I have been expanding on the benefits of golf in sales and have a point to add on the golf tournament.
Executives and clients get many offers to golf tournaments. MANY. They have to be choosy on which ones they go to.
When I was a rep, I can remember my peers struggling to fill their slots, while I hovered around – ready to take the extra slots up because I had too many people wanting to come. Invariably, the excuses would fly:
1. My customer has an event that day (You should have invited them sooner)2. No one at my customer golfs (can’t see that being true)3. They are not allowed to golf (can’t see that being true)
As a sales manager, I use the corporate golf tourney as a litmus test. The best reps, who have built strong relationships and positioned the company as a key partner, are the ones who fill the slots to overflowing.
A good measure of the rep.
Michael Weening: a few pictures 