Top 10 Ways to Inspire Others (and succeed in the business of sports)

kirk_wakefield 2013, Careers, Integrity, Lead, Learn, Personal Development, Work ethic November 12, 2013November 2, 2018Colin Powell, Flyers, Gimbels, management, Philadelphia, retailing, sports, Spurs, Success, Tim Duncan, Wannamaker 0 Comment

by Frank Miceli – November 2013

Growing up in south Philly

Growing up in Philadelphia a block away from the sports complex I always dreamed of someday working for the Philadelphia Flyers.

As a 16-year old I was inspired by the story of Ed Snider after reading a magazine article about him and his business philosophy. I just knew working for the Flyers was my destiny. But after writing 44 letters of application and along the way completing my college degree at the University of Scranton, I was still no closer to my dream job. Their 44 kind letters of rejection made it clear I needed to prove myself and bring something more to the table than a college degree

Gaining some success in retail advertising at Gimbels , Wannamaker’s, and Strawbridge & Clothier along with a chance meeting working late one night turned into the opportunity of a lifetime. What seemed like a normal Wednesday night preparing Sunday’s ad copy turned into meeting Milt Beaver, a senior executive who later opened the door to my dream job and incredible 18-year career with Comcast-Spectacor. I was excited every day of work then and every day I go to work now as Senior Vice-President for Spurs Sports & Entertainment in San Antonio, Texas. I am so very proud to have my name next to the Iconic Spurs logo on my business card and I never take that blessing for granted.

Secret to Success

My secret to success is there are no secrets. As Colin Powell said, “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”

The recipe to success is the same for me as it is for you. I love the word-picture of “Pound the Rock” by the Danish American social reformer Jacob Riis:

“When nothing seems to help, I go look at a stone cutter hammering away at a rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing. Yet, at the hundred and first blow, it will split in two, and I will know that it was not that blow that did it but all that had come before.”

What I’ve learned since moving from that street row house in south Philly to one day working for one of the best franchises in pro sports is this: Everything you need to succeed is under your control. All you need to do is inspire others.

What does it take to inspire others?

Here’s my Top 10 list of ways you can inspire others. All of these are completely up to you. Do them and you’ll succeed. As Steve Mariboli says, ““When you are living the best version of yourself, you inspire others to live the best versions of themselves.”

Be passionate.
- Really.
Have a positive attitude regardless of road blocks.
- Optimistic salespeople outsell pessimists by 56%.
Make others great around you.
- Think Tim Duncan.
Be loyal.
- Loyalty to others builds your brand reputation.
Work hard.
- “Most people have the will to succeed, but few have the will to prepare to succeed.” ~Bobby Knight
Embrace change.
- Change is opportunity dressed like a problem.
Speak up. Be heard.
- “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” ~Bobby Kennedy
Never stop learning.
- Like Walt Disney, practice an Hour of Power: 20 minutes learning something new; 20 minutes of meditation, and 20 minutes making someone smile.
Give back.
- “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” ~ Zig Ziglar
Have fun.
- At least once a day!

S3 Alum Spotlight on Katy Gager

kirk_wakefield 2013, S3, S3 Spotlight, The S3 Program October 7, 2013November 2, 2018Baylor, college, degree, major, placement, Sales, sponsorship, sports, Success, university 0 Comment

by Justin Pipes – October 2013

Katy Gager (Baylor S3 ’08) is a Senior Account Executive at The Marketing Arm an agency based in Dallas, Texas. She represents and manages AT&T’s brand through corporate sponsorship of professional & collegiate sports properties in the Southeast Region.

Willing to move

Katy transferred to Baylor for the S3 program to begin her junior year. One of three transfers in the class, Katy was torn between UT and Baylor when deciding to transfer. Gager felt like Baylor was home and believed the S3 program gave her the best opportunity to start a successful career in sports. After moving halfway across the country from California, Gager experienced challenging projects through the curriculum from selling tickets for the Rangers (back in their losing days) to presenting sponsorship ideas for the AT&T Challenge.

Finding Her Niche

Gager quickly found she enjoyed the relationship focus in the field of sponsorship. All S3 majors are given a DISC assessment (DiSC Profile Website) to determine their own personal behavioral style and what types of careers are likely to fit them best. Katy has a high Steadiness trait, which “place[s] an emphasis on cooperating with others within existing circumstances to carry out the task <ref>DiSC Profile Steadiness Overview</ref>.” Being a high S and having a more conscientious, detail-oriented personality helped make Katy a great fit for contributing to an agency sponsorship team.

