Is It Halftime Yet?

Many of the world’s great sports have a halftime break in the middle of the event. Why is there a need to do this? When I lived in Texas, I was convinced that the only reason for halftime at football games was to give enough time for the several hundred or so students in the marching bands, dance teams, cheerleader and pep squads to perform. While that may indeed be one reason, halftime is important for those who playing the game for many other reasons.

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In very rare cases, a team may be dominating to such an extent that the only purpose for halftime may be to make sure they do not let up or get too confident. In most cases, however, a number of important things occur in that short break.

Before we look at them, the question for you is: Is it halftime for you or your agency? It may be difficult to guess when your halfway point may occur, so my suggestion is not to answer that question based on the amount of time you have been in this business. Instead, you need to determine if your agency needs any of the following actions and then run into the locker room for halftime.

You may even decide to take halftime a few times each year, because you are in a very competitive business that is constantly changing and consistently intense. So take some time while the band plays and the dancers dance to do these important tasks that all teams do at halftime:

Take a breather: A primary reason for halftime is simply to rest. Our bodies and minds need a change of pace, so make sure you schedule time to do so. Many innovations and great decisions occur when you take the time to stop and relax.

Lick your wounds: While a bit of an awkward cliché, this is one of the first things that happens in the locker room. Any injuries are looked at and addressed to the extent possible. In my second-to-last high school football game, I broke my wrist shortly before halftime. The solution was one that some may claim is abusive, but kept me playing — tape it up! That sticky white tape was and still is a staple in the trainer’s room.

You do need to take some time to address an injury or some other issue. So it is in your business. Halftime allows you to see what is not functioning right and give you time to “tape up” those problems. If the problem is too severe, then you may need to sit out of the game — at least for a while. Check all of the vital signs of your business and, if any are not working at full capacity, determine what you need to do to make them healthy again.

Size up the competition: When you reach halftime you have been in the game and know the strengths and weaknesses of those playing against you. While you need to understand that the lineman you are facing is huge, fast and beating you on every play, you had better find a solution instead of complaining how unfair it is that he is so big.

In other words if you are losing sales to the “big guys” in our business, figure out how to play better against them. The advantages they may have in marketing, pricing and other areas are not going to change, so figure out what you can do better than they can. Is it play-calling (unique strategies), fundamentals of blocking (product knowledge) or being quicker and more nimble (customer service and sales skills)?

Win it for the Gipper: Coaches sometimes earn their pay just based on the value of what they say at halftime. We all need encouragement and motivation, so take this pause in the action to listen to some great motivational speakers or read an uplifting book. While some people say that motivational talks last only a short time, I will simply quote Zig Ziglar’s response: “The benefits of taking a bath don’t last either, but that doesn’t mean we stop taking them.”

Unlike halftimes in sports, a business halftime can come whenever you need it. So schedule your break in the action and walk through these four steps and run out on the field of sales with renewed excitement and enthusiasm!