This week was the first crack at getting back in shape after my car accident. Being injured results in packing on some major pounds. So I went back to what netted the quickest results for me in the past, which is P90X. Now to any of you who have tried the P90X program you know it is extremely difficult. It takes dedication, hard work, perseverance, and the realization that there are no gimmicks; what you put in is what you get out.
But before I ever decided to invest in P90X in the first place, like most of us these days I did some market research. In that research one of the tools/programs that constantly came up was the BowFlex. Now I’m not sure how long the BowFlex has been around, but I can’t really remember a time when the Bow Flex did NOT exist (I’m 28 if you’re wondering). So it begs the question, “It has to work if its been around this long, right?” Well… maybe.
In my research there were tons of reviews to sift through, but I came across one in particular that was well thought out and made one very specific point. It said:
“Like most any training programs, if you stick to it long enough and are consistent with some kind of program, you will see results. But if you’re like the thousands of people who buy a BowFlex and let it collect laundry, it won’t work for you.”
After reading that my decision wasn’t if I’m going to invest in a workout program, rather what will get me to my desired outcome in a way that made the most sense to me, and in this case the fastest. My conclusion? Bow Flex would probably work on some level, but a more focused and high level training program would get me faster and better results.
So where am I going with this? I have come to realize that the same is the case in SALES training. I have been involved with sales training in some form or another my entire life. I have seen some of the worst trainers in the world, yet they have been around for a significant amount of time, have quite a presence in the market, and yes, they have testimonials and proven results. WHY? Because the people who invested in them and actually put forth effort on a consistent basis found some sort of ROI. So the question at that point was not whether you should invest in training, but what will get you to your desired outcome in a way that makes sense to you.
Investing in training at any level is going to net some results, but to achieve the kind of success you are looking for, a more focused and detailed approach will net faster and more sustainable results. If you’re sitting on the couch eating onion rings it might be time to just start doing something and you will see some improvement. If you want that beach body, might be time for some personal training. If you’re sitting at your desk or office wondering why sales aren’t up it might be time to start doing something and you will see some results. But if you’re looking to be the industry/market leader it might be time for a personal SALES TRAINER.