2024 4th Quarter: Time to Close Business!
As a sales professional, you must ask yourself: What have I accomplished Year to Date in 2024 and what is required in Q4. It is critical to have a realistic, actionable, defined plan for the remainder of 2024 to ensure you exceed their sales goals.
This is the time for action and total execution of your plans, process, and efforts.
The first 3 quarters of 2024 are HISTORY! It’s time to Look & Move—Forward! But first it’s time for a “short” Accountability Review 2024 Year to Date Results and a specific action plan for Q4.
Your Review Jan-Sept 2024
Year to Date summary:
- Quarter 1,2 & 3 Actual Results vs. plan/forecast (2024)
- Existing account results vs. plan
- New accounts acquired and results vs. plan.
- Quarter 1,2 & 3 Actual Results vs. last year (2023 vs. 2024)
Your next 3 months (Q4) 2024:
Detailed Pipeline review:
Each deal in each stage: What is the strategy to move them forward; what are the specific next steps; what will close in Q4- Oct. Nov. Dec. (can it be forecasted?) Which deals must be “removed/pruned” because they are dead or not happening in Q4?
- What is the urgent and compelling reason to move forward THIS YEAR?
- Which accounts have money (remaining) to spend in Q4? Are we sure? Who has control and decision approval? Are we speaking with them?
- $ sales/margin projection for Q4 based on the Pipeline review.
- What help might you need to advance or close these accounts from anyone internally?
Q4 Sales Activity/Action Plans: Specific & measurable improvements/activity?
- Each Salesperson: How will you stay “ahead”? OR: How will you specifically “catch up” if you are behind in 2024?
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- Existing Accounts: existing business growth plans-what else can we offer to help them improve their business? Do they have any new locations we can get introduced in to?
- Dormant Accounts-any past accounts we should be calling on?
- Targets: New Accounts- Targets/contacts-prospecting plans
- Activity Plan: What is your plan for prospecting existing accounts; new business/new opportunities?
- KPI’s… Progress on phone calling activity, meetings, quotes; closed deals; Trade Shows leads & follow up, other “pro-active” activity, etc.
Questions you need to consider and answer:
- What are the real changes that you must implement in Q4 to succeed in 2024 and in 2025?
- What are the real reasons for your success or “under-performance” in Q1-Q3 of 2024?
- What are you committed to do to personally impact change and growth for yourself, your organization as you head in to Q4 of 2024 and begin planning for 2025?
Personal Responsibility Lesson #1: “Delay is the Deadliest Form of Denial”
