In Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, the phrase "What’s Your Number?" became iconic. It’s not just a question about wealth-it’s a question about achieving goals and winning.
A decade before that, Forbes Magazine had an all-white cover with just 3 words-"What's Your Number?" Anyone who saw that issue translated those words into their own goals and did an immediate calculation.
29 or 31?
For those of us in sales that question of "What's Your Number?" isn’t hypothetical. We all have a number, which right now is both our quota for this quarter and for the year especially when it comes down to both bonus money and going to Club. Here’s the reality of the calendar this morning: We have either 29 real days in which to close deals or maybe an exaggerated 31 if you think that you, but more importantly your prospects, are going to be working after Christmas.
A Couple of Tactics that work!
- Create Urgency
were initially doing Discovery with them and remind them of the timeline that they defined at that time.
Point out the same 20ish days left in the year focusing on the details of the time it will take to finalize the
deal, move it through Purchasing, and actually begin the work...all of which will take numbers of days on
both sides of the table.
- Escalate
If you already know that you've been talking to an influencer, but not the decision maker, it's time to move the deal up the ladder. Of course, you would never go around that person without letting them know, but have an open and transparent discussion as to what it will take, and then work with that middle manager or influencer to put together a detailed package focused on the ROI of the deal such that you...along with the influencer... can make a formal 15-minute presentation to the decision maker. - Focus
big or really don’t really fit. Focus all your time and skills on the prime opportunity deals. Those potentials
will still be there in January.
The other focus tactic is to take your own calendar and put in those times that you already know that
“most probably” you will be doing other non-work activities that you have little control over such as the
pre and post-Thanksgiving Day travel, which you already know is going to be wicked especially this year.
Same for the Christmas break! This allows you to visibly see the days and calculate “The Money Hours”
- Don't Discount...yet
of Black Friday. But...hold out to the very end and use discounting as the final, sign-today, tactic. And
don't think just about money. Extended warranties, higher levels of your service packages, financing
terms beyond 30 or even 60 days and guarantees will often have the same effect from the buyer's side of
the table especially when you can detail the financial impact of those extended services.
- Have a Plan B
What happens if? We all know the over-used trite phrase of "Hope is not a Strategy". Take that concept beyond just words and write out your Plan B. What happens if a major decision maker in your mid-funnel deal that's 80% through your pipeline and is forecasted to close two weeks from now is put on a special and unexpected year-end assignment that requires extensive travel with objectives that have nothing to do with you and your deal. It happens all the time. You deserve...and need...a formal Plan! - Visualize Success!
Get your head adjusted every day! I know hundreds of very successful salespeople who talk, think and plan for President's Club in January. One close friend has a caricature of herself in her office cubicle relaxing in a hammock labeled "Barbados!". Maybe it's the trip itself, but we know that more than the trip, success it often about the public recognition by senior management that only the very best members of the team go to President's Club...whether that's in the sands of Barbados or in snow of Cambridge!
Have a great day selling today!
Now is time to begin your business planning for what lies ahead in 2026!.
Think about taking a full day in the second week of January to polish your detailed business and sales planning process for 2026. Here's our free how-to ebooks for a few ideas:
"Writing the Winning Sales Plan"
"Writing the Winning Business Plan"
"Writing the Winning Marketing Plan"
"The Marketing of Me"
We outline ideas on structure, models, process funnels, productivity tools and how to recruit, hire and onboard the best people. A few hands-on guides for sales, marketing and business managers written by heavily experienced line managers with your titles and responsibilities.
Connect with me any time at jack@derbymanagement.com and let's discuss your own 2026 planning!
