The Next 35 Days of Business …Kick Your Competitive Self Into Gear!

With the holiday season fast approaching, many companies think they have plenty of time to conduct business before year end. Some people feel the holiday time is expected to be slow, so they deliberately slow down their work load and their connection time with customers, prospects and vendors. Yet, in realty, businesses should be in an “all out” mode.

Time is of essence! The next 35 days will affect your business, ultimately by determining your success well into next year. And, what better way to start out a New Year, than being successful-right? To be part of the transactions that will take place or those conducting business, you have to kick your competitiveness self into gear by taking full advantage of this short window of opportunity. That is if you consider yourself competitive. If so, now is the time to apply your best practices including these 3 crucial strategies before your customers and prospects are “all out” of the office for the holidays.

IDEAS NOW! – Many companies are successful in strategically implementing ideas regardless of the time of year and there are those that continue to say, “Let’s wait until next year”. Smart companies who make or add new initiatives don’t wait yet begin their processes now. One way is to start conversations on brainstorming ideas in order to encourage your teams, departments and employees to keep their brains ruminating. Another method is to discuss your ideas with customers. This is a good reason to connect and will enhance their interest by letting them know it’s to better serve them. Your employees and customer’s feedback alone could lead to something big and exciting for the New Year!

FACE TO FACE WORKS! – The importance of meeting face to face is an indispensable foundation strategy. The best thing you can do in the next 35 days is to use face to face dialogue and creatively promote it within your company. Now is the time to get in front of as many customers or prospects as possible. If you schedule yourself with tons of appointments, your schedule will be packed through the end of the year. The holiday period can be pretty quiet, so take the opportunity to share what your company is doing to serve visit with others in order to conduct business, provide a customer survey, say thank you to a loyal customer or to go close that sale. Whatever the purpose, understand the importance of face to face because it works!

CLOSE NOW, CLOSE LATER! – We begin to hear all too often, “it’s the holidays, call me sometime next year”. This time of year, there are two kinds of buyers. Buyers that have a valid reason to wait or they are just not interested. But, according to my recent survey of 125 decision makers, 92% of the time, buyers say they want to get their paperwork off their desk by year end. Focus on the “close now” buyers that are ready to confirm and let your “close later” prospect know of your recent closing deals. They may think they are missing out on something with you.
Bottom line, this is the time of year that you need to be competitive with yourself. Get into the next 35 days by giving it your “all out” mode and watch how business will continue to come your way. Soon the holidays will be here and you will have plenty of time to rest and reenergize for more business to conduct on the horizon.