Gager started her career at The Marketing Arm (TMA) in Dallas working on the Insights and Analytics team. She had the opportunity to work with over 25 different accounts including AT&T, State Farm and Frito Lay conducting research for each brand related to their sponsorships with properties nationwide. After becoming an account executive for TMA, she was able to pull from her knowledge of the brands objectives and her research background to manage programs for AT&T that would yield results and drive sales.

S3 Model

Eric Fernandez, Senior Vice President of MEDIALINK LLC, says,

“Katy is a great example of an S3 student who seized the opportunities presented to her. While the S3 program prepared her for entering the sports marketing business, her work ethic, positive “can do” attitude and natural curiosity have contributed to her professional growth and advancement. She’s achieved quite a bit in a short time and continually is a model representative of the S3 program.”

High praise also comes from Travis Dillon, Vice President of Activation and Property Management at The Marketing Arm.

“Katy is one of our rising stars at TMA. She has been an integral part of our national college football program the past 2 years with AT&T and ESPN College GameDay and is quickly establishing herself as a leader on the team. In addition, her insights and analytics background make her a valuable strategic asset to the team since day one.”

This work ethic, “can do” attitude and natural curiosity led to a recent promotion to Senior Account Executive.

Three Tips from Katy

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”425px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Approach to Networking: Sports is a small industry. No matter where you are or have been, your name and personal brand will come up again with come up again. Continue to build your personal brand equity.
Be a Problem Solver: Look for different areas of your client’s business and your business to solve problems all across the board. Be known as someone who finds solutions.
Have a Great Attitude: Be a team player with a positive attitude when approaching all projects, including that those aren’t exactly your favorite.[/dropshadowbox]

The Seven Choices of Exceptional Leaders

kirk_wakefield 2013, Lead, Learn, Personal Development, Sales Management September 16, 2013November 2, 2018choices, coach, develop, future, leadership, others, Phoenix Suns, Success 0 Comment

by Dan Rockwell – September 2013

1. Choose to be known for what’s in your heart.

Intelligence and skill matter most when they express your heart. Leaders who bypass their hearts end up cold.

2. Choose small now.

Don’t wait for dramatic. Don’t despise small steps that produce small results. Do something small rather than nothing at all.

Small beginnings that express your heart
take you further than no beginnings.

3. Choose to develop people.

Your future is others. Without people the greatest program, project, or initiative dies.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”400px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Who precedes what.

Begin with their current state.

Identify a strength.

Put it to use.

Fix weaknesses that limit strengths.[/dropshadowbox]

Wishing people were different is a self-protective excuse for keeping things the same.

Spend time with “dumb” people who are willing to learn; forget smart people who won’t. Those who refuse to grow must go!

4. Choose to help others do most of the things you do.

Work yourself out of jobs. Develop people who develop people, create programs, and solve problems. The reason you’re buried is you haven’t lifted others.

5. Choose imperfect now over perfect later.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

“You can only be successful if the people that work for you are successful. Identify a core philosophy that guides all. Then surrender responsibility so that those who work for you can do their jobs and more can get done.”[/dropshadowbox]Launch – Fix – Re-launch – Repeat. Apologies to all the gasping perfectionists.

Dreams of perfection are nightmares to progress. The inability to identify “launch and grow” opportunities is one reason you’re stuck. For the record, I’m not suggesting a “let’s try this” approach with patients having heart surgery.

6. Choose to fuel fires.

Lousy leaders spend their time putting out fires – solving problems and fixing things. See #4.

Walk around with a gas tank on your back. Pour gas on every flicker of passion you see. It won’t be long before the passions you fuel will consume the problems you fear.

7. Choose to narrow your focus.

The greatest courage is the courage to say, “No,” to things that matter less.

Which choice is most important? Why?

What other choices do exceptional leaders make?

