Strategies to End the Year on a High Note
What do you do when you’re staring down the end of the year and you know you’re not going to make your number? How do you manage your time when the pressure is on and next year is already looming?
This blog is brought to you by The Sale Hunter Podcast’s episode #367.
First Rule: Don’t Panic
When the gap between your goal and reality gets uncomfortable, your first instinct might be to shut down. Don’t do it.
This is exactly when you need a routine. A routine keeps you focused. A routine keeps you disciplined. A routine keeps you from spiraling.
You have two goals right now, and both of them matter.
Goal One: Don’t Leave Anything on the Table
It’s tempting to push everything into January. I hear it from salespeople all the time.
“I’ll just roll this opportunity into next year.”
No. Close what you can now.
Momentum creates momentum. When you end the year strong, you start the next year strong. When you end sluggish, January becomes a slog… and suddenly the entire first quarter is compromised.
So start simple. Call your customers and thank them for their business. That alone creates conversations. And conversations uncover year-end opportunities you didn’t even realize were there.
Goal Two: Set Yourself Up for a Fast Start
Too many salespeople treat January like a warm-up lap, then wonder why they miss quota by spring.
A blank calendar is not a clean calendar. It’s a problem.
You cannot afford to spend the first two or three weeks “getting ready.” Lose January and you’ve already lost eight and a half percent of your year. If November and December are slower selling months for your industry, your selling window shrinks even further.
Get meetings booked now. Build a list of 25 to 50 prospects and customers you’re going to run with going into the new year.
Dig into your CRM. Dig into your old email threads. Dig into the names you haven’t touched in months. You’ll be amazed how many opportunities resurface.
Why the Last Two Weeks of the Year Are Golden
Here’s a secret most salespeople miss.
Calendars open up at the end of the year. People who normally never take your calls suddenly answer. Executives who are slammed in October suddenly have thirty minutes to talk.
Use it.
I routinely schedule meetings in the last two weeks of December with people I chase all year long. These conversations might not close business right away, but they build relationships and set me up for stronger opportunities in January and beyond.
This is how you build momentum when everyone else is tapping out.
The Power of Staying in Your Routine
Every top-performing salesperson I coach has a routine. Every single one.
And when they struggle? It’s always because they stepped out of their routine.
Right now your routine may shift. You might not be closing deals this week, but you’re setting up meetings for next week. You might not be presenting proposals, but you’re building early-stage pipelines.
Staying active is the key. Activity fuels confidence. Confidence fuels momentum.
Set Your Year-End Goals Now
You’ve got a couple weeks left. Use them intentionally.
Here’s what I want you to set:
1. Year-end customer order goals.
How many deals can you realistically close? One? Four? More? Set a number and pursue it.
2. Year-end customer and prospect meeting goals.
Be aggressive. Call up the food chain. Don’t assume people are unavailable. This is exactly when they are available.
3. Meetings booked for the first two weeks of January.
This one is non-negotiable. If you don’t have meetings on your calendar on January 1, you will not generate sales in January. I can’t afford that. You can’t either.
Build Your 25–50 List
This is the blueprint.
Create a focused list of 25 to 50 customers and prospects. These are the people who will anchor your activity now and jumpstart your activity in the new year.
Don’t spray and pray. Don’t go broad. Go deep with a tight group.
That list will serve you better than any last-minute scramble or any January reset.
Finish Strong. Start Stronger.
I don’t care whether you’re ahead or behind on your number. These steps will help you finish the year with purpose and enter the new year with momentum.
Trust the routine. Trust the activity. Trust the process.
You’ve got this.
