The similarities between endurance athletic events like the
Triathlon and Prospecting are almost scary. I had no idea they
were so much a like when I decided that I should run Triathlons.
It just seemed that this old body needed some rejuvenation, and
triathlons aren’t as boring as just running forever, they add
the possibility of drowning or crashing your bike!

Anyway, the only way to train for endurance sports like
swimming, bicycling, and running is to set aside a specific time
5 days a week for training. In my case this is usually Long Slow
Distance (LSD) work. This is how I can build a training base for
endurance. I judge the level of my training by using a heart
rate monitor that tells me how hard I am working. There is a
range within which I should train for at least an hour a day.

My only other responsibility is to be sure that I am using the
form that is most efficient for each of the events, so that
practice really does make perfect. If you practice wrong, then
you develop the skill “perfectly wrong.” I don’t want to do that.

Then, all I need to do it DO IT. If I calculate the correct
heart rate zone, train on a daily basis, and practice the
correct form, then I should be ready to perform in each of the
Triathlons I enter.

The same basic factors apply to Prospecting. First of all
Prospecting is an endurance event. You benefit most by
Prospecting on a regular basis for a long time, long slow
Prospecting - LSP.

Secondly, you need to make sure you are doing it correctly, the
right form. We, of course, suggest our BLITZ CALL® System for
Prospecting, but this works for whatever Prospecting System you
use. Far too many sales professionals use a Prospecting method
that is admittedly poor simply because they don’t know any other
way. This tends to create Prospecting anxiety which means they
don’t like to prospect and usually avoid it.

Thirdly, you need to calculate how many Prospecting calls you
need to make to accomplish your goals.

The development of the system is probably pretty easy for most
people and may even be fun. The problems arise when you actually
have to Prospect on a regular basis.

One of the biggest obstacles for me in training is when I feel
tired or have had a hard day and don’t look forward to spending
two hours or so swimming, biking, or running. Or when the
weather is really hot, when the afternoon temperatures have been
in the mid 90’s with a dew point of 78! It becomes really easy
to rationalize why I don’t need to train that day.

Also, think of all the reasons I should stay in the office and
finish some work which is a good reason to skip today.

Nonsense. If I want to be able to walk away from the finish line
having done my best, I need to prepare to some degree every day.
You can’t develop endurance fast.

All this is exactly the same for Prospecting; you have to do it
on a regular basis, day in and day out, week after week in order
to accomplish you goals. You can’t sprint through the process;
you must build a strong base from which to work.

When you start you will see that LSP is really not that
difficult it just needs to be done on a regular basis. I will
also expect to see more sales people on the circuit since you
know that Training for Triathlons or Prospecting is the same.

Sell Well and Often

Bill Truax

Bill@BlitzCall.com

© Copyright 2006 WJ Truax