Ideas to beat the holiday “slow period” in B2B sales

 

The month of December is huge for retail sales, but what about for businesses that only sell to other businesses? During holiday time, the increased stress of wrapping up the year (not to mention wrapping gifts) may mean that business owners will put off buying from you this month. Maybe they’re already over their budget for the quarter, or maybe they’re more concerned with planning that holiday party. Whatever the reason, your sales could take a hit this month. Here’s how to make the best of it:

Have a holiday promotion. If retail can fill this month with discounts, so can you. Offer a holiday discount to encourage hesitant prospects to take the plunge. Explain that they won’t get this offer at any other time of year, so it’s important for them to act now.

Market heavily to prospects, since some might have a budget surplus. Just reminding them that you’re around can lead to an uptick in sales. Usually a budget surplus is a “use it or lose it” scenario. Show prospects how your product or service is a great way to spend those extra dollars.

Send cards and gifts to top prospects. So what if they haven’t bought from you yet? Add a few prospects to your list of gift recipients this year. Don’t forget to include a personal note. It’s hard to ignore a big basket of fruit or candy, so at least you’re likely to be remembered.

Remind prospects to include you in their plan for next year. December isn’t just about finishing off the current year with a bang. It’s also about planning for next year. Build your pipeline with prospects that may need your services in the coming year. Encourage them to get started early, and try to set up a time either before or after the holidays to discuss how your services fit into next year’s business plan.

Give sales reps something to work towards. Whether it’s getting out early on Christmas Eve or making a donation to a company in need, give your sales reps something to aspire to in the last several weeks of the year. Ask them what they’d like if they reach their goals by, say, December 23rd. It takes a little extra hard work to keep sales performance up around the holidays, so it’s important to reward this effort.

Everyone at InsightPRM would like to wish you Happy Holidays! If there’s anything we can do to help you plan for success next year, please contact us.

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