It’s the fourth quarter and that means the race is on to make the yearly number.  What it also means is we’re only a few weeks away from the time of year when stupid ideas start to become reality.   Sad comment is there is no reason for anyone to do anything stupid, and when I say “stupid,” I’m referring to offering discounts to gain a sale before the end of the year.

Eliminate right now the idea that making your numbers requires price cuts.  Price cuts make it onto the list of year-end strategies only because nobody took the time and effort to develop other strategies early enough in the year to avoid year-end price discounting.

First, examine where each salesperson is spending their time

The focus is on gaining business this year, not next year.  Too many salespeople get themselves into trouble because they’ve spent too much time dealing with prospects who have zero ability to become customers this year.  From October on – and even earlier for some industries – the focus must be on customers who will generate business this year. 

 Some people will take this to mean I’m implying sales shouldn’t be focused long-term.  No, that is not the case.  As much as the fourth quarter is geared toward closing immediate sales, the first quarter should be geared toward long-term business.   The objective is to optimize how you use your time.

Second, look for ways you can secure more business from existing customers

This is often overlooked, and even if it isn’t overlooked, it is rarely capitalized on fully.  Focus on existing customers because they are already set up in your company’s system and you’re set up in their system as a supplier.  

The last thing anyone wants to hassle with at the end of the year is suddenly facing problems with accounting and credit in getting new accounts set up in a timely manner.

Third, develop packages that make it easy for both existing and new customers to buy from you

Look at your product offering and find areas where you can strip away anything but the basics. The idea is to make it incredibly simple for the customer to buy. The beauty with this tactic is for many companies it means also having the ability to service orders quickly. That allows for new customers to experience your superior level of service even faster.

When you’re simplifying the product offering, also simplify the total size of your portfolio. This may seem counter-intuitive, but by limiting the total number of options, you help make it even easier for customers to do business with you.  Think about this for a moment: How many times have you had a customer delay in making a decision because they can’t decide from all the choices?  We’ve all had customers of this type, and this is exactly what you don’t want happening at the end of the year. 

Many times a customer who is on the fence when faced with too many options will simply defer making that decision.  The problem is when this occurs in the fourth quarter, there are far too many holidays.  And this means that a delay in deciding can easily slide into never deciding.

Fourth, start canvassing existing customers with the sole purpose of finding customers who are looking to spend funds before the end of the year

Organizations like this do exist, and many times, they are companies you would not expect. The trick to finding these companies is to ask about year-end funds. Don’t be shy and remember that sometimes people say they don’t have year-end money, when really they do.  Many times it takes checking with multiple people to determine if funds might be available.   This is just one of the many reasons why it is so important to have as many relationships as possible at a particular account. 

Finally, follow a strategy where you set aside some time in October to do nothing but a phone blitz

The objective is to make sure every prospect and customer receives a phone call from you in October.  The objective of the calls is to determine who you can add to your schedule to help generate more sales.  

Don’t rely on marketing to do this. Doing an email blitz or mailing is simply not enough.  The power of your phone calls can many times uncover opportunities that marketing would never uncover.

Your goal is simple: Put strategies in place now to help avoid any discussion at the end of the quarter that leads you to do something stupid to make the year-end number.

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price. He is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. He was named one of the Top 50 Influencers in Sales by Top Sales World.  To receive a free weekly sales tip and read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on Twitter, on Facebook and on Linkedin.

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