The essential elements of successful sales leadership: Staying ahead of the curve

kirk_wakefield 2013, Lead, Learn, Personal Development, Sales Management July 11, 2013November 2, 2018curve, curve ball, failure, personnel, process, sales management, salespeople, Success 0 Comment

by Carson Heady – July 2013

Two governing principles

Two governing principles drive sales management success: people and process. The right personnel following the right procedures equal success. The numbers will be there. In Vegas the house always wins because it knows and plays the odds. In the same way, we fail when we don’t play the percentages of tried and true methods. Many managers find inexplicable (for them) failure because of this very reason:

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”750px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Sales Management Failure

Trying to follow a process with the wrong people OR failing to provide the right process to the right people.[/dropshadowbox]

Managers get too caught up chasing numbers, telling the team they need more of [place your metric here] without showing them how. Reps fizzle out for that very reason.

Two vital steps for new leaders

Relationships

The vital first step of your process as sales leader is building the relationships. No team respects someone who shows up and starts barking orders. Why should they? This manager has not established trust, gained respect and earned the right to lead. The manager title is one thing. But two-way communication fosters a winning team. Building relationships involves:

rolling up your sleeves,
getting in the trenches,
learning from front line employees what actually transpires and needs improvement, and
seeing through their eyes what works and what doesn’t.

There is no better way to diagnose the business. You cannot introduce changes to processes without taking these first steps.

Martin Coco, Director of Ticket Sales and Marketing for the St. Louis Cardinals, shares, “Two of the most important things we need to do as managers is to establish relationship and legitimacy with our staff.” With the Cardinals in particular, Martin says, “It helps that all of our manager-level staff have been promoted internally. They have done the job of the individuals they now lead.”

Although teams can’t always promote from within, Coco points out that it helps when you can. Managers have instant legitimacy with the group they are leading, as Coco points out, because they can say, “I’ve been in your shoes, and I know what challenges you are facing.”

Focus

Once relationships are built, don’t focus on selling more. Focus on what prevents sales. Gain trust by eliminating obstacles to selling.

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”600px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#fffffff” ]When obstacles are removed there is nothing left to do but sell.[/dropshadowbox]

Sell your team on why process tweaks are beneficial; they fear change just like a customer does.

Understand the sales food chain: your relationship with your team is akin to the rep relationship with a customer. You must

ask questions,
learn their existing processes,
gain trust,
expose gaps they may not have even known about, and
convince them to change based on need.

Make the fear of status quo outweigh the fear of change. Reps can make their choices. Either way, they get outside of their comfort zones. Your ability to move them away from comfortable ways of failing or maintaining mediocrity determines your success.

Staying ahead of the curve

None of us wants to have trouble with the curve. The key to hitting curve balls is watching the release point to identify the pitch. Then you can adjust the swing. So everyone on the team keeps their eyes on the ball, you must do three things with sales reps so that they can see what’s coming:

Document: where we’ve been, where we are, where we’re going and what steps we are taking to get there.
Hold accountable: did they take the steps to get there? If not, why not?
Recognize: pay with money, pay with promotion, pay with attention.

Strive for personal stretch goals bigger than the commitments you must meet for your organization. Term organization goals as minimum expectations. Then even barely falling short of your stretch goals means you stay ahead of the curve.

Creating the right culture for your sales team

kirk_wakefield 2013, Careers, Lead, Learn, Sales Management July 1, 2013November 2, 2018attitude, Bobcats, careers, culture, growth, NBA, Success, wisdom, Wizards 0 Comment

by Jake Reynolds – July 2013

Creating the Right Culture

What is culture?

We hear the word thrown around in the sales industry about as often as actual sales are being made.

monumental swag Gallup defines culture as “the attitudes that employees have about the environment in which they work.” Every organization defines and creates culture in different and unique ways, but most agree the key to a successful sales culture is engaging your employees and creating an environment that promotes and allows them to have success.

At Monumental Sports, we strive to create a culture within our sales department that displays our commitment to becoming the best at what we do through education, hard work, accountability and having fun! We keep employees engaged through team building events, sales contests, and consistently communicating expectations for success.

Create an identity

An important element of developing a solid culture is creating and communicating an identity as to what your team values and promotes.

At Monumental, we created an identity within our Inside Sales department to accomplish these goals known as the S.W.A.G. program. This program helps identify the culture and core pillars of what our program is built on and promotes: Success, Wisdom, Attitude and Growth. Through recruiting, daily management and tracking progress, we consistently communicate our expectations and use these characteristics to build our foundation. What do these four pillars mean?

