For some salespeople, the onset of
summer can often be a bittersweet
development – vacations, travel, beach
time, etc., but also an unnecessary drop
in annual income… because of the Myth
of the Eleventh Commandment: “Thou
Shalt Not Expect Anything Significant to
Happen During the Summer.” There is no
Eleventh Commandment, which means it
doesn’t count and isn’t binding! Here are
some tips you can put into practice to
avoid the income drought that observance
of the (mythical) Eleventh Commandment
always seems to produce.
1. Don’t make half-hearted
commitments.
Salespeople often find themselves falling
behind on their yearly goals during the
summer months. Why? First and foremost,
because they fall into the trap of making
half-hearted activity commitments to
themselves. A lot of salespeople let their
daily prospecting dials drop, on the
theory that July and August somehow
don’t count when it comes to prospecting
goals! That’s a classic example of a halfhearted
commitment.
2. Focus on giving rather
than getting.
In sales (and in life), there is no getting
without giving. Unselfishly giving to others
creates a deficit in nature that must be filled.
Spend time with existing clients with the
extra time you may have on your hands.
Add value to their day! Summertime is
the perfect time to conduct a semi-annual
review of key accounts. Take the pulse of
the business relationship. When you help
customers meet their needs, they help you
meet yours.
3. Do your homework.
Summer is a good time to peruse your
company’s records and find out who buys
what and when. Don’t assume that all of
your clients slow down with purchasing
decisions during the warmer months.
120 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | JULY/AUGUST 2018
Check the data. You’ll probably find that
some people are actually more active
buyers during the summer.
4. Look for possibility.
Why not call on leads you might have
overlooked at other times of the year -
opportunities that, for whatever reason,
didn’t fall into the “low-hanging fruit”
category? Now’s the time to set up a
plan of action for creating a business
relationship with potential customers
you did not make a top priority when
you were busier.
5. Develop a sense of urgency.
If you are looking for motivation when
to carry out one or more of these items,
consider this: some of your marketplace
competitors may still be stuck in the limiting
belief of the Eleventh Commandment. It’s
only a matter of time before someone
you’re competing against figures out that
the “slow months” are actually months of
opportunity in disguise. Make a personal
commitment to make something happen
before they do!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sandler Training
provides proven, effective sales, corporate and
management training to high-achieving
companies and individuals throughout
Tampa Bay. Call Jim Marshall or Clint
Babcock at (813) 287-1500.
THE MYTH OF THE
ELEVENTH COMMANDMENT
By Jim Marshall and Clint Babcock
Sandler Training
of Tampa Bay