START IMPLEMENTING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS NOW!
It is now December and we have less than one month left in 2012. After Thanksgiving, business slows down and great salespeople seize the moment, fully understanding that this is the best time to secure new business.
Whether it's following up with old or existing clients or contacting new ones, December offers the best month to make contact and secure new business. Everyone knows that business slows down after Thanksgiving as firms start to focus more on holiday parties and budgets for the next year than on pushing new business. However, great salespeople know this is the best time of year to contact clients - when business slows down chances are better to get ahold of clients both new and old.
As business winds down, take the time to review the year and figure out what did and didn't work before the end of the year. Traditionally, most people establish New Year's resolutions with hopes of creating new opportunities and a better way to perform and live. The problem is that when January comes around people are back in business and pushing forward with the New Year. Great salespeople know better than to set resolutions in January, setting them instead in December so that when January comes around, they are focused and ready to go with a plan for the coming year; rather than spending valuable time in January trying to create a plan for 2013.
Don't wait until January 3rd to figure out what needs to change in order for 2013 to be a success - start now! Create a new business plan for 2013 and figure out how to execute that plan. When January comes around you will hit the ground running while other salespeople are either trying to figure out a plan for 2013 or worse yet, just doing what they do each year with no regard for a review of success or what changes need to be made to improve their financial situation.
- Hans Hansson, Starboard Commercial/TCN Worldwide