Here we are, the holidays are behind us and the busiest time for a salesperson is gone as well. While many salespeople are happy that the crazy time is over, it can also be a little bit of a letdown. For a two month period, customers were everywhere and closing sales was a lot easier. So now what?

The best thing a salesperson can do after the holidays is to try and build on that momentum. We are always looking for new customers to add to our repeat customer base, and January is a great time to do that.

Take some time to write thank you notes to those customers who made a holiday purchases, or follow-up with a phone call to some of those new customers. Those customers, or most of them, are going to be impressed that you remembered them through all of the craziness and thought enough of them to follow-up. Maybe they bought their wife a necklace for Christmas and because you made a simple phone call in January, they will come back to you in May for an anniversary gift.

This is also often a great chance to take some time for yourself and recharge a little bit. Chances are that you’ve been building up to the holiday season since late August or early September, and worked long hours in those months. Pro athletes take time off right after they complete their season before beginning preparation for the next one. Salespeople need to do the same thing. So don’t be afraid to take a vacation or a long weekend and get those batteries recharged.

Lastly, remember that the field of sales is a grind and the best salespeople are the best grinders. The holidays often give us a break from the grind but the quicker a salesperson can get back into the comfort of the grind, then the better 2017 will be.

There’s always a natural letdown for salespeople after the holidays but the salesperson who handles that letdown the best will also be the one who is the most prepared for the 2017 holidays, which as you know, will be here before you know it.

The New Year is full of new possibilities and if you are ready, then anything is within your reach. Don’t be afraid to look back in an effort to be better going forward. As many coaches have said, “You are either getting better or you are getting worse.” Be one of those that is getting better.

FINAO - Brad Huisken