Excuses are the Snooze Button of Ticket Sales

Each day the alarm on my phone goes of at 6:00 am. I have every intention of working out. Some days I do it. Some days I don't. On the days I do it, I often find a way to do it the next day, and the day after that, and so on. On the days I hit snooze, I tend to hit snooze the next day, and the day after that, and so on. Every day I do what I should do, it becomes easier to do it. Every day I don't do it, it becomes easier to justify not doing it.

Let's pull that into sales. When I first worked at CEB, I was terrible at sales. And I found excuses like that was my job. Our scripts sucked. My territory sucked. The executive programs I was selling sucked. Nobody picked up the phone when I called. Everyone else was luckier than I was. And on...and on...and on. The more I struggled, the easier it was to blame someone or something else. The problem was it didn't get me any better at sales. So it wasn't until I took action against excuses that I found success.

If you're not the #1 salesperson in your inside sales class, someone is just figuring it out better than you. If you're not the #1 salesperson on your team, someone is just figuring it out better than you. If you're not the #1 retention person in your organization, someone is just figuring it out better than you. Complaining about how they are or why you aren't doesn't solve the problems. Trying to find a solution for them does.

Who cares if your stadium sucks? Someone is going to your games still. Who cares if the weather sucks? Someone is going to your games still. Who cares if you're pricing is too high? Someone is buying your tickets. Who cares if your schedule sucks? Someone is finding their way to your games. Who cares if your marketing sucks? Someone is picking up the phones when you call. The quote on the right says it all...

Are all of these valid reasons why people don't buy tickets? Of course. Does it do you, as a salesperson, any good complaining about them? Absolutely not. So stop complaining and go find some answers. Ask your team's top salesperson. Ask your manager. Ask your President. Ask the fans who are buying. Ask your friends and family. The positive answers are out there...go find them.