I discovered a shocking statistic 8 years ago at a power selling boot camp.
60-75% of my competition will stop full time active active selling in early to mid November and not be back to 100% effort again until mid January or early February (after the super bowl).
While across all traditional industries total sales will decline by only 25-35% during the holiday selling season period. This means that I have the opportunity to capture the remaining 70% of sales available with only 30% of my usual competition; I love these odds. Imagine; only 3 out of 10 sales professionals competing against me for the guaranteed remaining 7 out of 10 sales.
Not only will my sales increase; my income follow suit and goals be exceeded; but the residual benefits are just as sweet.
First my clients will receive my professional attention during the time the majority of my competition abandons their needs. This is NEVER lost on clients; they are working 100% during the holiday season; and appreciate that so am I. I cannot recount how many clients will bring this fact up during the sales process; and will use it as a major factor when giving me referrals.
Secondly ; in January, I am up and running at 70 miles per hour; while my competition will be just entering the on ramp at 35 miles per hour.
This sales momentum; is impossible for my competition to recover; it is lost and gone and can never be recreated.
Thirdly; my first quarter results will be virtually guaranteed to exceed goals thanks to maintaining a steady momentum of sales calls and closed sales in the fourth quarter. Goals achieved and exceeded; springboard future success.
I recommend all sales professionals (other than my direct competitors), commit to this plan in 2012 and discover for themselves; what a fantastic holiday season they will have for their clients; companies and families. It is much more rewarding than slacking off; with no game plan.
Real World Hidden “Holiday Stealth Success” Written Plan of attack:
- Write your plan in your voice and the first person
- Share it with at least 3 accountability partners ( send me an email I will be one for you)
- Read it each and every morning and each and every night before going to sleep
- Monitor your resulting daily; weekly and monthly and adjust as needed.
- Never forget; your clients needs matter more than anything; including not making a sale if it is not in your clients 100% best interest.
- Upon conclusion of “ Holiday stealth success plan”; write a review of how it worked; lessons learned ; in order to improve it next year; send your accountability partners this review in email form; and launch your Quarter 1 specific sales plan ( if you do not have one yet; I have several ideas that have worked for me… more to follow)
Kevin Moran is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire.
