December doesn’t have to be a “dead month” in sales.
While many salespeople may consider the end of the year to be a difficult time to close new deals given how many people take time off around the holidays, it’s still possible to ensure sales targets are met — and motivation levels stay high.
For Sisense Senior Director of Field Effectiveness Rachel Moffitt, the end of the year is defined by embracing change. That’s why she encourages salespeople to let go of their usual routine and simply focus on priorities.
“Now is the time for mission-critical work only,” Moffitt said.
During slower periods like the holiday season, she shared, she encourages her teammates to pursue “small wins,” such as obtaining a certification. Doing so helps salespeople stay motivated and stretch their skills in the process.
At Sisense, this encouragement to stay curious during slower working periods isn’t all that salespeople can expect. Moffitt said that when her teammates hit their quotas, they get special swag — and bragging rights to go with.
Below, Moffitt shared more about how salespeople can make the most of the end of the year and more about the fun perk high-achieving Sisense sales reps can look forward to.
Sisense’s platform enables app developers to build interactive analytics into products and applications that enable better decision-making. The company’s technology is used by organizations across various industries, from financial services to manufacturing.
How does your sales team approach the end of the year to ensure targets are met, and what strategies are most effective during this period?
Embrace the seasonality that comes along with the year closing out. There are likely going to be some things that you’ll have to lay down in order to minimize distractions. You may have things in your normal day-to-day routine that there won’t be space for anymore. That same routine likely won’t serve you the way it has in months prior. Embrace that — don’t resist it. You’ll get back to your normal routine with time as the year starts fresh. So, lock in, take a good look at what’s on your plate, and make some room for the chaos that inevitably comes with closing out the end of the year.
How does Sisense support and motivate employees to maintain high performance throughout the year, including during traditionally slower months?
I always encourage our reps to take on something that gives them some kind of a small win during the traditionally slower months.
Think far and wide on this one. Is there a certification that you’ve had on your “I’ll get to it eventually” list, a book on a new trend in tech you’ve been wanting to read or a recently closed-won, mammoth deal that you could dive deeply into on Gong? Take on one of these things and become a mini expert on it.
“I always encourage our reps to take on something that gives them some kind of a small win during the traditionally slower months.”
Then, when those slow months have passed, you can look back at your time and know that you did something that helped advance your career. It turns a time of potential frustration and doubt into an outlet to keep your momentum and energy going.
What sort of celebrations does your team have for salespeople who hit their quotas?
Our chief revenue officer, Brian Weinberger, introduced the team to the “Sisense Cardigan.” This is a retro-looking, Sisense-branded sweater that our reps receive for hitting their targets. Then, repeat quota achievers will get a patch to iron onto the sweater as a badge of honor for their consistency. You’ll see our reps sporting their cardigans on calls with prospects and customers to show them that they’re in good hands. And of course, they’ll pull them out at every company event for bragging rights.
