Diana May-JenningsBeat the summer doldrums and recommit
Summer greetings from SalesRabbit! We hope your hills are alive with the sound of sales. You’re probably aware that July is almost over, which means one month until the summer sales season ends.
We want you to keep selling, hit your goals and succeed. So here is some advice as you enter what we call the “summer sales doldrums” or summer sales blues. Now, you might be asking ‘what are the “summer sales doldrums” and do I have it’? Lucky for you, we provided a self-checklist of questions you can ask yourself:
1.) Does the pool look more and more enticing every day?
2.) Are you heading home early to watch the “Bachelorette”?
3.) Spending longer lunches at McDonald’s for free refills?
4.) Wishing you were in a cool movie theater watching “Terminator”?
These are all symptoms of the “summer sales doldrums” and while this list is not all-encompassing, you get the idea; you lost your focus, you’re not as motivated, you let your foot off the gas.
How to fix it
If you struggle with one, or several items from the list provided, make a pit stop for an adjustment. Because if you allow more “summer sales doldrums” distractions to interfere with your sales, you won’t be able to reach your summer sales goals.
How do you expect to finish the summer sales season or close a potentially big deal if you’re at the pool all day or in the movie theater? You can’t!
Don’t worry, there’s still time to recommit, beat the doldrums, and get back on the fast track to the checkered flag. Here is a list of ideas that will help you.
- Remember “why” you dedicated a summer to knock doors. Is it for tuition, a vacation to the Caribbean, a car for your wife? Whatever the why, write it down with images so you see it several times a day.
- Meet with your manager or top sales reps often. Ask what works well for them: How do they close? What questions do they ask? What is the best transition from benefit-selling to closing? Open your ears and take notes.
- Try getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Drop the Xbox controller and cut down on the number of nights you shred the karaoke mike at Chili’s.
- Eat a balanced diet. Studies show eating a well-balanced diet helps improve your mental and physical well-being. Basically, cutting down on fast food makes you a gazelle when moving between doors, not a crippled water buffalo. And don’t be surprised if you suddenly start thinking like a rocket scientist.
- Surround yourself with others still motivated to sell and dominate. Their positivity and excitement will buoy you and should reignite the passion to keep your foot on the gas.
- Go over all your goals for five minutes daily. Now make specific objectives you will do throughout the day to accomplish those goals. Nothing gives your day more purpose than reviewing goals.
- Dedicate 10 minutes a day to meditate. Go through your pitch mentally. Think of door scenarios and you closing a sale. The more you think about closing a sale, the more sales you will close. This one might seem strange but trust us.
- Hit the weights buffet at the gym, or get involved in other physical activities. Scientific research shows physical activity increases the product of endorphins, which helps you dust yourself off after getting a door slammed in your face.
Start Now
Reps, the time is now to recommit to accomplish what you set out to conquer at the start of summer. If you follow this checklist, you will be motivated to keep your foot on the gas and beat the “summer sales doldrums.”
Did you find this useful? Anything you would add to the list? Leave a comment and let us know.
