The buzz everywhere these days is FIFA. I hear people talking about it all the time. At home, in restaurants, at the mall, even my auto-rickshaw driver was wearing a football jersey voicing his support for Brazil. I can't help thinking of the tremendous pressure on the players. Even the remotest village in India is rooting for their favourite team across the world. Imagine the expectations that they have to live up to. Such stiff competition, and all for the same target.

Sounds a lot like sales, doesn't it? We're all vying for the same market share, facing tremendously stiff competition, with tremendous pressure from our sales managers, and their managers and their bosses, et al. But, that is the story of sales. Selling is tough work and there is no way to avoid the pressure that comes with it.

In my opinion, great salespeople and great atheletes definitely have a lot in common. The best football players set themselves apart by preparing themselves better, pushing themselves harder and finding a niche for themselves. On analyzing we find that the best salespeople also prepare themselves harder, find a differentiator and learn that pressure can be used to succeed.

Finally, just as the best football players play the game better because they enjoy it, we at Salesprinciples know that the best salespeople enjoy what they do, so they do it better.