At a Glance:
We know what you’re thinking. Golf and energy? Are they even related? If you are wondering what it takes to become an energy broker, or even take your energy broker career to the next level, studying the game of golf can be a productive excercise. To be a successful golfer, you must embody many of the traits of a successful energy broker. In this article, we outline how the two are similar, and ways you can become a better broker (sorry no golf tips).
Jump to each section by clicking the links below:
Self-Reliance.
Unlike other competitive sports, golfers aren’t up against a direct opponent. On the other hand, those who have perfected the game of golf understand that it is a game of competing with yourself. In fact, many golfers will tell you that the moment they start looking at the competition, their scores, or how they are playing, they get off course and begin to play poorly.
Many of the world’s greatest golfers have attributed their success to learning how to eliminate distractions and simply focus on their own game. Jack Nicklaus, arguably the greatest golfer of all time, was quoted saying, “Success depends almost entirely on how effectively you learn to manage the game’s two ultimate adversaries: the course and yourself”.
The energy broker business is no different. Learning how to master yourself and become self-reliant is a key ingredient to being successful as an energy broker. Yes, there is competition. And like golf, your competitors have the same tools and resources that you do. However, one must learn to ignore the competition and focus on what matters most – winning new customers.
Here are some tricks for becoming a better version of yourself:
Only Your Goals Matter
All energy brokers experience the pressure of competition from time to time. They meet prospects who are working with another broker, or they read about the success another broker is experiencing.
But to be successful, you cannot slip into the habit of chasing your competitors. In fact, the brokers who do this tend to forget about what their customers need and try to develop new products and solutions to be on par with the competition.
Setting goals for yourself and your business should be your only focus. It does not matter that your competitor just announced a new 50,000,000 kWh contract. Who cares? That does not impact your path to achieving your goal. Remember, everyone uses electricity and natural gas, so there are plenty of customers for everyone. Focus on your goals and your goals alone, and you are headed in the right direction.
Beating Yourself
Next, it is important to stay consistent day in and day out with your energy broker business. In fact, many energy brokers and salespeople for that matter have a bad habit of slowing down as soon as they start experiencing some success.
Like in golf, it is important to strive to beat your own personal records. Did you prospect 100 new customers last month and close 10? Try to prospect 150 customers this month and see how many more you can close. Staying focused on beating your own work habits each month will help you remain consistent in your efforts.
It’s Your Book
Remember, they are your customers and you are building your own book of business. No one can do that for you. Like a great golfer who only has himself to blame, great energy brokers know that their success is up to them and them alone.
Dealing With Failure.
If you’ve ever played a round of golf, unless you are on the PGA Tour, you know that you hit many more bad shots than good shots. Most golfers know that having a bad hole or two, or fifteen, just comes with the territory of the game. And for some reason, true golfers keep heading out to the driving range and the course for more.
If you ask a regular golfer why they put up with this torture, they will most likely tell you it’s due to the love of the game. There is something exciting about hitting a great shot, having a good hole, or a low round. And most golfers keep playing through the pain of failure in an effort to get better and enjoy the pleasantries of occasional success.
Like golf, energy brokers must also learn how to deal with failure on a regular basis. Let’s face it, most customers who you prospect are going to tell you “no”. Maybe they have another broker, maybe they had a bad experience with a supplier, maybe they just do not believe in deregulation. No matter the excuse, if you are going to be successful, you must learn how to play through the pain.
Great energy brokers are able to focus on their successes, learn from their failures, and keep going even when they hear “no”.
Mental Strength.
Tiger Woods once said, “It provides a different type of element and mental strain athletes love. That’s what makes the game of golf so special.”
There is no doubt that golf is primarily a mental game. One must learn how to stay focused and not self-sabotage in order to be successful on the course.
Energy brokers, like golfers, must develop mental fortitude to be successful. As an energy broker, you will earn a small commission every year off each of your customers. So, in order to develop a large book of customers and earn a substantial income, you need to learn how to go from one small success to the next.
Energy brokers who do not succeed give up too early. They lack the mental strength it takes to continue to prospect for new customers day in and day out, and to stay focused on their ultimate goal.
Diversegy’s most successful energy brokers have been able to keep their heads down and continue to grow their businesses year after year. One day, these brokers look up and realize they have built strong six-figure residual incomes simply by staying laser focused and being mentally strong.
