HARDISON’S TIPS – DECEMBER 9, 2020 – How to Beat the Holiday Slump & Close More Deals
- Push new business to January.
This might sound contrary to sales nature — but hear me out. Most new opportunities in mid-to-late November are not going to close by the end of the year. This means they’re simply taking up time and resources you could be using to close existing opportunities.
If a prospect’s requesting a December demo or late-November trial, simply say, “I’m afraid our trials are spoken for through December, but I can get you scheduled first thing January.”
Your prospect might say, “Great, let’s get January in the books,” which allows you to focus on deals that have a real chance of closing before the end of the year. And if your prospect says, “Is there anything you can do to squeeze us in this December,” this signals you have a motivated buyer who might close quickly. Capitalize on their eagerness, and move forward accordingly.
Instead of packing your December calendar with demos and trials, book a plane ticket to that client who’s just about to close, or devote extra time to coaching a prospect through gaining executive buy-in. These are subtle shifts that will help you come out on top of your end-of-year number.
- Commit to an aggressive discovery call schedule in December.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is waiting until January to fill your pipeline. You should begin filling your new-year pipeline in December.
Waiting until January will start your year off on the wrong foot. Schedule discovery calls with new prospects in December. And book as many as you can, regardless of qualification.
This will accelerate the sales process so your January will be filled with qualification conversations. And it will propel you forward, despite the emotional roadblock you might hit when the calendar flips to the new year.
- Spend time on internal activities at the end of December.
Take some time in December to work on internal activities that will benefit you and your colleagues in the new year. Meet with people in product marketing, operations, etc.
December is a good month to revisit and reenergize internal connections. Ask about upcoming product enhancements and marketing campaigns. And get insight into the company’s roadmap and goals for the first half of the year.
Meeting with colleagues in different departments will give you a clearer idea of the direction the company is going in the upcoming year. And it’s always beneficial to know of any organizational changes ahead of time. This way you’ll be prepared to hit the ground running when you get back from your holiday break.
