We’re in the last quarter of the year, which is a great time to reignite your sales team’s passion and drive. Not only can a final push foster a sense of camaraderie and achievement, but you just might end up finishing the year stronger than you imagined.

Nick Kane, an author and managing partner of Janek Performance Group, says that just like in football, a strategic fourth-quarter strategy is crucial. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share his tips on how you can accelerate your team’s performance during this critical time.

  1. Review your sales pipeline. In Q4, both buyers and sellers have incentives to get deals done. Review your pipeline and adjust your forecast and projections for the final quarter. Be realistic, Kane says. Many buyers have funds in their use-it-or-lose-it budget, but there’s going to be plenty of competition. He recommends also reaching out to prospects who were interested earlier in the year but didn’t buy for whatever reason. Their situation may be different now.

  2. Incentivize your sales team. Football coaches pump up their team for the fourth quarter, and you can do the same with your sales team. Add some incentives for things like additional calls and give reps more flexibility with their offers. Kane says you may also want to create short sales contests or a bonus structure tailored to Q4. 

  3. Ramp up your sales coaching. Sales leaders often want to help their team improve their closing rate. Closing is a result of a system, Kane says. Keynote sales talks or single-day skills workshops rarely fix systemic sales problems. Instead, aim to customize your sales coaching and have regular outcomes-focused discussions with your team.

  4. Evaluate your calendar. As the holiday season approaches, it may become tricker to schedule meetings. That’s why you should prospect as much as you can now and map out your schedule well in advance, Kane says. Keep in mind that the fourth quarter is short with Thanksgiving and the holidays, so touch base early with prospects and clients about their availability.

  5. Realign sales and marketing priorities. In Q4, Kane says sales teams need a targeted push from marketing to better support the sales effort. Like the extra effort of exhausted linemen, increasing the volume of content reps can share will help with their engagement, especially if this is tied to the deals in their pipeline. This type of coordinated effort to reach those on-the-fence prospects can be just what’s needed to jumpstart a sputtering deal and help reps guide buyers to the goal.

  6. Schedule weekly sales meetings. Excitement is high this time of year. Your sales reps know there’s a lot to gain or lose if they don’t act with urgency. Kane advises meeting weekly with your team to keep the momentum going and to encourage them to share ideas with each other.

Make the most of Q4 by reviewing your pipeline, ramping up your coaching and meeting weekly. You should also rally the troops with incentives and make sure you’re aligned on sales and marketing priorities. By incorporating some of these ideas, you can close out the year with a bang.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Nick Kane is a managing partner of Janek Performance Group and co-author of the book “Critical Selling.” During his career, he has trained more than 15,000 sales professionals worldwide.