What To Do During the Last Two Weeks of the Year

There is a lot of whining this time of the year about how no one is in the office, and there is no work that a salesperson can reasonably do. It is not true that “no one” is at work. And there is always work you can do during the last two weeks of the year.

If They Are at Work

A lot of the people who you need to call will be out during the last two weeks of the year. They will take time off for the holidays, and they may add vacation time on either end of the holidays.

Just knowing that people are gone can sound like tough sledding. It’s difficult enough to get your prospective clients on the phone during a normal work week (you are using the phone, aren’t you?), let alone making calls when many people are not at work.

But some people are at work. And those that are at work have very little to do. Many of them are simply killing time, cleaning their desk, and organizing themselves for the next year. Some are standing at the water cooler chatting it up.

The people who are at work have time to kill.

If You Have Chops and a Plan

If you have the chops to pick up the phone and schedule appointments, you will find people willing to speak with you (If you’ve been reading this blog for any reasonable period, you have the chops, don’t you?). Even if it isn’t the main contact that you feel you need to meet, there is much you can learn from other people who work inside your dream client’s company.

Spend time with the people who agree to meet with you, doing as much discovery work as possible. Find out about the company, and find out about the other stakeholders you need to meet. And spend time on some personal chatter because that’s what people like to do around the holidays.

When you schedule an appointment, stop by the store and pick up a couple of stockings and stuff them with candy. Give one to the person who is willing to meet with you, and leave one for the contact you are trying to reach with a note.

If you are at work, work. Make appointments with people who are at work inside your dream client’s company, and start developing relationships and insights.