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

“Strong culture is at the core of every successful sales team. Culture is especially important for entry-level departments that feed the rest of the organization. Employees take pride in the culture and traditions they helped establish, and bring that with them as they move into senior level positions within the company. Strong culture is paramount in building a successful and sustainable sales and service team.” [/dropshadowbox]

Success – We will put employees in a position with the tools necessary to be successful. Success is defined differently for everyone – learning, selling, driving revenue, making money, getting promoted – we will work to find what your goals are and provide you with the necessary resources to accomplish your goals and be successful.

Wisdom – Learning never stops! We believe in continued education and development for all reps. We want our dedication and commitment to training and year-round development to be unrivaled in sports. Our focus and goal is to give employees the foundation of wisdom and knowledge to grow and build their career on. The focus is on career not a job.

Attitude – We help guide employees to understand what it takes to be successful by reinforcing the attitude and confidence needed to reach their full potentials. Our goal is to be the best in the business and expect nothing less.

Growth – The primary goal and motivation of our Inside Sales program is to give employees the opportunity, knowledge and tools needed to grow their careers and grow within Monumental Sports. We promote from within. Our success is defined by how many careers we can start and grow within our company. Over the past two years, we promoted 33 reps internally to senior level positions within Ticket Sales, Group Sales, Guest Services and Sponsorships.

What about you?

Every organization has different philosophies and principles that guide and dictate their culture, but the key is engage and lead your team to help establish what your guiding principles will be. In establishing the culture within our department, I followed the roadmap below to help achieve our identity.

Create an identity
Consistently communicate principles and expectations
Follow through and live your brand

Every successful organization has an effective culture that helps drive big results. What will yours be?

3 basic questions you should ask premium seat buyers

kirk_wakefield 2013, Lead, Learn, Research, Sales Management, Sales Training, Sell, Tickets July 1, 2013November 2, 2018buying, leasing, NFL, premium sales, preparation, renting, research, selling efficiency, Success, suites, VIP 0 Comment

by Kirk Wakefield – July 2013

Preparation is the key to selling efficiency

Preparation is on anyone’s top 10 list of what makes successful salespeople. Successful preparation is based on asking the customer the right questions.

Knowing the right questions is one thing. But knowing the right answers can lead to more sales and more efficient selling (i.e., close ratios).

A little research

One of our NFL client partners wanted to help their sales staff get a head start in understanding individual suite rental customers in preparation for the upcoming season. In the two weeks after the season ended we collected responses from a sample of 20% of individual decision makers from the previous season’s rental customers. Among other things, we wanted to know the answers to three basic questions and the relationship between these answers and how likely customers would be to buy again and refer others.

Three basic questions

Corporate buyers are likely to be passionate fans, but that’s not the reason they are buying. They are buying because they believe potential clients are passionate league or team fans. So, sure, it helps if they love the team. But in an NFL city, odds are most everyone locally or regionally has at least some affinity for the team. This leads to the first basic question you need answered.

Where does your business come from?

The results show the vast majority use the suite to build relationships with local (71%) and regional (84%) customers. However, those indicating they also have extensive global (37%) and national (68%) markets are significantly more likely to recommend renting suites to others, representing your best promoters and referral sources.

If the premium buyer’s customers are primarily local and regional, promoting the team angle may be useful. But if their customers are more national or global, then we really need to ask what else influences the choice to rent a suite.

What influences which game you’d like to select?

Too many salespeople assume price is the main issue. Don’t start there.

From our sample, almost 1/3 aren’t really concerned about the price. More importantly, concern about the suite rental price had no bearing on whether or not they’d be likely to rent again next season. Statistically speaking, what did?

The most likely return suite rental customers were those who wanted to (1) know who the opposing team was, (2) review the entire schedule when it was released, and/or (3) who were planning a special occasion.

Why are those good answers for you? Because it means they’ve already decided in favor of buying, the question is which game? Greater concern for knowing (a) the kick-off time, (b) day of the game, or (c) the price had no influence one way or the other on likelihood of using a suite the next season.

The upshot is that if you focus efforts on prospects in a true-decision making mode (team, schedule, occasion), your close ratio should be higher.

Compared to other options, how would leasing a suite from us help you win business?

We aren’t the only game in town. Our clients can entertain in other sports & entertainment venues. The heart of this question is what is it about leasing from us that helps meet your objectives?

What we see from our study is it’s not what you think. Most don’t think leasing a suite guarantees closing a business deal.

