Crank It, Baby!

Hi there, all you Bold, Different and Memorable Sales-Type People. Ponder this scenario with me, won't you?

It's December 26 and the fourth quarter of 2013 is one week away from entering the history books. It's been a wild ride for the past three months, as it always is in our industry during this Second Selling Season. You are looking forward to spending this final week relaxing, puttering around the house, winding down. After all, you've worked hard this year, most all of your clients are on vacation and what could you possibly accomplish business-wise in these final few dead working days of the year? You should relax and eat that quivering yellow cheese-ball and take some naps, right?

Wrong.

Way, totally wrong.

You can relax when you're on vacation or dead. Of course, the former is much more fun than the latter. Unless you're vacationing in Pittsburgh. Why would you do that to yourself? When 'The Walking Dead' starts, it's gonna start in Pittsburgh.

And when you are Bold, Different and Memorable, the final week of the year could very well be one of your most productive and surprisingly active sales weeks of the quarter.

"Whazzat?" you say. "Ricko, you got some splainin' to do!" Okay, here goes ...

Most of your competition isn't working the last week of the year. Is there a more perfect time to prospect for new accounts and create some new relationships with which to begin 2014? When they say, "I can't believe you are working!"—that is music to your ears. Show these potential clients that you are ON IT and taking care of business during this important planning week.

Granted, many of these prospects as well as your existing clients simply won't be around ... but many will. Call them. Find them. Connect with them. Develop those relationships. Find out how their holiday was. And, while you are at it, you might also want to find out: