Does being an athlete make you a better salesperson?

As an un-drafted NBA rookie (still only 29 so I think there's still a shot), I've noticed a huge correlation between sports and sales.

Maybe it's just the older white dudes who make a sports reference in every single team meeting before misogynistically apologizing to the women in the room as if they don't know what sports are, but I do think the competitive nature of sports translates really well to sales and a lot of those cliches are said for a good reason.

Are you an athlete and does that mindset from sports help you be a better salesperson? How so?

2 comments

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JustAnOGSalesSavage

WR Officer

Account Executive

Aside from the obvious that every person and situation they're in is different from someone else's, yes.

Some background to support my opinion/argument:
I played sports (ran XC, and played Baseball) in Highschool and competed competitively in the NPC (National Physique Committee) in Men's Physique after I graduated college during my first 2 years in Sales.

I learned very early on that if I wanted to keep my job, be seen as a positive asset within the company I worked for, and make a lot of money at the same time... I needed to hustle, think outside the box, understand what's previously worked, and find a strategy/routine that worked well for ME. When I graduated college, I took the summer "off" and started work in September as a BDR. During this time I started to train for my first NPC show. The work ethic, and mental focus I needed to put into my training, dieting, etc. was exactly the same for my 8-5* (subject to change per day).

When training, I was with two close friends who were also entering the same shows I was (you can think of us all as being on the same team- in terms of training together). The encouragement, knowledge, etc. I gained from my friends (team), is something you must take advantage of in order to be a good sales rep. If you want to be a good sales rep, you need to learn to win as a team. Of course, everyone is competing against one another to be the top rep, team lead, get a promotion, etc. but I believe being a good salesperson is strongly related to how you treat/interact with others. People buy from people they like. When I was training with friends, I would constantly discover new workouts, routines, dieting tips, etc. When I was working with my fellow SDRs as a cohesive unit rather than individuals, I was able to learn about how others were succeeding. From there I could apply what's worked for them, into my workflow, and adjusting their success to fit what worked for me. I was also able to share my success/strategies, so my team could benefit.

In my opinion, I think there is a direct correlation between sports and being a better/successful sales rep (no matter what your definition of success is). To sum it up... Work hard, learn from others, and win as a team!

fodysseus

WR Officer

Sales Manager (Mid-Market)

As much as I'd like to say yes, and harken back to all the broken ankles I've left in my wake, I don't think it makes a difference. Some of the best salespeople I've met are just really good at WHATEVER is their craft. Killer musicians, amateur brewmasters, all of em. I think it's more centered in your confidence, not giving up on something, and being creative. I know a ton of fantastic athletes that were dogshit on the sales floor.

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MassholeMovesWest

Does being an athlete make you a better salesperson?

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