The big insight is that a suite offers the best chance the invitation will be accepted and won’t fall through. What your clients really want is just to make sure they have a chance to close a deal.

What’s the worst fear when we throw a party? The people we wanted to come don’t show up. It’s been the same since high school; now we’re just playing for different stakes.

A second big insight is predicting who will be our best promoters and source of referrals. The ability to predict a client’s NPS (Net Promoter Score) is highest among those who strongly believe the suite provides the best return on objective (i.e., the chance to sell) and is the best choice for doing so in the market (viz., “differentiator in the customer entertainment universe”).

Conclusion: Act

Premium sales isn’t as simple as asking these three basic questions, but it sure helps. The key is in preparation. Teams like those who commissioned this research know that knowledge is power. Now let’s go get some.

The Sales Commandments According to This Disciple

kirk_wakefield 2013, Luxury Suites & Premium Tickets, Sell, Sponsorships, Tickets April 21, 2013November 2, 2018Cal Bears, close, how to, innovation, lead, listening, outside the box, personal selling, proactive, San Antonio Spurs, Success 1 Comment

by Carson Heady – April 2013

Sales is a psychology; a profitable sport by which we engage clients, build relationships and seek the perfect balance for the holy sales trinity: customer, company and you. Without all of these entities in mind, the transaction and stability suffers.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

As a sales person you always need to be working on your craft and being innovative. Sometimes that will involve doing things outside of your comfort zone. At the end of the day it’s the innovation and creativity that separates you from the rest of the pack.[/dropshadowbox]That said, there are certain fundamentals we must ingrain in each and every leg of the sales process; without them, our process is defunct and the results will tell that story. Remember: results do not define us, but they do not lie. If there is a breakdown in your process, your results will be broken, too.

BE PROACTIVE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. A major area of opportunity of many salespeople is their predisposition of wanting to follow the leaders or be like others; fit in, follow the beaten path. But why be like everyone else? That makes one average. Blaze your own trail. Stand out. Reach out for more customers; do not just accept the low-hanging, less challenging fruit. Don’t get me wrong: you pick up every bit of fruit you can find – small or big. Nevertheless, always think of innovative ways to put yourself in front of new clients. Like a billboard on a busy freeway, be where your customers are looking and show them why you’re the one they need to pay attention to. Doing so puts you in position to guide the process. Not doing so puts the customer in control and your paycheck and career are in their hands.
LISTEN. Salespeople often ask me how to overcome certain objections, but they fail to realize that if they had set the right foundation they would be using the customers’ own words in the presentation, the close and any necessary overcomes. Your words and philosophies pale in comparison in the customers’ minds to their own; listen and learn their language so you can speak it. Find out what you need to know from the customer so you can diagnose their situation; where do the gaps lie? How can you plug those gaps? How are you going to make them realize that jettisoning their comfortable, familiar ways of doing business and going with you is going to be better? You can’t get there unless your ears perk up and you get them doing the talking.[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]
Lindsay Beale

The most important part of the sales process is to put the customer first by listening. If you ask the right questions they will lead you down a path allowing you to make a recommendation based on what your product can offer them. As you follow-up you that let them know your call is to help them accomplish their goals, not just sell a seat location.[/dropshadowbox]
REACT. React to everything, and know when to use your information. You can be the smartest person in the room – great. However, if you are simply unloading jargon and facts on your potential client, are you showing them why your way of doing business is better? Knowledge is power, but knowing when and how to use it is even more effective. Improve your pitch, but perfect your reaction. If you role play, don’t practice improbable scenarios; get used to setting the right foundation and knowing how to react to every objection your client throws at you. See objections before they happen and address potential hitches before your customer even can. You will see many customers, but only a few themes; master those themes and there’s no slipping one by your goalie.
FOLLOW UP. Unfortunately, no matter how effective a closer you are, the sale will not always happen on your timetable. Don’t get me wrong: you need to do everything you can to build trust and determine why specifically the customer is not doing business today. But if they leave the table for a viable reason, you must have an organized, prompt and thorough follow up process in place. Customers will “browse” or “do research” and finally get tired enough to do business and pay more elsewhere if you do not stay front and center in their universe. Follow up within 24 hours to a week and reignite the lead. You cannot win them all, but you can nurture them all to as close to completion as possible. That’s your job. If you can look back on every transaction and know you did everything you could to earn the business, you did your job. Congratulations.
MASTER THE GAME. There are ups and downs; when you’re up, ride the wave. When you’re down, make sure you behave – according to process, that is. You may get the shanks in your golf game or your baseball hitting suffers, but do you drastically change your swing to get back to desired results? Of course not. You have to envelop yourself in the process. You also must learn the playing field – how can you make money where you currently are not? What best practices are others using? Steal them shamelessly; those who execute best are the best.

