Don’t slip into that Turkey Day slump just yet!
While friends and family, celebrations, and personal reflection are all a significant part of the end of each year, this is still a critical time for business.
For Business Owners and Decision Makers, there’s still much work to be done to make it to the end of the year. They are winding down but that doesn’t mean they aren’t working hard, planning, and preparing for the next year. If you’re selling in Business to Business Channels, get involved in that process to hit the ground running in the New Year.
Employ these 3 Sales Strategies to Maximize your Year End Push:
Ask how you can help your customers hit their year-end goals.
Instead of calling to try to close sales, give your customers a big surprise and ask your customer how you can help them achieve their year-end objectives or initiatives. While most people are calling asking for help, you can pull a reverse and ask if there is any way you can help them wrap up their year.
They may need your help with some industry insights, pulling reports on your software, or finding additional staff for the holiday season. You could provide your resources, and your connections or they may even have budget left yet to spend and you can help them be successful. Win-win-win.
Thank them for their business . . . and ask them WHY they do business with you.
Don’t just drop your fruitcake and run, show your customers how much you really appreciate them by asking them WHAT they value about your relationship or service and how or what you can improve. This can make your relationship stronger and potentially stave off competition if your customer delivers insights that can make your solution even more complete for them. They may not be aware of other offerings or products you provide.
Taking this time to know what’s important to them is win-win-win. And, you can take that testimonial and create messages or wrap a value proposition around it to share with potential customers.
Get on their calendar for next year.
If you know this customer is extremely stressed or frazzled trying to end their year, call them and ask them to set a date and time to meet at the beginning of next year. Do it now so you beat the mad rush of every other salesperson contacting them after all the New Year’s resolutions are made. Send them a confirmation email with a clear agenda of what you’d like to discuss. Send it again to confirm your meeting a few days before.
Setting the precedent that you’re a professional that respects their time and knows how to prepare and get down to business gives you a leg up over most of the competition. For decision-makers and business owners, TIME is their most precious resource and potentially a bigger obstacle than price.
This is the time to start reflecting on the past year and celebrating with our friends, family, and colleagues but it doesn’t mean that you should let your foot off the gas and coast until the next year. There are plenty of miles to still cover between now and the New Year and if you focus and keep driving, you’ll help yourself, help your customers and also help put more distance between you and the competition.
Until next time, stop hoping, start SELLING!
-sks
