"Having coffee" doesn't bring you business

Roger Federer has won barely more points than any of his opponents in his entire career.

Still, I consider him the best tennis player of all time.

What made him so special? He always stayed in the moment. Completely focused on the ball.

Lost a point? On to the next one. Won a point? On to the next one.

Moral of the story? Every point counts for him. And he treats it as the "one and only point."

In my opinion, this is exactly where many salespeople and consultants fail.

They come by 10 times for "a cup of coffee." Without a clear goal. Without commitment. Hoping the customer will "throw something at them."

After the 10th time your customer thinks: "please stay away".

It could even damage your relationship. Because customers know you're here for business! And they're perfectly happy to stop by for coffee. But… are you transparent about your business ambitions?

Do you spot value that you can add and do you discuss it?

Federer didn't keep the ball in play. He played to win every point.

Do you make every conversation count in sales?