Finally, refresh and recharge often. You need to make sure you are the person you were on interview day. Play for the love of the game, the adoration of the crowd and the benefit of the customer and you will be victorious.

Can social media make or break interview chances?

kirk_wakefield Careers, Learn, Personal Development, Social Media April 1, 2013November 1, 2021careers, employer, employment, Facebook, interviews, jobs, linkedin, ruin, search, social media, Success, twitter 0 Comment

by Jeannette Salas – April 2013

Social Media, Networking, Common 1st Year Mistakes, and Tips for Success

Social media shows up in the most unusual places

Employers frequently search candidates on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linked In, and blogs to see what they find. Maybe they find a cute picture of your dog (Griffie, above). Or maybe other things not so cute.

Some employers may say, “What you do outside of the organization is your own business.” But, at the end of the day, employers want great company representation 24/7/365.

The best way to find out what potential employers can see is to Google yourself. How can you manage your social media and use it to your advantage? Don’t publish anything in social media you wouldn’t want your mother (or next employer) to read or see.

While running a minor league sports team, a few arena employees were tweeting opinions on our low attendance one night. Once received on others’ feeds, tweets can’t be erased. Their comments were out there for the world to see, including their boss (me), our fans and customers and most importantly, any future employers of theirs. These young employees underestimated the power of social media, almost lost their jobs and could have damaged chances for employment elsewhere.

Social media is the new extension of your resume.

In what is an already difficult job market, employers use social media to eliminate candidates, even those with great resumes. As a hiring manager, once I found candidates I wanted to interview, I first looked them up in four places: Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (images included). If anything at all gave me the sense they were unprofessional or wouldn’t represent our company well, they were eliminated immediately. While it’s cool to post fun pictures from your last vacation with your friends, think about who might see those pictures and how they may be construed.

Managing Social Media

Make sure your profile picture is appropriate. Microsoft Outlook pulls up your social media profile picture whenever an email is received directly from you. Not sure a keg stand (or any other “party” picture) would get you in for an interview. THINK PROFESSIONAL!
Beware of content in personal blogs! Everyone is subject to their own opinions BUT negative and/or inaccurate content can come back to haunt you. (See cancel culture circa 2021.)
Social media outlets allow you to reach millions of people in seconds. Use it to your advantage when searching for jobs/internships. Let friends and family members know you are looking for a position.

Networking

When it comes to sports business careers, networking is king. Like everything else in life, it always comes down to relationships.

Stay in touch. When you make a contact keep in touch. Forward your resume immediately after contact. Make contact at least every 6 months and after career achievements like graduation, obtaining a certificate [e.g., HR Cert, Sales Cert, etc], or an award.
Join professional organizations and relevant social media networking sites and groups on LinkedIn like the S3 Report, Ticket Sales & Technology, or Ticket Sales Best Practices.
- Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and professional in appearance.
- These are great ways to connect with professionals that may be able to help you on your career path and offer insight, as well as search for positions.
- Some groups and individuals frequently post open positions. Follow them.

Common First Year Mistakes

Mistakes entry-level employees tend to make during the first year of employment:

Lack of communication: Afraid to ask questions or for help; don’t call in when out sick; no notification of being late.
Staying out of spotlight: Make an IMPACT within the organization; get involved in committees, events, etc.; EVERYONE should know who you are or at least heard of you.
Poor networking: Get to know employees in other departments. This isn’t high school – don’t fall into a clique. Attend all company events – GREAT networking opportunity!
Not leading: Don’t be scared to pitch ideas/take lead on projects. You bring a fresh thought process to the table – voice your ideas! Volunteer to take the lead on a project to develop leadership and project management skills.
Complaining: DO NOT complain. PERIOD! Complaining is:
1. unprofessional,
2. unattractive, and
3. unpromotable. People will not want to work with you or consider you for other positions within the organization. They will think of positions for you outside the organization.
Inflexibility: Adapting to change is important. Business can change at the drop of a hat. Be open to new ways of completing tasks or approaching scenarios. Flexibility helps you grow with and within an organization and seamlessly transition into another one.

