Unleashing Game-Changing Half-Time Strategies for Unstoppable Victories
half-time for 2023, and I believe distributors should take note. Since sports history is full of great half-time stories, I took a few minutes to reflect on some momentous events. Here’s a sampling of three amazing half-time meetings:
·
Super Bowl 2017 - The New England Patriots were
trailing the Atlanta Falcons by 18 points at half-time. During the break, head coach Bill Belichick
and his coaching staff made critical strategic adjustments to counter the
Falcons' dominant performance. The half-time
adjustments paid off as the Patriots staged an incredible comeback, scoring 25
unanswered points to tie the game and force it into overtime. Ultimately, the Patriots won Super Bowl LI in
the first-ever overtime Super Bowl, completing one of the greatest comebacks in
NFL history.
·
Super Bowl I 1967 - At half-time, with the Green
Bay Packers trailing the Kansas City Chiefs, legendary coach Vince Lombardi
delivered a simple yet impactful message to his team. He famously said, "We've got to get back
to the basics," reminding his players to focus on fundamentals and execute
their game plan. The Packers responded
by scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half and went on to win the first
Super Bowl.
·
"Miracle on Ice" 1980 Winter Olympics
- Herb Brooks' half-time talk during the game against the Soviet Union was
instrumental in motivating the United States hockey team. His speech emphasized the players' hard work,
belief, and opportunity to make history. The team responded by playing with renewed
determination and eventually secured a stunning upset victory over the heavily
favored Soviets.
When I think about hockey, I remember that there are two
breaks during the game known as intermissions. Although I can't recall exactly in which
intermission the speech occurred, the key point is that these mid-game breaks
are when skilled coaches showcase their abilities by adjusting strategies and
securing victories.
What does a good coach do during these half-time
sessions? Here are some thoughts:
1. Assess
the performance: Start by objectively evaluating the team's performance in
the first half. Highlight the positives
and identify areas that need improvement. Provide constructive feedback to help the team
understand their strengths and weaknesses.
2. Adjust
tactics: If necessary, provide specific adjustments or tactical changes
that can help the team capitalize on opportunities or overcome challenges. Offer practical advice or tactical suggestions
that can improve performance in the second half.
3. Reinforce
the game plan: Remind the team of the pre-game strategy and the goals they
set out to achieve. Emphasize the
importance of sticking to the plan and executing it effectively. Reinforce key
tactics, plays, or strategies that have been successful or need adjustment.
4. Build
unity and support: Reinforce the importance of teamwork, unity, and
communication. Encourage players to
support and encourage each other throughout the second half. Remind them that they are a collective unit
working towards a common goal.
5. Highlight
the reward: Remind the team of the potential rewards or the significance of
the game. Whether it's a championship, a rivalry match, or a personal
milestone, emphasize what is at stake and how their efforts can lead to
success.
It’s time for our own version of a half-time
session. Let’s look at what a
distributor sales team might do using the same general headings as a sports
half-time pep talk/strategy session.
Assessing Performance
It is important to understand whether you are winning or
losing the game. Without a two-story
scoreboard off in the distance, we determine our situation. Using sales data,
the numbers must be analyzed using the following points:
·
Which customers are up or down for the year?
This works better if you look at
this year to date, versus last year to date.
Comparing your numbers against goals is another good exercise.
·
Did you see any changes within customer segments
or industries?
This one requires some effort
because the intelligent front ends of most business systems will not easily
allow you to sort customers by segments or industries. At the very minimum, some manual examination
is recommended. For instance, are OEMs
serving the food industry up?
·
Which products or technologies are up or down?
If it is not possible to examine
sales by specific technologies, at least review sales by the manufacturer.
·
Have there been any changes in supply, customer
adoption, or other points which may have had an impact on your position in the
market?
We are coming out of the Covid-driven
supply chain crisis, but there could be some lingering changes in customer
behavior.
·
Are there large opportunities/orders which have
not yet materialized?
Consider these points. How would you forecast the probability of
success? What are the chances the order
will happen in the latter half of the year?
Are there factors that could impact the size of the order? Is there a need to change strategy?
·
What seasonal aspects may impact the second
quarter of the year?
·
Are you meeting commitments to key supply
partners?
Adjust tactics.
factors may require a shift in tactics. Here are some things to consider:
·
Are there customers whose business levels have
lagged because of some shift in their market?
If so, should time devoted to them be throttled back and invested
elsewhere? Create a list of customers
impacted. How will you drive this
forward in the coming six months?
·
Are some types of customers increasing activities
in the market? Does shifting resources
to capitalize on these activities make sense?
·
If there are products which are lagging last
year, does it make sense to decrease your efforts on those products and better
position them?
·
If there are marketing activities planned for
the second half of the year, does the investment still make sense?
·
Supplier relations are also fluid. Are there any issues with your key suppliers that
should be addressed to maximize your success?
Reinforce your Game Plan
These types of reviews can easily create confusion within
the ranks. If you have a 3–5-year
strategic plan, now is a good time to review the plan with your team. If you do not have such a plan, you must
consider the most important aspects of your business over the next few
years. For example, if your plan calls
for better relationships with a few key supply partners, this could be easily
forgotten as you scramble for new orders.
The message is don’t allow short-term conditions to
distract from where you want to be in the future.
Unity and Support
Now, more than ever, distributor sales effort is a team exercise. Continuing with our sports analogy, teams
have playbooks. Each member of the
organization understands not only their assignments but also how the activities
of team members intersect with their own work.
Now is a good time to review how your playbook is working. For customers, this means a seamless
interaction with your company. For the supply
partners, it means being able to instantly identify the right person for a
follow-up. For the team, there needs to
be a strong understanding of each goal.
Now is the Time.
Surprisingly, numerous organizations fail to initiate the
year with decisive actions. Often,
annual plans remain dormant until well into the first quarter or even later. This is the beginning of the second half. We don’t have the luxury of time. Start now and make your time count.
This might be the perfect time to recall George Gipp, who
played football for Knute Rockne at Notre Dame a century ago. Sadly, Gipp died of strep throat back in the
time before antibiotics. Rockne
memorialized Gipp with his famous half-time speech during the 1928 game with
Army.
“Go out and win
one for the Gipper.”
Frank is also a sought-after copywriter of marketing materials for technology companies. His charismatic, yet laid-back, easy-to-follow manner makes him a favorite among public speakers.
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