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Does Summer Vacation Impact Your Sales? | Debunking Myths
Nearly every industry talks about how "summer slowdowns" impact their business. It's false. Worse, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. The slow summer sales period exists because we tell ourselves it's slow.
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So, should summer vacation impact your sales? No. There are no slow summer sales months. The only true slow periods are the few days before Christmas, all the way to New Year. And your sales efforts leading up to that time should ensure you still make the quota for that month.Â
All this talk about the impending summer slowdown is just an excuse from your sales team and your sales leaders.
I don’t know a single C-level executive that takes a five-week siesta. Do you?
People go on vacations; I do not deny that. And more executives will take a summer vacation than other times of the year. But it doesn’t mean your sales drop off.
Let’s address some of these myths, lies, and excuses our sales representatives, and leaders tell you and themselves.
Decision-makers are on vacation
Let me be clear.
The only true slow periods are the few days before Christmas, all the way to New Year.
Other than that, pretty much everyone’s reachable and available.
If you’re solving someone’s problem, and it doesn’t matter what products and services you sell, they can send an email saying;
“Yeah, let’s move forward.”
They will do that from the beach, cruise, hotel, or pool.
Now, if they don’t email you back, your offer was not compelling.
You floated the deal. You didn’t position it right. It was a bad close.
You’re just giving yourself an out.
And then the sales representative will say: But they are away the whole summer.
Let’s get real. Most people go on vacation for a week, maybe two weeks. But that’s usually about it.
Anyone that can afford to stay at a hotel or an Airbnb for longer than two or three weeks is making a significant amount of money.
And if they’re making a significant amount of money, I can guarantee they are still working. Maybe they work fewer hours, but people don’t have that kind of money for doing nothing.
It’s a bunch of myths and lazy excuses people use.
Yes. People go on vacation.
But nobody goes on summer vacation for two or three months.
Some people do, but if they do, they’re usually still working. They don’t shut everything off.
The problems they need to solve are still there.
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Consider your client's perspective
You don’t hear the same excuses in other departments.
Do recruiter says, “I can’t find you any placements because people are on vacation.”
Let me give you an example.
As a leader, if I am short-staffed, it doesn’t matter if I go on vacation or not. If you solve my problem and find me a fully qualified candidate, I’ll take a 15-20 minute meeting with that person.
Then send an offer letter and hire that person.
It’s not complicated.
I’ll do it from Miami.
I’ll do it from the Hamptons.
I’ll do it from the Bahamas.
Wherever I go, I will do it.
I need the problem solved.
What’s more, I’ve got more guilt when I’m on vacation. I’m more likely to want issues and problems solved.
And I’m feeling the pain more.
The problems are probably only worsening and exacerbated when I’m not home.
I cannot enjoy my vacation with the problem looming over me.
So, stop using the “slow summer months” as an excuse and sell.
What's more, I've got more guilt when I'm on vacation. I'm more likely to want issues and problems solved. And I'm feeling the pain more. The problems are probably only worsening and exacerbated when I'm not home.
ALL people in my pipeline are on vacation
Of course, some people are on summer vacation.
But is everyone in your pipeline on the exact vacation schedules? No. A few people go on vacation.
So, go and find the people that are not on vacation. Reengage with large or longstanding clients. That is your job.
There’s no reason for a dip. There isn’t.
People go on vacation in March. But the expectation is for you to hit the same numbers in March.
Why? Because you’re going to find somebody else that’s not a vacation.
Sales reps will blame low productivity in the warmer months on all decision-makers on vacation.
Let’s put this another way, maybe one or two people in your pipeline on the summer holiday, but what about the other 50 or 100 people?
You only need to close six deals the month. Figure it out. Right?
And maybe the person is on vacation for the first two weeks of July. Hit them up when they come back.
You can always find a way to hit a monthly quota.
It’s just excuses, excuses, excuses.
If we tell ourselves these excuses, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. And we will start to manifest it, work it, and make it happen.
My sales reps take holidays
Yes. Your employees are also going to take time over the summer months. But the same logic applies here.
Are they going to take 4-5 weeks off? No.
They are going to take 1-2 weeks off. There are still another 3-4 weeks to hustle and make deals.
Remember, they only need to close six deals in that entire month. Figure it out.
If my sales representatives have agreed on a quota for that month, then I expect them to hit it.
Let me give you another example, the first week of July; most people take that week off.
And even if you don’t, the revenue numbers you hit every first week of June, September, March, and May will differ from July.
The first week of July in the States is different because many people will take the week off.
So, what do you do?
Make it up the second and third week of July.
It’s just really just that simple.
There is no need for a dip.
Get a Team Assessment
Optimize your sales team with Kolbe and PRINT® assessments to identify team-member strengths and motivators and illuminate bad-fit placements.
The summer months are for sales training
If your sales leader comes to you saying:
“Let’s use the slow months wisely and tackle tasks we find the business regularly pushing to the side: coaching, updating sales materials, product training, employee reviews, and sales training, etc.”
You have learned two things:
- Your sales leader accepts this upcoming lull as the norm.
- Your sales leader has just admitted they are failing their team.
How do you expect to keep your salespeople motivated to sell and increase productivity if your sales leader actively pushes for a slower pace?
Your sales leader has allowed the team to use and buy into these excuses.
So, expect a spectacular fall.
That’s unacceptable.
Secondly, strong leaders create systems that provide regular training, coaching, and reviews year-round.
The sales leader’s job is to complete these essential tasks throughout the year. If they wait for warm weather to start, they are not keeping your business running.
How is your company moving forward with this leader at the head? If this is your sales leader, I strongly suggest it is time to invest in some executive measures.
Boost summer sales with Rose Garden's help
So, do decision-makers go on vacation? Yes.
Should that affect your revenue targets, goals and quotas, and attainment? No.
It’s a bunch of myths and lazy excuses people use.
Let me be clear, if you were going to find the solution to your sales team’s problems, you would have solved them by now.
You likely need support to solve them.
Rose Garden is solutions-focused, so if you want me and my team to reengage your team, we will do so with our Team Assessment.
About the author:
Ali Mirza is the Founder & CEO of Rose Garden, a national sales consulting organization, and featured in Forbes, Inc, Business Insider, The Huffington Post, Business Rockstars, and The Wall Street Journal.
Ali is a highly sought-after public speaker presenting at multiple national conferences on innovative ways to accomplish transformational growth on your sales team.
Rose Garden provides unparalleled support and guidance to growth-minded founders via sales strategy differentiation, world-class sales culture creation, and exclusive playbooks, processes, and scripts to position them for limitless growth.
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