Tips for Success

Continue learning. Stay abreast with the latest in your field. Attend training, seminars, conferences, and certificate programs.
Ask for help. Not sure? Ask for clarification and guidance. Then you’ll be able to help others who don’t know.
Ask for feedback. Feedback lets you know how you are doing and where you are lacking. This is essential for professional growth and development.
Communicate. Make sure lines of communication are always clear and open.
Create Raving Fans. A customer service based fundamental: All co-workers should enjoy working with you because your product is top quality and you are great to work with. If people like working with you they are more willing to help and listen to you.
Read self-help books. Start with How to Win Friends and Influence Others and Emotional Intelligence. These are great books to help you continue growing both personally and professionally.
Look to the future. Keep moving forward. Plan your career and move towards your ultimate goal.

Reinforcement from the Houston Astros

I agree with all Jeannette points out. Two related thoughts to share:

Don’t underestimate the importance of a resume-appropriate email address. Stick with the traditional last name, first name (or some version of name). This format is simple and it works. An unprofessional address can mean the difference in a team contacting you regarding a job or passing you over for lack of professionalism.

In the interview, be sure to follow the lead of your interviewer. When you are informed at the beginning of the interview that this is going to be a quick phone screen (e.g., 10 minutes on Handshake), stick within that time frame. Everyone’s time is valuable. Sometimes you only have a short time span to sell yourself…PRACTICE THAT SKILL. It proves you can be clear, succinct and respectful of other people’s time. Consider it to be an extended elevator speech.

PS: That said, you need a 30-second elevator speech and a USP of eight words or less about who you are. Read m0re about branding you in our next article here.

~Jennifer Springs, HR, Houston Astros

How to get promoted in sports sales careers

kirk_wakefield Careers, Learn, Personal Development April 1, 2013November 2, 2018avoid gossip, brand yourself, John Wooden, mentors, no whining, screw up, Success 0 Comment

by Rob Zuer – April 2013

What is success?

“True success comes to an individual by self satisfaction in knowing that you gave everything to become the very best you are capable of.” John Wooden

Wooden’s definition of success is the simple answer to the question every single person asks in a first job in sports and the key to happiness in life.

We don’t want or need the best salesperson. We want people striving every day to get better; people who feel deep satisfaction from more than revenue or commissions.

Positive Attitude

You will always have those around who can’t succeed or hate what they do. Do not:

whine,
gossip,
talk negatively,
complain, or
get sucked into the herd.

They will drag you down. Do not associate with them. Negativity spreads like a plague. Keep a positive attitude about yourself and, more importantly, your organization.

Teamwork

Kelly Cheeseman

How you work with others directly affects the perception of you as a future leader.

“The theme of this industry is teamwork. You need it on and off the field, court or ice. To be successful in all cases you need to have a great game plan, be a team player, and work hard to achieve the plan or goal,” emphasizes Kelly Cheeseman, Chief Operating Officer of AEG Worldwide.

P.J. Keene

P.J. Keene, Director of Group Sales for the Houston Astros, reminds us, “People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care.” To have influence, P.J. explains, “We must lead by example, focus on more than just your numbers, and care about our team.”

In helping others get better to achieve the team’s overall goals, you brand yourself as a potential leader with a bright future. Being number one on the board is not the only thing that gets you promoted.

Five Ways to Improve

Positive attitude and teamwork are fundamental to success in the business of sports. How can we make ourselves better?

Find a Mentor

Seek out and learn from those individuals who have been there and done that. If you want to be a quarterback in the NFL, you watch Manning, Brady, or Montana. You copy throwing motion & mechanics and learn all they did to get to where you want to be. This is no different in the sportsbiz careers. Find the stars of the industry and learn from them.

There Is Nobody To Blame But Yourself

Successful people take responsibility for everything that happens to them and by them. Take responsibility for your actions. Do not blame others or the situation. No one will feel sorry for you or listen to excuses about how life is unfair.

School Is Not Over

Never stop learning. Read books on any topic that makes you better. Invest time in things that will help you succeed. And dare I say it? Turn off the TV & video games. Why waste so much time in areas unrelated to your goals?

Screw Up!

