Hi ,
Welcome back to our Monthly 1-2-1. Are you enjoying the summer heat? Yes? No? Whatever the weather, we’ll be sharing our nuggets of sales wisdom along with new behaviours, attitudes and techniques you can take with you to improve your sales results
How’d you like to spend your summer? Probably not stuck in an office cold-calling prospects who are out there sipping cocktails with their families in Tahiti.
Salespeople have this dilemma every summer. It’s all too tempting to throw your laptops in the air (please don’t do this) and stomp to your nearest beach.
If we buy into the mindset that ‘business is closed for the summer’, then guess what? We will probably work hard to prove to ourselves that that’s the case (by not actually working hard at all!).
If you really want to push yourself as a salesperson, dispel that myth, and avoid stagnating like a lukewarm paddling pool, then we recommend these key learnings:
1. Find new ways to connect.
It’s true – you may not be able to reach every decision-maker on the phone over the holiday period. But chances are, they’re still dipping into LinkedIn when they’re back from the beach. Why not be proactive? Send them a LinkedIn voice note, wishing them an enjoyable holiday and suggesting you speak upon their return.
2. Keep yourself accountable but flexible.
To hit your sales targets, you’ll need to be super disciplined. Set yourself three goals at the start of every day/week and make sure you hit them. Once you’ve achieved them, and your work allows for it, step away from the screen and treat yo’self, as they say…
3. Boost your sales knowledge.
...but as a counter-argument, you can also use that spare time to boost your sales knowledge. Polish your prospecting techniques. Read some whitepapers from thought leaders in your industry. Maybe even watch one of our Sandler webinars? Just a thought.
4. Plan ahead.
There are plenty of opportunities to connect even when you and your leads are on holiday. Schedule your emails for when you both come back. Set reminders through Outlook or your CRM so you can pick your work back up. If you’re a workaholic, use LinkedIn’s InMail feature to connect with decision makers; chances are they’re doing the same thing!
With these takeaways, it’s possible to enjoy the sun and actively push your company’s sales forward. In between dips in the sea, you can also remind yourself with this FREE whitepaper, with 12 tips on staying motivated during the summer sales slump.