Last week, I started a three-part series on the activities a sales person should do during the summer. As you know, selling presents different challenges and opportunities between Memorial Day and Labor Day than it does the rest of the year. By implementing these three ideas, you’ll be able to maximize your production over the next few months. Last week, we presented idea #1 … Prospect like crazy. Today, I present our second idea to dominating the summer:
Idea #2: Work every hour of June.
Ok, I don’t really mean every hour – you can take off Sunday mornings. Seriously though, once July 1st arrives, your chance of interacting with people and moving opportunities through the cycle diminishes drastically. Below is the scenario that will occur if you put your foot on the gas the rest of June…
Most of the opportunities that you have forecasted for June may look like lost causes. Keep pushing forward because your customers will want them off their plates before July. Focus on the July and August opportunities, too. Even though you won’t close all your July and August sales by June 30th, you’ll get them moving and the momentum will push them over the goal line before the end of the summer. You won’t be begging for purchase orders on August 29th like your competition. Adding momentum to an opportunity in July or August is like pushing toothpaste back into the tube. It may be possible, but I haven’t see it happen. Get them moving now or wait until the fall.
The extra work will also position you much better for scheduling appointments in July and August. Going back to Idea #1, your prospecting efforts in June will pay amazing dividends the remainder of the summer and into the fall. Again, once July 1st arrives, making those chance meetings happen becomes almost impossible, but starting now gets them moving.
In summary, your insane work ethic in June will provide the momentum necessary to close sales opportunities, and schedule appointments to spark new opportunities in July and August. Don’t wait – you must strike now before the laziest 60 days of the year.
