Turn Your Slow Season into Your Best Season

Has your slow season turned into a lazy season?

Many times, it’s just an excuse for salespeople who lack the creativity and determination to make sales. Their sales are slow because they allow them to be. They would rather take a nap and let the time slip by.

Well, YOU should stay awake! The slow season is the BEST time to get in front of your customers! Think about it: While the rest of your industry is resting, you can take advantage of the opportunity to stand out among your competition and attract customers.

The best way to do this is to have clear objectives. Focusing on just a few aspects of your sales approach could help you turn your slow season into a successful one.

Get Your Customer’s Attention

Everything you do leaves an impression on your customers and tells them something about your business. So if you really want to stand out among your competitors, you must do something different.

Take the time during your slow season to go through everything that comes in contact with your customers and make whatever it is absolutely memorable. Think of unique ways to answer the phone, leave a voicemail message, send a fax, or present a proposal.

Be unique, have some fun, and make a memorable impression!

Show Your Customer Your Value

Don’t drive your customers away by raving about how great your company is or showing off your detailed product knowledge. Customers don’t want to hear this stuff during ANY season. However, they will ALWAYS have time to listen if your words are valuable to them.

Make a list of ten things that you can provide for your customers and prospects that they would find highly valuable. How can you help make their business more profitable? How about giving them a new customer? You should aim to give them things that are low-cost, but high-value.

Focusing on value will give you something important to say, which will keep you in front of those who matter most. Those who are in a position to say “yes” to you will want to come to you for answers, solutions and sales! Change Your Customer’s Perspective

There are times in the year when the need for your products is obvious, but sometimes (like in your slow season) it’s not. If customers don’t see a need for your product, they won’t buy it! This is where your creativity becomes a must.

Shift your sales focus to less obvious applications of your product and help the customer envision the many benefits of having it in their lives. Your fresh ideas will create some excitement and be sure to capture their attention!

Make Time for Self-Improvement

A great way to make the most of the slow season is to invest some time in learning something new. Shut off the television and pick up a sales book! It wouldn’t kill you to spend a few nights a week preparing to be the best. We often spend so much time trying to make quotas that we leave no time for self-improvement.

Bottom line: If you want to improve your sales approach, you must make the time to improve yourself.

Your time, like your money, can either be invested or spent. How are YOU using your time during the slow season? Maximize your time and sales by having clear goals and focusing on what is most important. Do everything you can to set yourself apart from the competition and attract customers. Invest your time wisely, and your checkbook will thank you.

Tom Richard conducts seminars on sales and customer service topics nationwide. Tom is also the author of Smart Salespeople Don't Advertise: 10 Ways to Outsmart Your Competition With Guerilla Marketing, and publishes a free weekly ezine on selling skills titled Sales Muscle. To subscribe to this free weekly ezine go to http://www.tomrichard.com/subscribe