Home Field Advantage

Most sports teams & individuals have a significantly higher winning percentage when competing at 'home' than when they are 'away'. This is called a "Home Field Advantage". As with most lessons learned from sports, this phenomenon can also be applied to the world of business.

A sales professional once told me about his plan to grow his new business pipeline. He was going to travel to far away cities and cold call as many companies in a day as possible. After complimenting him on his initiative, I innocently pointed to the large business park across the street from his office and asked, "When was the last time that you called on the companies over there?" My question was followed by an awkward silence... and then by the realization that he had forgotten to leverage one of his most valuable assets.

Whether it is an actual physical proximity or the 'closeness' of an existing relationship, there are a countless number of similar opportunities that you have right now. What is your Home Field Advantage?