Failure is the best teacher. Take risks. Make mistakes. The story goes that Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he invented the light bulb. When asked about this, he is quoted as saying, “I did not fail. I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Set Goals

Have your goals in front of you. Place them on your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator, front door, back door, closet, anywhere you can see them. Make them an obsession. Do not give up on them.

Will the job be difficult?

Sure. Don’t give up or get discouraged. The results and money will come. Love the journey to the destination.

Where will your journey take you?

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison

S3 Board Member Spotlight: Kelly Cheeseman, AEG Worldwide

kirk_wakefield About S3, Careers, Lead, S3, S3 Spotlight, The S3 Program, Work ethic February 10, 2013November 2, 2018advice, AEG, career path, good mentors, LA Kings, mentors, NHL, sales careers, Success, work ethic 1 Comment

by Jerry Ruiz – February 2013

Congratulations to S3 Board Members in their new positions: Kelly Cheeseman, Chief Operating Officer of AEG Worldwide, and Chris McGowan, President of the Portland Trailblazers.

This is a story about the value of good mentors.

Kelly Cheeseman started his career as the Manager of Marketing at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before coming to the LA Kings/AEG in 2001 as an Account Executive in ticket sales. In short order, Kelly advanced to Senior Sales Executive and then to the Manager of Ticket Sales. By 2005, Kelly was the Director of Sales & Service. Three years later, he was promoted to Vice President, Sales & Service, followed by a move up to Senior Vice President in 2012. When Chris McGowan left the COO position at AEG Worldwide to become the President & CEO of the Portland Trailblazers, Kelly was, as always, prepared to step in.

“Kelly has the best work ethic of any sports executive I have ever seen,” said Chris McGowan. From his experience, beginning in 1996 at AEG, McGowan sees the COO position at AEG as a true privilege. Having worked alongside Cheeseman for over a decade, Chris said what’s obvious to everyone is that, “Kelly is extremely passionate about the sports industry and dedicates a lot of time and energy into learning every aspect of the business.” Kelly would say he’s been helped by seeing it modeled by his mentor, Chris McGowan.

Giving back

In turn, Kelly has always taken the time to mentor others. Two graduates of the inaugural Baylor S3 class in 2006, Todd Pollock and Brett Christenson, began in ticket sales at the LA Kings/AEG. Cheeseman took the two under his wings and helped them get off to a good start within the industry.

“Kelly has been a great mentor. Aside from his knowledge and business-savvy mentality, he has always been a great leader with his staff, whom he cares about greatly. His willingness to develop skill sets and train his staff makes him one of the best executives in the sports world today,” said Pollock, currently General Manager of Sales & Service at Temple University.

Under Cheeseman’s mentorship, Pollock moved from inside sales to account executive to Manager of Sales & Service for the LA Kings in less than two years, before becoming Manager, Ticketing & Suites, at the San Francisco 49ers. Cheeseman, like his mentor McGowan, share the qualities of all good mentors.

Christenson landed at FC Dallas in corporate sales, before completing his MBA and moving into corporate business intelligence and database analytics.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-bottom-right” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Qualities of Good Mentors:

genuine concern for your best interest
willingness to share what they know to help you get ahead
willingness to be available to you when you need help—not just at their convenience
ability to identify your needs or deficiencies and to develop strategies for overcoming such obstacles to your success
respectfulness, trustworthiness, honesty and supportiveness

Source: Achieve Solutions [/dropshadowbox]

Learned along the way

Looking back at his career, the biggest challenges came during the two NHL work stoppage. Facing such obstacles out of your control, Cheeseman says, “will truly test your ability to maintain good relationships with customers and challenge your mental strength.”

When asked about some of the best career tips he’s ever received, Cheeseman recalled words shared by McGowan that stuck with him:

Hard work can never be beat.
There are no shortcuts.
Always look for ways to be innovative.
Don’t get stuck in a rut.

What is Cheeseman’s advice to others wanting to succeed in sales management in this business?

Hire a great team properly organized to work together. Focus on the structure.
Develop a measurable business plan you can review against key performance indicators.
Hire an analytics team to support your staff.

Of course, it always helps to have a positive mindset. “Clients and co-workers really enjoy working with Kelly because he has a great personality,” McGowan added.

Thanks

The students in the Baylor S3 program look forward to continued success stories from those fortunate enough to work with Mr. Cheeseman and Mr. McGowan. Thanks for giving back!