Way back on December 14th 2017 in fact I said “Year end doesn’t matter.” and it bears repeating so here you go…
I know, I know – HOW could someone in sales even THINK that year end doesn’t matter, let alone be willing to pronounce it to the world.
Pssst … I’ll let you in on a secret … Hitting your numbers, reaching your goal, earning your commission, winning that big trip… those are NOT business goals for your prospects and customers. They are YOUR business goals, and most of your customers don’t care.
Furthermore, if you’re beyond just wanting to hit numbers … and are in full freak out mode … then your customers really don’t care.
So here are three questions to ask yourself as your organization (or perhaps YOU) start freaking out about year-end:
How long is your sales cycle anyway?
Some organizations I work with have a short sales cycle, and on December 14 they actually have a shot at finding and closing net new business before the year is out.
Others have a longer cycle; one cites 60-90 days and another 18 months. They certainly can find and close. These teams know this: if it’s not identified, qualified, and ready to close… it’s not happening.
So first of all, please look at your sales cycle before freaking about what business will close before year end.
Look at the opportunities you have the ability to win (or lose, as the case may be) before December 31…and go for it.
Even though it’s your year end,
it may not be year end for your prospects and customers.
“When is your year end?”
Sometimes people give me funny looks when I ask for that pertinent piece of information. Does it matter? It does.
One of my OWN customers has a March 31st year end. December isn’t a year end push for them at all. As a salesperson, we lose all credibility when we attempt to use a lever that doesn’t fit the prospect or customer’s world.
You can choose to offer a “holiday gift” or “OUR year-end special” or something else that DOES make sense, but the year-end push doesn’t motivate someone whose year end is March 31, or July 31 or September 30.
Will they care? Why do THEY care?
Get ready! Here is the most important question of them all!
Why would the prospect or customer care about signing on the dotted line before New Year’s Eve or the day after?
If there isn’t a good BUSINESS reason for them to meet your deadline (and sometimes even a deep discount will not help you) they just don’t care. Too bad for you.
Their success…
Instead of thinking about our own reasons for pushing a pre-December 31 close … or freaking out because it’s not going to happen … let’s start asking how we can make our prospects and customers more successful as the year comes to a close.
That’s Right:
- How can WE help THEM?
- What can we do TODAY to help them achieve their goals?
- How can our product or service help them get a better performance evaluation for this year?
- What can we do to make them look good inside their organization?
- How can we help them achieve THEIR goals?
That’s the leverage, the secret revealed.
THEIR success is the reason they should buy from you today.
It’s time to reframe the urgency of year end. It’s not about YOU and your commission. It’s about THEM and their success. Let’s make it happen!