The Difference Between a Life of Fiction and a Life of Fact

Imagine it is game day, The Ohio State Buckeyes are playing the last game of the regular season against, none other than, the Michigan Wolverines. It's one of the greatest sports rivals in the American sporting world.

Called out of retirement at age 49 is Tony Cefalu, running back extraordinaire, to join the offensive lineup as the team's "ground threat" along with quarterback great, Terrell Pryor.

In the huddle, Pryor calls the next play; a running play that traces it's steps behind the lead blocking of the right offensive tackle. The plan is to have the "ageless running back," Tony Cefalu, get the ball. Pryor calls, "break," and the offensive team lines up along the line of scrimmage to prepare for battle.

Under center, Pryor begins to call the play and immediately assesses that Michigan is "stacked" with defensive players off right tackle; poised perfectly to tackle the running back great, Tony Cefalu. It was as if the entire Michigan defense was in the Ohio State huddle when the play was called.

Without hesitation, Pryor decides to change the play at the scrimmage line mere seconds before the ball is put into play. He does this by way of an "audible," a tactic used by quarterbacks to change a play just seconds before the ball is hiked. Usually, an audible is a voice command "code" comprised of a word such as "red," or it can be a number, or it can be a combination of the two.

The "codes" used by quarterbacks are different for every team and every game so they can't be "deciphered" by the opponent teams. Audibles in football allow teams to immediately adjust their offensive play to match the real time changing conditions in a football game within a matter of seconds.

So when an immediate change to an offensive play is required to match the ever fluid situation of a game, it can be done instantaneously, imperceptibly, effectively; and everyone on the team knows the "code" and everyone knows what they have to do as a result. The key to a successful "audible" call is planning, practice and situational awareness.

The ball is snapped, Pryor hands it off to Cefalu and he runs off the left tackle as the audible indicated. As a result, he ends up recording one of the longest running plays for a touchdown in college football history! Ohio State wins the game and captures the Big Ten Conference Championship outright while earning a berth to the national title game...which, incidentally, they win handily.

A lesson drawn from this story is this; In order to be able to deviate...one must have something to deviate from...such as an effective "game plan."

In Order to be Able to Deviate...One Must Have Something to Deviate From

What does all this have to do with sales and sales success?

First of all, the scenario painted is born of my dreams and fantasies of being a college football player for one of the greatest teams and schools on the planet; The Ohio State Buckeyes. So please, forgive the indulgence...I couldn't resist the urge to "come out of retirement" for this blog article and to dream a fantastic scenario as the one where I am running back for the Buckeyes.

Secondly, what I am hoping to illustrate with this story is a principle of success that is often lost among sales professionals. That principle is the principle of preparation.

When coach, Jim Tressel, has the OSU football team take the field of play, do you think there was a lot of planning and preparation that went into their practices and their formations before ever stepping onto the gridiron? Absolutely; no successful team takes the field of play without a lot of preparation and planning ahead of the actual game itself.

Before each game, how many basic offensive plays do you think have been planned, scripted out, memorized and practiced by each member of the OSU team in order to win a game? The answer is this; a lot.

It can be argued conservatively that there are at least 15 different basic offensive formations within the OSU arsenal along with as many different variations for each play that a team of their caliber might be expected to execute on the field. Therefore, the different combination of plays that can be potentially called is...enormous. Hence, teams have "play books" which are guarded closely and studied religiously by each player in order to be ready for "game day."

Coach Tressel has won 5 national championships in major college football; 4 of those titles he won while head coach of Youngstown State University in Division I-AA Football. The other title, many of us remember vividly, was during the perfect season year in 2002 with The Ohio State Buckeyes in Division I-A Football.

Winning is not an accidental thing; it is a deliberate action.

The Will to Win is Not as Important as the Will to Plan to Win

You Can't Win Titles without Great Players...But You Can Lose Titles with Great Players

Over the years, I have had the privilege of meeting with and working with hundreds of sales professionals and leaders in trying to improve their sales results and to build upon their skills as business owners. Most of them are brilliant people who are quick witted, smart and possess the social skills that I can only describe as enviable. They exude success.

Quite often, I silently marvel at the ease in which they wield their talents and apply their skills as sales experts. But for as many individuals I meet who possess the will to be successful, have great talent and skill in delivering a persuasive sales presentation; just as many end up failing as sales professionals. Why?

It's not for the Lack of Talent that Sales Professionals Fail...It's for the Lack of Planning to Win that Many Fail


In order to be able to deviate...one must have something to deviate from...as in a plan of action. Do you have a written plan; a game plan of sorts, that you can follow and deviate from, if necessary, in order to be successful?

I'm not speaking of a written business plan only. I am referring to a written document that goes beyond a business plan; that outlines what to say, what to do, who will say it, who will do take action and when it will all happen and with what outcomes.

Do you have your marketing processes planned out and kept in a written document?
Do you have your scripts planned out and kept in a written document?

On "game day," are you prepared to execute your marketing processes or deliver a scripted sales conversation? Do you know what to say? Do you plan and prepare to win?

How do you prepare your team (staff) to be successful? Do you review your processes and scripts periodically with your agency staff?

Where is your "game book," and do you execute on it? When with a customer in a sales situation, are you able to call a sales audible in order to shift the conversation to the ever changing dynamics that are an inevitability when working in a "people-centered business" such as insurance sales and financial services?

Don't fool yourself. The difference between a successful career has a lot to do with planning for success. For me, the difference can be thought of as either leading a life of fiction or a life of fact and meaning as an agent.

The life of fiction can be illustrated by the agent who is continually looking for that "good idea;" that secret formula which will guarantee success and grow the business without any real effort or investment on the part of the agent. That kind of solution doesn't exist.

A life of fiction is a life of no growth; that ignores the practical matters of scripting, planning and deliberate execution on those marketing processes and sales ideas we all know will work for any agent; only if acted upon.

In contrast, the life of fact and accepting the realities of business ownership as an agent-owner where planning and execution go hand-in-hand with being successful is a life of growth, profit and increased income.

Fact versus fiction is a choice between following a path as a "make-believe" business professional or a substantive and successful agent-owner with results, credibility, and the respect of your peers. Which path do you want to follow?

Copyright © 2010 - Tony Cefalu