your prospect won’t understand your message either. These aren’t harsh questions. They’re the most important ones you’ll ever ask yourself before hitting send.
THE METRICS MOMENT
Numbers tell stories. Stories create champions.
In MEDDPICC, the M stands for Metrics, and there's a reason it comes first. People relate to numbers. Especially when those numbers are told within a story.
My goal was always to create an emotional connection within my messaging, aimed at the specific person or organization I was targeting. Not a connection built on charisma or rapport alone. A connection built on relevance. On a metric that made them think: my company can use that.
When that happens, something shifts. You're no longer a vendor trying to get in the door. You're the person they want to bring in, because bringing you in makes them look good. That's your first Champion. And that's where deals really begin.
| 03 — THE CHALLENGE
Pick three prospects. Find the window pane.
This week, take three prospects you’ve been meaning to reach out to. Before you write a single word, do this:
FIND A SPECIFIC NUMBER
A metric, an outcome, a result relevant to their business or industry. Not a general stat. Something connects to their specific world.RUN THE TWO-QUESTION TEST
So what? Who cares? If you can answer both clearly in one sentence, than you have a message worth sending.THINK ABOUT THE CREDIT
You’re not just trying to get in the door. You’re trying ot make the person who lets you in look brilliant for doing it. That’s the mindset that builds Champions.
— Paddy Mac
PaddyMacSays · Sales is a contact sport.
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