People watching at the gym is a fun way to pass the time when you are grinding away on the treadmill. If you have ever gone to a gym, you may have at one point or another, sized up other members’ routines to try to figure out their reason for being there. Are they there to work out their glamour muscles such as the pectorals, abdominals, or biceps? Do they look like they just started their New Year’s resolution to lose weight and exercise more? Are they there for hours at a time for a total fitness workout? Everyone has their own motivators and goals, but fitness experts agree that people often neglect to exercise their core. What is your sales core and are you neglecting it?
Core is often neglected in both worlds because it doesn’t seem glamorous and it takes time away from other exercises that feel more engaging and what we believe will actually drive our desired results. Again, I must state that I am not a fitness expert, but the basic logic is important when we examine our sales fitness and muscles. Core exercises in the gym are slow and almost basic (depending on who you ask, like I said, not an expert fitness writer here). There are a lot of planks, hangs and stretches that hold you in place while essential muscle groups in your body begin to strengthen. They don’t alway make you feel like flexing when these reps are complete, but you get a sense of inner strength that is necessary for your other fitness routines.
What is your sales core? What are the essential, yet unglamorous, exercises that we as salespeople should be doing as part of our routine. What are the critical sales muscle groups that we neglect to develop that hinder all of our other sales exercises? It is as simple as the common plank; it is your sales intelligence. How often do we, as salespeople, take the time to read up on current trends in our profession? Sales people are not known to be avid readers, mostly due to the fact that many of us have attention span disorders (my attention span is that of circus chimp in a room full of bright colors and bananas). But this is not a good excuse and we rob our minds of the opportunities, challenges, and just some good old reminders on how to get better at what we do. This isn’t only for our sake, but it is also for our customers’ sake.
You already have a pass if you are reading this article because you are fulfilling your core. But consider taking a continuing education course or sales training workshop and see what new ideas are waiting for you to discover. Go out and purchase one of the many great sales books that are available (and actually finish it this time). Seek out and subscribe to one of the many free sales blogs that are available online. Visit and browse our robust library of sales articles. Better still, engage a conversation with someone else in sales and learn more about their techniques and challenges. After all, if you live in a bubble, you will eventually run out of air. Working your sales core may require you to slow down and focus, but you will be glad you did. When we come back to the sales gym to exercise your sales muscles, having addressed your core ahead of time will produce better results. Next time we meet in the sales gym, we will start to focus on your lower body.
