In November and December, many businesses start to wind down to prepare for the winter holidays and the New Year. But that doesn't mean that you should stop trying to generate leads for your business.
In fact, maintaining lead generation during the winter holidays is a great strategy to help you bring in more business. So, how can you succeed when it comes to lead generation during the holidays? Here are five top tips from Incept that can help you beat the competition and win more business.
Related Post: How to Succeed at Customer Service During the Holidays (Both for Customers and Employees!)
1. Track And Prioritize Your Highest-Quality Leads
You’ll likely be lower on manpower and time during the holidays. Your office may be closed, sales team members may be on vacation, and so on. So before the holiday season, take the time to check your CRM database and find out which leads are the highest-quality.
Which leads have the biggest potential payout? Which ones are the most likely to actually become paying customers, and are furthest down your sales funnel? Prioritizing these leads during the holiday season helps you make the most of the time your sales team has.
2. Send Cards Or Gifts To Qualified Leads
A simple holiday card is a great way to keep your business at the forefront of a qualified lead’s mind. Or, if you want to be more elaborate and have the budget for it, a gift basket or other gift can be an even better option – flowers, candies, cookies, and other treat baskets are always a nice surprise gift.
Even if a lead doesn’t take action right away because of the holidays, this helps you keep your business on the contact’s mind, maintain communication, and build up a positive reputation for your company.
3. Focus On How You Can Help Leads Meet Next Year’s Goals
Most people don’t want to commit to a big buy or a large project before (or during) the holidays. That’s understandable. Things are winding down at most offices near the end of the year, so when selling to a lead around Christmas and the winter holidays, try to focus on how you can help them next year.
All businesses have annual goals. The New Year is a great opportunity for any company to try something new, branch out, and work toward new goals – so emphasize how your products or service can help with this, and help your lead start the New Year on the right foot.
4. Don't Send Emails, Texts, Or Calls On Holidays
If you’ve got sales experience, this may seem like common sense, but it’s worth mentioning. Most people won’t check their emails on holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, and may even be upset if you try to email, text, or call them with business-related questions in the middle of a holiday.
While you can definitely still reach out to leads and prospects during the holiday season, consider giving things a bit of a rest around major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve/Day. At best, your messages will go unread. At worst, you’ll alienate a lead who otherwise may have worked with you.
5. Get End-Of-Year Feedback From Existing Customers
The end of the year is a great time for reflection. It’s a time when you can ask your existing customers for feedback about your products and services – and the experience they had during the customer acquisition process.
Honest, actionable feedback from current customers is a great way to help you continue to generate leads and build sales in the New Year. So think about sending out surveys, scheduling meetings, or otherwise getting in touch with existing customers to learn more about how they think you’re doing.
Set Yourself Up For Success – Work With Incept For Holiday Lead Generation!
While your competitors rest up, the holidays are a great time to keep your irons in the fire and set yourself up for success. So think about these five tips. And if you need help preparing for lead generation during the winter holidays and the New Year, Incept can help.
Get in touch today, and learn more about our B2B lead generation services. With our outsourced sales team on your side, you’re sure to smash your sales goals in the New Year and beyond.