Achieving sales quotas during the holiday season can be tricky. Clients and prospects may be out on PTO, making them harder to reach. Businesses are closed for company-wide holidays, adding to the challenge of connecting with prospective buyers. Plus, some companies may freeze their spending during the last few weeks of the year.
While it can be challenging to hit sales quota around the holidays, you can also have some of your highest-generating months this time of year. That’s what Sunny Sandhu, head of business development at Skillz, has experienced. He says it’s important for sales teams to break the cycle of pressure to hit sales quota by playing into the holiday season and spreading good cheer.
Wondering how to do this? Keep reading this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, where we highlight Sandhu’s ideas for hitting quotas during the holidays.
Up the ante with some prizes. Take advantage of the holiday season to bring some fun to your sales efforts. Sandhu says sales leaders could give a raffle ticket to reps every time they set a meeting. If they get two tickets in a day, maybe they get to choose a gift-wrapped present under the office tree. Sandhu notes that this idea can get sales reps fired up to hit quota while putting your whole team in a cheerful frame of mind.
Give thoughtful gifts. In the spirit of the season, encourage your sales reps to send holiday gifts to prospects. This can be a great way to keep deals moving along or to get a foot in the door with someone you’ve been trying to meet for months, says Sandhu. The more personalized you can make the gifts, the better, he adds. Think about what prospects could use in their line of work and send them a gift that could be useful.
Entice buyers with special offers. The holidays are a great time for unveiling limited-time offers and exclusive deals. However, you should plan carefully, Sandhu notes. If you unveil an offer too early, the offer becomes more about price than value. And if you offer the deal too late, you may lose the momentum you had been working to build. When done effectively, special offers during the holidays will excite your buyers and open the door to long-term retention.
Refocus on communicating value. To hit your sales quotas during the holidays, always keep conversations focused on value. Sandu says sales reps should prioritize communicating the value of their offerings and why it’s important to buy now. Use the season to vary your usual sales communications. Mix in holiday-oriented language to help put buyers in an upbeat mood.
You don’t have to struggle to get sales the last few weeks of the year. If you oversee a sales team, use the holiday season to incorporate some fun. Create competitions or offer prizes when your reps set sales meetings. You can also spread some holiday cheer to your clients and prospects with gifts. Special offers can also spark interest in prospective buyers. By creating urgency and demonstrating value, you can help boost sales now and in the new year.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Sunny Sandhu is the head of business development at Skillz.
