“Concentrate…..concentrate….”  The instructors voice is intense and close to my right ear.  I concentrate.  I try to remember the 7 or so things he has just taught me. I squeeze the trigger as slowly as I can.

It’s a little Smith and Wesson M&P compact.  It is at home in the gun safe with a variety of sibling guns used by my husband for trap and skeet shooting.   I take it out every so often and go to the gun club range and shoot at some paper targets.

Occasionally I take it with me when traveling on the road.  It sits nestled in my purse beside my wallet that contains my concealed pistol license.  I am educated and legal. Just in case.

My shooting skills had been gained by the just keep squeezing method.  This consists of grabbing a box of 9mm ammo and taking an hour or so to devastate some targets. I could get the shots onto the important parts suitable to stopping an intruder or, more likely in my neighborhood, a rabid coyote or distemper crazed raccoon.  Effective but not skilled.

Many of the sales people I work with sell the same way I shoot.  They have a natural ability and affinity for selling.  The manufacturer has certified them in selling skills and product knowledge. They sell an adequate amount of cars.  They want to sell more but have been exposed to many selling concepts without seeing an improvement in actual skill.

Most of them just want to see more traffic in an effort to sell more cars.  Just keep squeezing.

One day I was talking to Kevin at an auto dealership where I was providing training and found out that he is highly ranked in competitive pistol.  He agreed to take me to the range and give me a few pointers.

Kevin actually provided me with his shooting coach when we arrived at the range.  They both took a look as I shot seven rounds or so.  I hit the target all over as usual. 

The coach asked me if I would like some instruction.  Of course I did, and Kevin had prepared me for the thorough style of his instruction. 

We started with the basics.  All of which I did wrong.  Stance, grip, trigger, speed of pull.  And then the big surprise.  I should be shooting left handed. 

I have been a gun owner for many years.  I like shooting just fine. I was already adequate.  It took all my effort to empty my mind and begin again.  I had asked for this.  Everything felt unnatural.  I figured that I could try it this way and go back to my way as soon as I was out of there.

Finally it was time to shoot.  I stood, gripped, breathed, aimed and s…q…e….e…z….e…d as slowly as he had taught me.  He stood at my ear and encouraged me to concentrate. 

When the first bullet hit just up and slightly to the left of the bulls eye I was pleased.  When the next 4 stayed in the same tight pattern area I was ecstatic – and so was the instructor and Kevin.  I shot two more times, five bullets at a time, and kept that pattern very close each time.

I sent Kevin a picture of my first clean bulls eye the next week.

Who’s your coach?  Are they walking you past your natural abilities and helping you find the next level?

It’s the skill development that takes a salesperson from 10 to 15 to 20 over time.  Lack of skill development is why a 15 car month person won’t hit 30 if you double the traffic they see. 

Find a great coach, and your skill and enjoyment will build it’s own momentum.

I am having much more fun consistently shooting that pattern than I ever did just being pretty good at hitting the target.    I'll let you know how it goes after 1000 rounds.