Pressure can be intense for salespeople during the last quarter of the year. One strategy is to remember previous prospects we had mistakenly predicted to be future clients.
Instead of forever sealing a door, reach out one more time to instead seal business. Take the unusual step of contacting a prospect who previously rejected you. We rarely or fully know what is going on behind the scenes. And times quickly change.
Sales aren’t always final with the CEO, and employees do not have full control over their decisions. But recognizing the human side of all with good cheer will sometimes turn the decision around at the next opportunity.
Stand out from the crowd by calling former prospects to wish them a happy holiday season. Inquire about their plans and ask what is on their horizon in the New Year. Yes, this sounds time-consuming and possibly a grand waste of time. However, my past prospective clientele was always taken by surprise when I called to wish them a joyful holiday season. A few were annoyed, but most were happy to hear from me. It was easy to detect the reception and if I should proceed with questions.
Upon hearing a friendly voice, I advanced to the next phase of asking the following:
- Will you be willing to consider my company once again
- What would you recommend I do differently the next time to see improved results
- May we meet at your convenience to discuss the possibilities?
The uniform answer was, “Yes, let’s meet!”
Their buy-in, agreeing to meet, was a signal for us to begin anew with good cheer in mind. Our conversations took on an entirely different dynamic with enthusiasm included. The path to additional sales in the New Year started to pave itself. More importantly, worry about filling a new sales pipeline and meeting a higher quota was never an issue.
Good cheer attracts good results!
Habits can make or break our effort. In the New Year, attempt new habits one at a time, so that you may monitor which work best and the ones to eliminate. Hopefully, you use a database to record interactions of all types.
One addition for tracking clientele is worth considering. List the ‘almost clients’ that eventually turn you down. At holiday time, including the beginning of summer, contact the almost list to ask about plans and if anything is new at the company.
Variables get in the way of sales:
- Budgeting
- Varying opinions behind the scenes
- Obligations
Little remains stagnant. Give people space when they turn your offer down. Come to terms with what they are rejecting; it’s the offer, not you. Your job is to figure out what was rejected, and how you might improve future similar situations.
When you do reconnect, exclaim in your own words, “I was thinking about you and your plans.” Have your clientele train you for the possibility of working together down the road.
Using creativity in business development for further sales distinguishes our work style and brand. And the heart-to-heart plus mind-to-mind conversations build credibility and trust.
Give good cheer a try throughout the New Year while documenting the results. Mindset over matter wins out almost every time, and you might experience a bulging sales pipeline alleviating chasing year-end quota.
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