Rugby Sales Contest Ideas: Out of the Sin Bin and Into the Scrum
In the fiercely competitive field of sales, motivation and healthy competition can play a game-changing role. And where do we see such high levels of motivation, competition, and collaboration? You guessed it right, in sports, specifically rugby. Rugby is not just about raw physicality, but also about strategy, teamwork, resilience, and a never-give-up attitude. Sounds a lot like a high-performing sales team, doesn't it?
Now, imagine if we could channel the thrill, the camaraderie, and the strategic planning of rugby into the sales environment. That's precisely where the concept of gamification comes in. Gamification in sales involves the application of game-design elements in non-game contexts, specifically, the sales environment. This approach can not only make the sales process more enjoyable but also encourages healthy competition and improves performance. What lies ahead are some intriguing rugby-themed sales contests that can create just the right level of competitiveness, team spirit, and motivation among your sales team.
Try Scoring Sales Contest
If there's one moment in rugby that sends the crowd into a frenzy, it's when a player breaks free from the opposition's clutches, sprints down the field, and lands the ball behind the goal line – a try. And if you've been part of a high-performing sales team, you'd know the feeling is uncannily similar when you secure a major sale after a long chase. But how about bringing that exhilaration of scoring a try right into your sales room? Let's introduce the "Try Scoring Sales Contest."
Rules of the Game
Every rugby match starts with clear rules, and the same applies to our sales contest. In the Try Scoring Sales Contest, each sale your team members make equates to scoring a try in rugby. Set a sales target for each team member; hitting that target would be akin to scoring a try. You can even take it up a notch by assigning different points to different types of sales, similar to how a try, conversion, or drop goal earn different points in rugby. The person with the highest points at the end of the contest period lifts the trophy.
Powering Up the Sales Performance
This contest can foster a sense of healthy competition among your sales personnel. As they vie to 'score tries,' they are inherently driven to improve their sales performance. Such an environment not only stimulates individual achievement but also encourages team members to strategize and work together, much like a rugby team on the field.
Lessons from the All Blacks
Speaking of teamwork, let's turn our attention to the most successful rugby team in history - New Zealand's All Blacks. A key factor in their success is their consistent try-scoring efforts. They don't just rely on one or two star players; everyone chips in. It's this ethos of shared responsibility and collaboration that has helped them dominate the sport for years.
Take the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final as an example. In this game, the All Blacks scored three tries, each from a different player. Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, and Beauden Barrett all crossed the try line, reflecting the team's varied attacking threat. This victory underlines the importance of every team member stepping up and playing their part, whether they are a seasoned veteran or a rising star.
Now, let's apply that to a sales team. A well-rounded sales team, like a well-rounded rugby team, has multiple threats. Everyone has a unique style and strategy for making sales, and when they work in tandem, they become an unstoppable force. So, encourage your sales team to learn from the All Blacks. Let them realize that every member has the potential to score tries – to make sales – and that they can achieve more by strategizing and working together.
Adopting this Try Scoring Sales Contest can inspire your sales team to collaborate, strategize, and create a game plan for achieving their sales targets, just as the All Blacks would for a rugby match. With each successful sale, they score a 'try,' pushing them further up on the leaderboard, igniting the drive to perform, and instilling a sense of accomplishment.
However, sales, much like rugby, is not just about scoring tries and conversions. It's about tackling too – overcoming the hurdles that come your way. That's exactly what we'll be exploring next in the "Tackle the Target Contest."
Tackle the Target Contest
In rugby, a tackle isn't just a means to stop the opponent; it's an opportunity to regain control of the game. Transferring this principle to sales, tackling can symbolize overcoming sales objections and obstacles. Welcome to the "Tackle the Target Contest."
The Essence of the Contest
In the Tackle the Target Contest, your sales team members are challenged with 'tackling' targets sales objections and obstacles. This not only represents the direct achievement of sales objectives but also involves overcoming obstacles or objections that may arise during the sales process. Each 'tackle' of a target or objection earns points for the team member, encouraging a proactive approach to problem-solving and goal achievement.
Promoting Problem-Solving and Resilience
Just as a successful tackle in rugby requires anticipation, strategy, and resilience, tackling sales targets involves problem-solving and resilience in the face of an objection. This contest encourages salespeople to develop their problem-solving skills, foster resilience, and improve their capacity to handle tough situations - crucial skills in achieving sales success.
