THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER

We have all heard them for the past 2 months, in December it was, “I am not going to make any decisions until after the holidays”, in January it has been, “It is too early in the year to make any decisions.”

Well I have some good news, the holidays are over. The new year is 1/12 gone and all the excuses are finished. (At least the holiday excuses)

So what do we need to do now? First, we need to get it into our heads that it is February and we need to move ahead. In talking to reps since the first of the year I heard so many of them tell me that they couldn’t stop into this customer or that business because they are waiting for the year to really get started or they were waiting for the holidays to get over, or any of a dozen other rotten excuses for not calling on the customers.

GET OVER IT! We need to get it through our own heads that the year has started and the excuses are just that, excuses. It is now business as usual and we need to start calling on all the businesses we have been avoiding for the past 60 days.

Don’t be afraid to stop in and remind them they wanted to wait until February to start buying again or to make decisions about buying new products. Don’t be afraid to tell the customer that you respected their time and hadn’t stopped in until now as they asked you to do. Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale.

Now, please, don’t think that just because you waited they are all going to buy. As a matter of fact customers who gave you an excuse 60 days ago are 75% more likely to give you another excuse now according to Selling Power Magazine. But that shouldn’t stop you from making the sales call. Be ready for the, tax time excuse and the election excuse. Both are very popular this year.

Excuses will always be a part of the sales rep vs. customer relationship, how you react to them and how well you can overcome them will make the difference.

Lorin