Sellers who can close the sales year strongly are positioned to keep the success going through the next one. But many sellers find themselves panicking at year-​end. Looming quotas, packed schedules and prospects out on vacation can pack on stress. 

As the professionals at Pipeline point out, “it can create heightened pressure and anxiety for us sales folk.”

But reframing how you approach year-​end can release some of that pressure. Adjusting your mindset frees you from anxiety, according to Selling Power’s Julie Thomas.

“The key to success is focusing on what you can control,” she writes.

Change your focus to close the sales year strong

One of the things that sellers can control is the conversations they conduct. Investing time and effort into quality engagements with others impacts success. And sellers should put extra emphasis on this if they want to end the year well. 

“Have a conversation rather than delivering a pitch,” she suggests.

Active listening, asking probing questions and understanding their business leads to trust. And this is what really influences buyers. Demonstrating authenticity and value can help reach quotas more effectively than cramming pitches into last-​minute calls.

And good conversations can also nurture relationships with current clients. Ending the sales year on a positive note with current business partners strengthens satisfaction. The new year is a time for renewals…and cancellations. 

Checking in with current clients and having quality conversations is a smart move. Get insight into how they feel about the past year of partnership. 

According to Showpad, these questions can be helpful:

• “Did they accomplish their annual and quarterly goal?
• Did they meet individual quotas?
• Did they improve performance over last year?
• Are they accurately forecasting deal success?”

Also, offer them something of value. Give them a heads up into anything new coming in the next year. Share a special offer or discount. And show gratitude for the business they gave you.

“…you can foster long-​term partnerships that extend well beyond the current fiscal year,” according to Shaachi.

And no matter who you’re talking to, make the other person the focus. Heavy personalization leads to deeper connection.

As Steve Bookbinder notes, it “carries even more weight during the holidays.”

Prepare for obstacles

One way to close the sales year strong involves being ready for a bit of chaos. The last few weeks of the year are definitely not business as usual. Your prospects are busy closing out their own fiscal year. They’re also using up remaining PTO and engaging in holiday activities. 

Staying the course requires agility and planning. Thomas urges sellers to make sure they anticipate obstacles. They can do so by proactively asking prospects about what the remaining weeks of the year look like for them. 

Ask about the closing steps, office availability and allow extra time to avoid last-​minute year-​end stress.

Look ahead

Even if you don’t close as many deals as you’d like by December 31, you can still end strong. Entering the new year with a January full of meetings and calls is a big win. 

Scheduling appointments for the new year helps maintain momentum. It ensures timely follow-​ups and keeps prospects engaged post-​holiday. By securing these meetings in advance, sellers can avoid the post-​holiday rush.

It also shows proactive planning, demonstrating to clients that the seller is organized, committed and ready to meet their needs. This approach helps build a strong pipeline, setting the stage for continued success in the year ahead.

By including these three tasks in your year-​end strategy, you can cut down on stress. Focusing on the things you can control eases pressure. It also outlines a clear path to close out the year. 
And for more tips on end-​of-​year efforts, take a look at this guidance.

Photo by Eric Rothermel