If you’ve read my book, Door-to-Door Millionaire, you already know I’m not a fan of the New York Yankees…for crying out loud I have a son named Boston! However, I am a fan of greatness and former Yankee pitcher Mariano Rivera was great.
Rivera, born in Panama, served as the Yankees’ closer for 17 seasons and is Major League Baseball’s career leader in saves. For those not familiar with baseball, a closer is the pitcher who specializes in getting the final outs in a close game when his team is leading.
Closers are known to be imposing figures. Facial hair and tattoos typically precede these men before they throw their first pitch. Contrarily, Rivera approached the mound as a clean-shaven, tattoo-less reliever who let his pitches, not his appearance, terrorize batters. He was also known for his composure and reserved demeanor on the field.
Rivera’s ability to compartmentalize his successes and failures impressed a fellow teammate who said, “He’s won and lost some of the biggest games in the history of baseball, and he’s no worse for the wear when he gives up a home run.” Derek Jeter called him the “most mentally tough” teammate with whom he has ever played. Rivera explained his ability to quickly forget bad performances, “Win or lose, you have to forget about it. Right on the spot…the game that you’re going to play tomorrow is not going to be the same game that you just played.”
Whether it’s closing baseball games or sales, being an effective closer is 90% mental. Having the ability to quickly forget negative experiences and give 100% effort at the next sales opportunity is a crucial element to becoming a great closer.
Sales reps are judged on accounts sold and CLOSERS MAKE SALES!
For door-to-door sales reps now is the time to become a closer. There are no more moral victories for getting people close to buying…it’s all about closing sales.
Even though a skinny Panamanian didn’t look the part of a traditional closer, his mental toughness and focus helped him to become the best closer of all-time. Despite your deficiencies and/or lack of production up to this point, you can start today by focusing your efforts on every single door and closing sales. Your success this summer can be realized if you seek to become a killer closer!