Pumpkin Spice season is here and that means National Football League season is here. Teams are playing, they are training, they are practicing and studying their own films to become the best team this season. What does all this sports talk have to do with your business? A whole lot, believe it or not! Football and small business have many things in common. Here’s my list of the top 5 ways running a successful business is just like leading a winning football team.
1. It's a Team Sport
A great roster stacked with talent is key for a winningFootball season, just as a well trained and educated team of employees is necessary for a successful business. And as the business owner, you get to choose your “players” like a coach chooses his. In some cases contracts are negotiated for employment and then there’s the hierarchy. Football teams and businesses both have rookies and the seasoned veterans who are familiar with all aspects of the game/biz. In order for everything to come together and flow properly everyone must work as a team! In Football the defense and offense need to bring their A-game and communicate with each other throughout the game if they want to win, just like in business.
2. You're More Than a “Boss” or Coach
Your title may be CEO, Owner, Manager, Attorney, CPA, Accountant, Advisor, Consultant AND you are so much more than that. First and foremost you’re a leader, teacher, motivator, someone your “teammates” look to. A coach and leader serve many different roles, all of which help to shape and drive their team/business toward the ultimate goal of client satisfaction and winning the game/achieving the goals.
3. Creating Raving Fans
NFL teams all play 17 games each season. That’s a lot of seats to fill in the stands. They do so by keeping their fans happy. It’s the same concept for customers in a business. You give them a reason to shop with you or use your services. Give them an experience like no other company can. A Football game isn’t just about the 4 quarters, it’s about the experience… the food, the fellow fans, the atmosphere, the story. So don’t think of your business as simply the end result of a customer’s purchase. Put thought into how you attract your “fans”? How you communicate with them? How your product or service is delivered? How often do you follow up and how? You create loyal, raving fans with a great customer experience by continually being of value and staying top of mind. Period.
4. Stats Matter Big Time
Football is all about statistics. From your quarterback’s completion rate to the team’s win, fans take note of all those numbers and happenings. Similarly, your customers keep track of your performance. Only, in the form of testimonials, reviews and overall success stories. Your website testimonials, social media shout outs, Yelp, Google, raving fans, etc. all play a role in your business’s identity and customer perception. If someone reads a great review about your work done somewhere, they are more apt to pick up the phone and call you. You get a new sale or job just as a Football player can get picked up by a new team because of his consistent stats.
5. It's a New Game Every Day
In one series your defense can go out and stop the run, getting your offense the ball back in four downs. The next series your defense miss reads and the other team’s running back scores on the first down. There’s no telling what any given game will mean for a team as a whole. A win could secure a wild card spot in the playoffs, while a loss, well you know what that means. You go to work everyday not knowing what challenges or successes you will encounter. In order to stay on top of your game, do what the best Football players do, study and analyze your past performances, continually looking for ways to improve.
There you have it, from a woman who’s not so sports minded (well unless it’s on the tennis court or my son is on the soccer field) and still sees the correlation between the NFL and business. Did these comparisons stir up anything in your mind? What similarities do you see in your business? What could you work on?
Let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to contact me for a complimentary Profit Assessment Strategy Call. I can help you and your team plug the time and money drains, and ensure you hit those growth goals in no time – even with 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter!
~Dana