Selling all the way to the holidays?

The ‘holiday season’ approaches and we prepare to finish our year. It is another story for those in retail, plumbing etc and I feel for them – no slow-down there! But for those of us that are encountering Christmas decorations around every high street, perhaps in cold weather (or too hot weather in the Southern Hemisphere) there is a sense of slowing down in the B2B market.

Is that what your competitors are doing? Are they relaxing their way towards year-end? Decorating their desks, buying secret Santa gifts? Let’s hope so, as this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Why not increase your marketing and selling at this point when your competitors are busy detangling the tinsel? We weren’t in November yet and when  I heard a salesperson in an office I was visiting say ‘well, it’s nearly Christmas so nobody’s buying’.

I wasn’t sure what this was based on, and what was the cause? Are there fewer sales in the lead up to the holiday because our sales teams are taking it a bit easy, or are our buyers not in the mood? Sadly I couldn’t quiz her any further as I whizzed into a meeting but it surprised me. What they heck is everyone doing for the next month if they are paid to sell and they’re not bothering? Would it be a waste of a call to a prospect or client before the new year?

Take a look at both of these scenarios.

Buyers aren’t in the mood?

What aren’t they in the mood for? Personally, I love to get myself organised for the new year so I can hit the ground running come January. I’m happy to sort everything out so I can relax with my family. Perhaps these buyers are out of budget if it runs to year end? Fair enough. They might not be though, I just had someone book a No Fluff health check to take advantage of some left-over budget they had and get the team prepared for the new season. Even if they don’t have budget,  aren’t you going to put any ground work in to win a place in their next budget plan? Surely you’re not going to leave it to a wish and a prayer? Or call when all your competitors are calling for the same place in the spreadsheet?

It may be that your prospects need a softer sell at this time of year if you don’t want to push them (not that I advocate pushing anyone at any time).

But apart from anything else, this is a great time to build rapport, guys, why aren’t you doing more of it? Get in touch with current clients, a quick hello (not another digital Christmas card..) and a wishing you well for 2022 etc may well go a long way.

Add any offers you may have going on, or perhaps your prices rise come January? I’d want to know, as a client. If I can get organised for next year, tick a few things off my list AND save money I’m all in.

Sales team taking it a bit easy?

I’m not the Grinch. I love the holiday season (apart from the rain here in England). I’m all for Secret Santa and daft jumper day etc. But we still have work to do, and we can enjoy it while we do it. How great would it be to hit end of year target? Surpass it? Get ahead on your next target? Make some new clients in the time when you thought nobody would buy? Where’s your motivation gone? I bet you haven’t run out of prospects to call.

Seriously, if you have then go to your boss and tell her/him and they will find some for you. Get on it, enjoy the challenge, otherwise are you going to just eat your bodyweight in mince pies for the next few weeks? It gets crumbs in the keyboard, so don’t do that. Set yourself mini targets, or if you are in a team, get together and set them. Work out your goal of the call of course (no call should just be on a whim, people are busy). For example, are you calling an existing client to check all is well for the year/do they want anything else for next year/is there anything you can do to make life easier/can you direct them to a great article you thought they’d find interesting/would they write you a testimonial or recommend you? Make it a valid reason for calling.

And yes, I do talk about calling a lot. How many emails do you get per day? It’s a noisy space. It also takes less time, if you’re giving a personal message, to call through your clients than it does to personalise and send an email to each. If you’re mass mailing, of course, that’s pretty swift, but it doesn’t have the same impact.

Anyway, my holiday pep talk is now over – enjoy your lead up to the new year, but be constructive in your time – this isn’t a time for coasting – you can win new business while your competitors are compiling their festive quiz.

 Oh and by the way - I just got a WhatsApp from a coaching client of mine - who had been taking his foot off the pedal a bit - he just closed a £30,000 deal that he was going to leave until January. 10% deposit already paid. Cash in the system before Christmas and a solid start to 2022. Nice job.