With baseball spring training under way, I’ve been reading up on the latest about my Cubs and the upcoming season.

In one of the articles, one of the pitchers was discussing something the Cubs manager, Joe Maddon, often says: “Respect the game.”

To me, this means be prepared, give maximum effort, and never give up.

The sales game demands respect too.

Respecting the game in sales means to prepare, but also do. That is, make quick plans, but execute far more than you plan. Ready, fire!, aim.

Do work you’re proud of. I don’t ever want to look back at a lost sale and wonder if I could have done more.

Don’t get me wrong — I lose my fair share of deals, but I know I did everything I could to make that sale happen.

My family, and my clients, and my prospects, deserve that I give every possible effort.

They deserve that I respect them, and that I respect the game — the business — that we are in.

Your customers and prospects and family deserve that too.

They deserve for you to pick up the phone and make proactive phone calls systematically.

They deserve for you to ask for the business every time you talk about to somebody about it.

They deserve for you to do the work that growth demands.

Never allow yourself to be in a position where you wonder if you did all you could.

Respect the game, and watch your sales grow.

To add 10-20% sales growth to your revenue — which is what my clients average — call me directly at 847-459-6322, or simply reply to this email.