subject: Don't Stop Believing In 2010's Numbers [print this page] As sure as this week is full of leftover turkey and water-cooler football replays, SJN staff always hears some version of the following questions from both new and existing clients. "Why should we launch a sale program during the holiday months? Plus it's Q4, who has time for introductory conversations anyway?"
Here are some ways to engage with the holidays that should improve your 2010 sales results and get 2011 off to a best-year-ever start. At the very least, use these tips for overcoming your own leftover let-down, maintain momentum and take advantage of the positive quirks that the holidays offer for business development. You'll stand out for showing up when everyone else is out for the season.
We'll get to it after the new year: Why wait? Q4 is a great time to complete introductory and preliminary steps for next year's sales activity, never mind the very real possibility that you may find pre-qualified business that wants to close before the end of the year. CFOs certainly want you to call. The annual GE survey of middle-market CFOs says that after a tense year of hoarding cash and waiting on expenditures, it's time to move forward on initiatives.
My prospects aren't available during the holidays: Oh yes they are. They're not on the road and they are not likely doing their own sales activities (see above) but they are in the office looking at what is left unfinished and working and planning for next year. It's a great time to introduce your company. The holiday months are GREAT for warm calling. Many senior level executives are actually at their desks, even answering their own phones, instead of on planes and at offsite meetings.
This time of year it's all about the bottom line: Yes, that's true. And bottom-line-aware senior executives are in the office and willing to listen to whatever you have to say that will improve the bottom line, this year or next. Don't believe us? Check out the IBM CFO survey: It says that CFOs want to buy improved performance across their organizations. They are eager to hear your offer and they just may snap it up with some of the cash that all of the the surveys of CFOs say they've been hoarding throughout the downturn.
Use the the end of the year to your advantage. Create a full schedule of sales conversations and you may find, as we did in 2009, that December 29 is the highest revenue day of the year.
At the very least you'll have a full calendar of conversations scheduled for after New Years, when your competitors are just limping back into the office with heartburn and a blank sheet of paper labeled 2011 sales.
