You Control the SHOW!
About this time of year I begin my regular rants about the upcoming summer months. I have been in this industry for twenty years now and for twenty years I have heard that the summer is always slow. Is it slow because it is slow or is it slow because our account executives are slow?
Is late December and early January slow because no one is buying or because no one is reaching out and making calls?
I have a theory that it is because of the latter reasoning. Will this year be any different? It should be and let me tell you why. First of all let me say that I do believe that the during the summer months there is not the volume of promotional products being purchased as during some other times of the year. OK…now I hear a few of you saying that I am changing my mind, talking out of both sides of my mouth….a typical salesperson…right?
Here is my point! My goal for our sales force each and every year is to sell more than during the same period last year. Rephrasing that, my goal for the summer months is for it to not be “as slow” as it was last year. Can each executive sell more during June, July and August of 2009 than they did during 2008?
The answer this year is an emphatic YES for a few reasons! First and foremost I believe that there is some pent up demand among our customer buyers. They have been holding off and holding off and many of them are finally saying to themselves what we have been saying all along…Unless you are going out of business for good you need to market yourselves to tell your customers that you are still alive. (A brief side note here…are you letting your customers know that you are still alive?)
True, budgets have been cut, we all know that but in most cases there are still budgets. There are still dollars to be spent with someone so it might as well be you!
My second line of reasoning involves the “hunger factor” that exists within our most competitive reps. Many things motivate successful account executives in this business. Recognition is one key motivating factor but another one that some of you may have heard of is M-O-N-E-Y!!!
Has anyone taken a bit of a hit on their income this year? Raise your hand. OK now another question…would anyone like a chance to make up for some of that lost income? I know the answer so there is no need to ask for a show of hands but there is a need to ask if you are willing to work hard to recoup some of your lost commissions.
“Show me the M-O-N-E-Y” is that famous line uttered by Cuba Gooding in the Jerry McGuire movie. The money is there but only those who are out there will have a shot at it.
This will not be a normal slow summer! This is my projection. Every salesperson that is willing to put their nose to the grindstone and make those calls and offer up some creative options for their clients has a chance to make up some lost income. Again, like so many things in this business it is up to you!
Do not let the old saying referencing the “dog days of summer” become a self fulfilling prophesy for you! I can guarantee you one thing if you sit at home during the upcoming summer weeks sipping tea on the porch because “no one is buying”, then no one will buy!
On the other hand if you are out there meeting and greeting your existing customers as well as new prospects, prospects whose reps are “sipping tea” you just might be able to make this one of your best summers ever.
So the ball is in your court, you control the show! I sincerely hope that you are driven to be the best that you can be. Let’s get some of that money back in your pocket. Let us not resign ourselves to saying that the summer is slow. That is a good start!
Thank you for your commitment and determination to be successful!
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