How to Tee Up Your Customer
Today is National Golf Day. Finally, a holiday made for me! Many of us love the game of the golf and the experiences we gain each time we play a round. In today’s time-starved world, it may be hard to imagine blocking out four hours on your calendar. There are so many demands to grow top-line revenue and reduce expenses, but we must find a way to connect more deeply with our customers. In the business community, golf is often that outlet.
There are so many similarities between golf and business.
Relationships. There is a special bond built on the golf course. You have the opportunity to spend over four hours with your prospect or current customer. During this escape from emails and business demands, you build comradery and develop a special connection. You get to know your client on a personal level and you find out what drives them. This is a game changer!
Strategy. In business you create and shift your strategy depending on the market conditions. In golf, you encounter the same experience. You mentally walk through a process with each shot you take on the golf course. You also learn how your client thinks and problem solves.
Focus. Golf is a series of focused moments. In business, we can quickly become distracted by the demands of others and lose sight on what we need to do to exceed our outcomes. You become mentally stronger by being able to focus on each shot. On the course, you quiet your mind and concentrate on hitting that little white ball. The same applies to your business. You need to focus on each moment throughout your day.
Outcomes. In business, you have certain results you want to achieve – adding a certain number of new clients or reaching a certain number of sales. In golf it’s the same situation. You approach each round with the intention to shoot a low score or your personal best. You face setbacks along the way, like sand traps and trees, and you take your eye off the ball. Don’t turn on the ball or shift your weight to get the best shot, or your putt will push right. We also must make adjustments along the way in business. There are teaching moments along the way and we learn that we are resilient!
“Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.” -Arnold Palmer