Game Changing Half-Time Strategies: Coach Your Team Like a Champion

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Game Changing Half-Time Strategies: 

Coach Your Team Like
a Champion

By Frank Hurtte

Podcast Version

It’s June 30th. The 2025 half-time buzzer is about to sound. Whether you’re up, down, or locked in a defensive struggle, it’s time for a gut-check. Distributors, this is your moment to reassess, realign, and get back in the game.

Since sports history is full of great half-time stories, let’s take a few minutes to reflect on some momentous events and the power of a pause. Your sales team might benefit from the same kind of mid-game magic.

 

Super Bowl LI, 2017:

The New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons by 18 points. At halftime, head coach Bill Belichick and his coaching staff made critical strategic adjustments to counter the Falcons' dominant performance. The result? One of the greatest comebacks in NFL history with the Patriots 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:

Coach Herb Brooks told his young U.S. Olympic hockey team they had the chance to make history. With grit and belief, they did exactly that, upsetting the heavily favored Soviets.

 

We might not remember the exact intermission or locker room temperature, but what sticks is this: great coaches use half-time to change the outcomes. It’s time to do the same in distribution.




Distributor Half-Time Playbook

 

1. Assess Performance

Let’s start with a scoreboard check. Without a Jumbotron in the office, data is our best coach.

 

- Who’s up and who’s down year-to-date compared to last year?

- Any shifts in key segments? Are your OEMs in food and beverage bouncing back?

- Which technologies or suppliers are growing or lagging?

- What large opportunities are stuck in the pipeline?

- Is seasonality about to help or hurt?

- Are you holding up your end with key supply partners?

 

2. Adjust Tactics

Markets change, customers pivot, and yes, plans age. Adjust.

 

- Are some accounts losing steam? Reassign your time like it’s your most limited resource—because it is.

- Are new sectors heating up? Aim your focus there.

- Got a slow seller? Position it smarter or park it.

- Are second-half marketing investments still aligned?

- Supplier relationships need maintenance too—don’t let neglect cost you momentum.

 

3. Reinforce the Game Plan

Without a reminder, strategic plans tend to gather dust. Whether you have a full-fledged 3–5-year plan or just a rough playbook, now’s the time to bring it back into the huddle. Reinforce key tactics and plays that have been successful or need adjusting.

 

What matters long-term? Key supplier relationships? A tech initiative? Don’t let short-term panic make you fumble your future.

 

4. Build Unity and Support

Sales isn’t a solo act, so reinforce the importance of teamwork, unity, and communication, like a well-rehearsed offense. Are your team members synced up with one another? Do customers feel the handoff between departments is seamless?

 

Double-check your playbook. Remind them that they are a collective unit working towards a common goal. This creates a better customer experience and a stronger internal team.

 

5. Highlight the Reward

Yes, sales is a grind. But even the grind has its glory. Remind the team what’s at stake. 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.

 

 

Now Is the Time

 

Too many distributors wait until Q3 to get serious. Others barely launch their annual strategy before the calendar hits July. Not us. Let’s use this half-time wisely.

 

And if you need one last dose of locker-room lore, remember George Gipp—“The Gipper.” He played under Knute Rockne at Notre Dame, and even after his passing, his name rallied a team to greatness. You don’t need a tragedy to stir action—just leadership and timing.

 

This is your half-time. Make it count.

 

“Go out and win one for the Gipper.”







Frank Hurtte is the founder of River Heights Consulting and a champion of knowledge-based sales strategies for distributors. With decades of experience in the trenches, Frank blends old-school wisdom with modern strategy. When he’s not quoting Vince Lombardi or reminding us to “stick to the fundamentals,” he’s coaching sales teams on how to win—one play at a time.









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