December Selling

Another goodie from SalesDog.com:

Selling in December
by Brent Patmos

For many, December can be the toughest selling month. Yet savvy sales professionals know how to take advantage of the season's unique opportunities. Here are three tactics you can use to sell more now.

December is the month that for many companies not only signals the end of their calendar year, but also the end of their fiscal year. It's also the month of the year when salespeople separate themselves into two different groups. We'll refer to the first group of salespeople as the DNF's (Do Not Finish) and we'll call the second group of salespeople the SMA's (Sell More Anytime).

The Do Not Finish group is easily recognizable. These salespeople view the entire month of December as a holiday and are in the "sell less" mode from the day before Thanksgiving through January 2nd. If you are counting on them to help you pull out the year or finish with a strong fourth quarter of sales, you will be seriously and repeatedly disappointed because they simply do not finish.

The Sell More Anytime group contains salespeople who make it happen and get it done consistently. Regardless of the month, season or time of year, these salespeople continually deliver results to their company in the form of sales. They are consistently developing their ability to sell more always. They get it on a year-round basis and really understand the importance of their contribution particularly when it comes to selling in December and finishing strong.

Here is how SMA salespeople make it happen, especially in December, and how you can drive more sales opportunities by finishing strong.

Meet urgent, last minute or year-end needs
Find out what schedule your current customers are planning to work in December. Write that schedule down in your Treo, Blackberry or planner. Make a call plan so that each of those customers receives a call prior to the 15th of December. Thank them for their business during the year, share a new product, service or piece of relevant information during each call. If you have no purpose in calling, you will have no purpose in selling. Ask them what "urgent, last minute or year-end needs" (use these words exactly) you may be able to help them with prior to the end of the year. Follow through with a response to all needs and with specific action on those where there is an immediate connection.

The key here is to understand their needs and then demonstrate an exceptionally high level of urgency around those needs that require action. Many sales are closed in December by salespeople who are working simply by calling customers that are working. You become memorable in the mind of the customer when they know you are working on their behalf to help them achieve their year-end goals and sales targets. You also show them that you are working for them throughout the entire year and that sticks.

Prospect in prime time
Establish a list of three to five targeted prospects that you'd like to be doing business with but aren't. Do your homework and identify a decision-maker with whom you'd like to speak. Make sure that you share a new product, service or piece of relevant information during each call. If you have no purpose in calling, you will have no purpose in selling. Customize the information based on your homework and knowledge that you've acquired.

Call the targeted prospect between December 15 and the 22 or between December 29 and December 30. Many decision-makers are answering their phones directly on these dates.

If you get a receptionist or an administrative assistant, make sure that you are purposeful in your direction. You may be amazed how easily you get connected with the decision-maker at this time of year. Use this type of language if you get the assistant: "Good afternoon Sue, this is John Peters calling would you please connect me with (insert person's name)." You may feel a bit uncomfortable, but you need to get over it. The worst thing that the assistant will do is ask who you are with and why you are calling. If they do, then you simply respond with your company name and tell them that you are calling to discuss whatever specific need you are planning to speak with the decision-maker about. In most cases that will create intrigue and also clear the assistant because you have answered her question directly, politely and without hesitation or delay. Practice this because, if you don't, you will find yourself floundering and the assistant will pick up on that quickly.

Capitalize on emergency needs
Contact specific customers on a weekly basis from now through January 31. These are customers that you know don't plan well, always have last minute needs and generally find themselves short on product or in need of service regularly. Be specific in your targets. You should choose customers who not only fall into this category but also are willing to pay for the urgency and response you will provide to their "emergency." Any customer can be willing to suck the urgency and responsiveness out of you quickly if they know they don't have to pay for it.

Questionable situations like these should be reserved for your most profitable customers with whom you have margined well and where your responsiveness and decisions will not cause you to lose money overall or make a bad sales or business decision. Think carefully about the needs you fulfill due to a customer's poor planning and you will find the best opportunities that allow you to acquire profitable sales on an "urgent request."

Be a strong finisher and a Sell More Anytime salesperson. You have 30 days in which you can contribute significantly to achieving your sales and profit targets for the year and establish a strong pipeline heading into 2009. Sell More Always!

Brent Patmos is President and CEO of Perpetual Development, Inc., a leading sales consulting and development company. Perpetual Development provides expertise in sales growth through human performance strategies that culminate in organizational transformation and evolution. Perpetual Development specializes in working with high performance companies. For more information or to contact Brent, visit their website.

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