How To Beat The Holiday Doldrums (In Sales)

I hear a lot of complaining about the upcoming time of year regarding "holiday doldrums" sales and revenue. While I've discussed this idea before, I want to add a few action steps to the solution for you.

First, let's remember that the notion that the whole world shuts down in the holiday season is silly and false. You can buy into it if you want to, and I can't stop you, but it's really a false and limiting belief.

Do many people take time off in the period starting at Thanksgiving and concluding in early January? Of course they do. I'm not here to argue that.

But does everyone?

Everyone?!

Holiday Doldrums Are Not For Everyone

Many people have an unconcealed hatred of the consumerist way Christmas celebration has become. I speak with them every day, and they have no trouble sharing their belief with me. These folks all continue with the grind and are available in their offices during the holiday season.

And what about people who don't have kids? They have far less of a reason to take their holidays at Christmastime, don't they. I myself took holidays for many years in April, and late September or early October.

The lesson here is that not every prospect has to follow the pattern you have in your mind.

You are not your customer!

Prospects Will Also Behave Differently During the Holiday Doldrums

So the truth that we are left with is that many potential customers remain in their offices in the traditional holiday season. And who is around them? Not as many other people, to be sure. The gatekeepers are often gone. These proto-buyers are far more likely to answer their phones.

I remember one year when I was a credit manager, I worked on my birthday. My age-turner is in the final week of the year, and it was almost silly—there was a skeleton crew on, and I was bored out of my tree. At 3:00 the director came in and said I could go home as they were shutting down early.

Now if you had reached me on a day like that day, right smack in the middle of what is supposed to be the dreaded “Shutdown Season”, I would have talked to you. I would have been glad to speak with you.

Keep this image in mind, because there are a lot of bored executives out there during the holiday period who will welcome your call.

See, what you have to do to be successful during this upcoming season is Change Your Behavior.

You can't count on inbound leads.

Referrals probably aren't going to flow in.

Your regular customers are going to behave exactly the way they have in past holiday seasons, and disappear.

Are you starting to get me?

You are going to have to do something different.

Reach out.

Have an interesting way to reach out—give the prospect something, have a good opener, something to break up what in there world is deadening monotony.

Then you have a great chance of being greeted by a chuckle, or a warm word of appreciation...and then you can get on with qualifying your new lead.

The deals are out there. Even in the midst of the holiday season. Change your behavior and go get them.

>> Jason Kanigan is a business strategist and sales trainer. If you are looking for a way to consistently reach and engage prospects, book a consultation with Jason.