0The pressure is building up each day, the days are passing quickly and you feel like you’re running out of time and options minute by minute.
You start wondering – where did all of this work come from? Where was it hiding during the previous months when things seemed a bit easier? You didn’t even know you had this much work.
Then you start getting tired and cranky and wondering do you even need this job, honestly, do you really have to eat every day and pay bills.
To avoid this type of thinking, we’ve searched for the best practices on Q4 selling and this is what we found.
Start As Early As Possible
The amount of stress and holiday bonanza makes a Q4 a perfect setting for mistakes and failures. People are leaving for vacation, immersing in their own troubles and losing energy and patience as days go by.
The best thing you can do for your company and yourself is to start closing early in the Q4. Somewhere about 65% of your quota would be ideal. Not only will it be less stressful for you, but for your superiors as well.
If you start closing early in the Q4 you will have more predictability into how your quota will turn out.
Make those sales soar with few incentives towards your customers and do the same for your sales reps who will be motivated to sell more for a higher commission or a higher bonus.
Remeber, if you don’t close early on, someone else will.
Focus On The Selling
Yes, everybody at your work is waiting around the corner for you to help them finish „just this one little thing“. But this is the time when you should be focusing on selling and selling only.
If you’re one of the lucky ones, counting their Q4 from November to January, you should use what is left of this month to finish all the not-selling activities.
Hiring new sales reps, updating your CRM, calculating your KPIs, data appending and hygiene, sales and marketing strategies – make sure all of these are done or nearly done by the time you find yourself in the middle of Q4.
If you’re one of the people who’s Q4 is starting in October, maybe outsourcing can help. Outsource your lead generation, outsource your data appending and anything really that would keep you from selling.
Show Appreciation For Your Customers
You know what will make you feel less stressed in these awful months? A nice lunch with a client.
No, seriously. It may seem like the last thing on your mind when you’re spending 12 hours in the office, but. Take the time from the office to wind down and meet your current client for a lunch. Use this opportunity to show your appreciation for them believing in you and to let them know that they can count on you in the future. If you can afford it, buy them a nice gift as well.
If you have enough time, try meeting your former clients for a drink after the work. See how they are doing, do they need help with anything or if they need a friend that needs help with something.
Repurpose Old Content
In the light of focusing on selling only, try not to waste too much time on preparing new content.
Find your best-performing articles and try to make a new article out of that one or turn it into a different form of content – a video, a webinar or a presentation. Take your most popular eBook and write a few articles based on the information you shared there. Find new angles of your previous blog posts and try to write from another perspective or put something different in focus. The possibilities are endless if you created good content.
Also, focus on the content that is most valuable to your prospects at the bottom of the pipeline. Why are they most worried about? What are their pain points and aspirations? Don’t waste your time trying to attract everybody – focus on the ones that are most likely to close.
Be Present On Social Media
As the holiday season is approaching people are spending more time on social media posting and looking for information.
Don’t avoid social media, but instead seize this opportunity to see what your prospects and customers are talking about, what are their troubles and goals and if there is any space to upsell or cross-sell to existing customers.
This is the time for you to post more and advertise more on social media and be at the top of the mind of your prospects.
Bonus Tip
Ease the stress for your sales reps by organizing a nice holiday party. Let them unwind and show appreciation for each and every one of them. If you can, award additionally the best performing ones to show that their work really means to you and, after all, to ignite competition in the future.
However, make sure that the party is for their enjoyment only and not a cheap replacement for an annual bonus or better commission because you won’t do anyone any favors. Especially not yourself.
If you need any more help with your Q4 selling – contact us, we would love to help.
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