Swing The Bat

I will beat any Major League batter in any batting contest anywhere in the country, anytime of the year—as long as he stays out of the batter’s box. Skill, attitude, knowledge of the game, and vast experience don’t stand a chance from outside the box.

Swinging the bat is not preparation, training, role-playing, research, organizing, listening to motivational videos, attending sales meetings, planning, or writing proposals. Yes, those are important, but none of them make the sale. Swinging the bat is about calling, writing, stopping by, having a meeting, asking great questions, presenting, and even asking for the sale. And if you’ve prepared well, mixed it with integrity and care, asking for the sale is usually the easiest part. Swinging the bat is a green light activity—something that directly moves you closer to your goal.

If you’re in sales, you know exactly what I mean. Many good salespeople simply don’t swing the bat, or they do so inconsistently. You can train on technique, learn questioning skills, practice trial closes, and study every pitch. You can build confidence, develop a winning attitude, and believe you’re ready to hit the ball out of the park. But none of it matters until you step into the batter’s box and apply what you know.

As basic as this sounds, lack of consistent execution is often the biggest issue—and the simplest to fix. Too often, salespeople step out of the box after failure, make adjustments, and then step back in. It’s better to stay in the box, keep swinging, and adjust on the fly. Think of it this way: it’s easier to steer a moving car than one that’s parked. Get in the box, swing, adjust, swing again, and eventually knock it out of the park. Success will shine through if you stay in the box, learn, adjust, listen to winners, and believe in yourself.

Here’s a practical exercise: in your digital calendar, mark all your “bat-swinging” time—calls, meetings, visits—in green. This is your billable time as a salesperson. Track your weekly percentages and work to increase them. While there’s more to sales than just swinging the bat, simple usually works wonders.

Keep it simple. Swing the bat.