As the holiday season approaches, it may be tempting for sales teams to succumb to what we call "hibernating bear syndrome," slowing down efforts and coasting toward the year’s end. After all, nobody’s available, right?
Truth be told, this is one of the best times of the year to reach some people … and even if you do run out of real-time conversations (which is by no means a given), there are plenty of things you can do to finish 2024 strong. For top-performing sales professionals and leaders, the holiday season is one of the best times to keep the momentum going. The final months of the year offer unique opportunities to stand out, finish strong, and build a robust foundation for a successful 2025.
Three essential activities will help you make the most of this underappreciated time of the year and stay ahead of the game: prospecting, pruning, and progressing.
Prospecting: While many sales professionals shy away from making calls or sending emails during this period, those who persist will find that buyers are often more accessible and receptive.
The Power of One: Commit to making one additional call, sending one extra email, or initiating one more conversation every day. Over time, this simple habit can yield significant results.
Ask for Introductions: Use holiday gatherings, client check-ins, and networking events as opportunities to ask current customers for referrals. A warm referral is one of the best ways to fast-track your sales process.
Leverage Social Media: Engage with potential clients on platforms like LinkedIn and BlueSky. Share valuable content, comment on their posts, and build rapport that can lead to meaningful conversations in 2025.
Holiday Greetings: Send personalized holiday messages to prospects and clients. This simple gesture not only keeps you top of mind but also opens the door for further dialogue.
Consistency in prospecting this month positions you to hit the ground running in January!
Pruning: Not every lead will convert, and that’s okay. The holiday season is a great opportunity to focus your time and energy on opportunities that have genuine potential. Pruning your sales pipeline—removing unqualified, inactive, or lost leads—frees up bandwidth for high-value activities.
Review and Qualify: Take a close look at your current opportunities. Are they progressing as expected? If not, reassess their viability. If a lead consistently fails to meet the criteria that make it a good match with your ideal opportunity, it’s probably time to let it go.
Set Deadlines: Create clear timelines for follow-ups and next steps. If a contact doesn’t respond within a reasonable period, consider moving on.
Update Your CRM: Ensure your customer relationship management system reflects accurate information for all active leads. This clarity will help you prioritize effectively.
Pruning your pipeline ensures you’re focusing on opportunities with the highest likelihood of success.
Progressing: Another clear priority is to focus on progressing your active opportunities. The goal, of course, is to move deals forward and close as many as possible before the year’s end.
Create Fresh Urgency: Use the calendar to your advantage. Holiday deadlines, year-end financial cycles, and year-end incentives can all help to motivate prospects to take action.
Ask About Budget Availability: Some contacts may have unused budget funds, and may be open to discussing creative ways to use their available financial resources before year’s end.
Schedule Meetings Early: Can you find ways to get your 2025 meetings on the calendar before schedules fill up?
Maintaining sales momentum during the holidays isn’t just about ending the year on a high note—it’s also about laying the groundwork for future success. If you find you have downtime on your hands, why not use that time to set goals, review past performance, and refine your strategies for the upcoming year? Why not use that time to strengthen connections with clients and prospects through thoughtful gestures, such as handwritten holiday cards or personalized thank-you notes.
By prioritizing prospecting, pruning, and progressing, you’ll not only finish the year strong but also position yourself for a thriving 2025. After all, success doesn’t take a holiday—and neither should you!
