Sell like Minnesota Fats

The other night I was watching a couple of people play pool. It was obvious that one of the individuals was more skilled than the other. They were both, however, much better than I could ever hope to be. (My game is darts).

In its basic form, billiards is a game of angles. Great players know what angles to use, from bank shots to combinations to simple, straightforward shots. But there’s a lot more to it than that. 

In addition to calculating ball spin (cue ball and object ball), you need to anticipate where the cue ball will ‎end up after each shot so that you can set up your next shot and prevent your opponent from getting a good open. You also need to calculate the strength of your stroke — how hard or soft you strike the cue ball.

In a similar way, great salespeople take the time to figure out the angles. They anticipate objections and make sure they haven’t missed anything, especially before an important sales call. They try to figure out what their prospects might say or do and plan their strategies accordingly. They also try to calculate whether a prospect requires a softer or more assertive touch. 

Take a cue from one of the greats, Rudolf Wanderone (aka Minnesota Fats), and learn to play the angles in your sales game. You might find you’re racking up the sales in no time.