Summer is upon us, and with that, salespeople’s focus begins to wander.
I always feel if my competition wants to slack off during the summer, I am more than happy to pick up their customers.
While some salespeople do cut back during the summer, it also can be the customers who start canceling appointments.
Here are a four ways to prevent sales call cancellations in the summer:
1. Always have a back-up plan for Friday sales calls.
Many times in the summer, people will find themselves sliding out of the office early or not coming in at all. If you have an appointment scheduled for that day, you could suddenly find yourself coming up empty.
Always confirm Friday appointment no later than Thursday morning. Reason is simple: Customers aren’t going to cancel on you after you’ve taken the time to confirm with them. If they say they need to cancel when you do contact them Thursday morning, then hopefully you have enough left to schedule another appointment to fill the slot.
2. Don’t hesitate to schedule appointments earlier than normal.
Summer schedules mean some places close a little earlier, but what it also can mean is that people tend to be available earlier in the morning for appointments. Take advantage of 8 AM or even 7AM meetings.
3. When you schedule the appointment, let the customer know you’ll be bringing somebody else with you.
People are more likely to cancel a meeting if it is just you coming, but if you are bringing another person, the customer will feel more compelled to keep the meeting as planned.
4. Help the customer out by scheduling the afternoon meeting with them away from the office.
A 3 PM meeting off-site could be the perfect excuse the customer needs to slip away from the office and not come back for the rest of the day. Only do this with customers you know well. They will appreciate it!
Don’t let your profits go down with the summer sun. Instead, be proactive in using the above tips to make sure you meet or exceed your summer sales numbers.
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
2 Responses
All great tips Mark.
I have really good success with the early morning meetings. This week I have 7 a.m. meetings 3 of the 5 days!
Another idea to make a good meeting, bring a summer treat with you – licorice or lemonade for example. Buyers LOVE to be feel special and treats are a great way for them to remember you.
Great tactics. Two of these are completely original and I’ve never thought of these before. Bringing other folks is a great one as it creates urgency and importance.