Elite athletes don't walk onto the field and improvise. Why are so many sellers doing exactly that every single day? In Episode 4 of Think Big, Win Bigger, host Dennis Deal Sorenson — CEO of Cove Group and fractional CRO — picks up exactly where Episode 3 left off. Dennis has built a career around the belief that great sales performance isn't accidental; it's a system. His firm, Cove Group, partners with companies to eliminate friction inside the sales process and install repeatable, scalable solutions built on Ambition, Strategy, and Execution. This episode zeroes in on the final two pillars of the Four P's framework: Practice and Play. What actually separates elite sellers from everyone else — is it talent, or is it the preparation that looks almost obsessive from the outside? Dennis breaks down what genuine practice looks like for sellers: rehearsing the plan until it's second nature, building a sales story flexible enough to adapt to any persona, and attacking every weakness in a presentation before the customer gets the chance. He shifts to Play — knowing your next right shot, maintaining two-thirds focus on offense, and executing the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act), a framework borrowed from the U.S. Air Force. The closing message is direct: trust the preparation, execute the plan, and compete with purpose. "From planning preparation and practice it becomes stronger it becomes more natural it becomes easier and it's more fun." In This Episode: (00:00) Four P's framework recap (03:00) Practicing for every customer interaction before you're in the room (04:30) Mastering your sales story for every persona and situation (06:41) Moving to play: discipline, the next right shot, and staying on offense (08:06) Disciplined but adaptable: how to read the room without losing the plan (09:35) The OODA loop: observe, orient, decide, and act like a fighter pilot (10:30) Trust your preparation and execute with purpose when it's time to play (11:27) How planning and practice train the subconscious to perform Share with a sales leader or seller who's ready to build something that lasts. Subscribe to hear all future episodes! About the Show Think Big. Win Bigger is hosted by Dennis Sorenson, CEO of Cove Group, a strategic partner for companies seeking to optimize sales performance and achieve sustainable growth. With deep expertise in enterprise sales and fractional CRO leadership, Dennis specializes in addressing challenges at the point of friction—where inefficiencies, misalignment, or resistance occur within the sales process. The podcast is built on Process-Driven Sales and the three pillars of Ambition, Strategy, and Execution. Each episode breaks down the systems and operating rhythms that drive predictable performance, giving leaders and sellers practical insights they can use immediately. This is for professionals who are ready to stop improvising, start operating with intention, and build repeatable success over time. Resources: Dennis Sorenson: LinkedIn Cove Group Horizons West Chapters (00:00:00) - Think Big, Win Bigger(00:00:46) - Planning and Preparing for the Year(00:03:08) - Practice Makes You Smarter(00:06:39) - MOTIVATE: Moving to Play