Salesforce: Tackling Targets with Strategy
Consider the early history of Salesforce, now a global leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). When Salesforce first began, they faced a formidable challenge - they were entering a market dominated by established players with on-premise solutions. But, much like a well-planned rugby tackle, Salesforce managed to 'tackle' this obstacle with innovative strategies.
They revolutionized the industry at the time by introducing cloud-based CRM software. This was a significant departure from the norm back then, which primarily involved expensive on-premise solutions. By leveraging the power of the internet, Salesforce offered a more accessible, scalable, and cost-effective solution. This strategy helped Salesforce overcome significant market objections, establish itself as a market leader, and meet their ambitious sales targets.
Their innovative approach towards tackling objections and obstacles serves as a potent example for salespeople participating in the Tackle the Target Contest. It demonstrates the power of strategic thinking, resilience, and innovation in overcoming objections and achieving sales targets. After all, sales is as much about overcoming objections as it is about scoring 'tries.'
But rugby and sales aren't only about converting opportunities and tackling opponents; they also require the ability to work together and maintain sustained effort towards achieving the goal. This is where our next contest, the "Ruck and Maul Master Contest," comes into play.
Ruck and Maul Master Contest
Rugby isn't just about scoring tries or tackling opponents. It's a game that values collaboration and sustained effort, aptly symbolized in the ruck and maul phases of the game. In sales, the equivalent of this intensive, collaborative endeavor is aptly captured by the "Ruck and Maul Master Contest".
Unpacking the Contest
In the Ruck and Maul Master Contest, salespeople work together to achieve their targets, just as rugby players do in a ruck or maul. This contest involves setting a team target that requires the collaborative efforts of all team members to achieve. Each sale that contributes to the target is equivalent to a forward movement in a ruck or maul, inching the team closer to their goal.
Fostering Collaboration and Persistence
Just as a successful ruck or maul in rugby requires coordination, sustained effort, and strategic collaboration, achieving team sales targets requires similar attributes. This contest promotes team spirit, encouraging salespersons to support each other to achieve common goals. Furthermore, it instills a sense of collective responsibility and commitment, fostering an environment of persistent efforts towards target achievement.
The Japanese Rugby Team: A Lesson in Strategy and Collaboration
Consider the exceptional use of ruck and maul strategy by the Japanese rugby team during the Rugby World Cup 2015. In a thrilling match against South Africa, the Japanese team demonstrated a masterclass in the effective use of ruck and maul tactics. They worked together, strategically using each ruck and maul to maintain possession and control of the game.
Their sustained collaborative effort and strategic execution led to a historic victory over South Africa, against all odds. This match is widely remembered for Japan's strategic brilliance and relentless effort, highlighting the effectiveness of ruck and maul phases when executed collaboratively and strategically.
The lesson from the Japanese team can be an inspiration for sales teams in the Ruck and Maul Master Contest. It signifies the power of collaboration, strategic thinking, and persistent effort in achieving seemingly impossible targets.
Thus, the Ruck and Maul Master Contest is an excellent way to instill a sense of teamwork, strategic thinking, and sustained effort in your sales team. It showcases that sales is not just about individual achievements, but also about working together to reach greater heights. The ripple effects of such contests go beyond immediate sales targets; they foster a more collaborative, strategic, and persistent sales culture.
Final Thoughts
The transformative power of gamification in sales is undeniable. The unique combination of competition, collaboration, and creativity found in rugby serves as the perfect inspiration for sales contests. The potential benefits are manifold, from individual growth to enhanced team spirit. By incorporating the Try Scorer, Tackle the Target, and Ruck and Maul Master contests, you can create an environment that motivates, challenges, and ultimately uplifts your sales team.
To leverage these rugby-themed sales contests effectively, be sure to set clear rules, foster a fair competition, and celebrate winners in a way that boosts morale and encourages continuous effort. Don't be afraid to experiment with these contest ideas. After all, as sales leaders, our goal is not only to meet our targets but also to foster a resilient, motivated, and high-performing sales team. As we transition these concepts from the rugby field to the sales floor, let's take a bit of inspiration from this quote by Richie McCaw, former captain of the New Zealand Rugby Team, "Rugby is a game all about teamwork and trust, about battling for each other until the end."
Outfield is pioneering sales gamification software to power CRM or any tech stack. Learn how our modern approach boosts output up to 3x.
SalesGamificationBusinessIdeas