Welcome to the holiday season! As we wrap up Q4 and the year as a whole, there are a lot of competing pressures, priorities, and logistics to handle. Everyone is taking time off, traveling, and still putting the bow on 2023 planning.
Not to mention the fiscal year is likely wrapping up for you as well. It’s a stressful month.
I have talked to over a dozen leaders in revenue functions and here are recommendations of 5 key things to get accomplished over next few days:
1. Close the Year Strong
First things first, close the year strong! Review your current pipeline and find the deals that need an extra push to get across the finish line. As CEO, you’re able to jump in, personally address any roadblocks, and show how important their business is to you.
You can also rally your sales team to make one final push before taking off for the holidays. Get them excited to see what they can accomplish before the end of the year instead of just counting the days until Christmas.
2. Set Up Pipeline for Next Year
When you’re reviewing your current deals in the pipeline, you know not every deal is going to close in the last weeks of the year. Maybe there are a large number of details to hash out with a number of people at the table or maybe a key decision-maker is already on vacation.
Instead, direct your team to set aside deals that seem unlikely to close for the moment, and plan to immediately get back to them in the new year. When your team returns to work in January, they should know exactly who they need to target.
3. Review Pricing and Packaging
Gather feedback from your team, customers, and advisors on your pricing structure and product packaging. The last few years have seen economic turbulence with inflation and rising interest rates. You’ll want to gather insight into your industry to see how everyone is doing.
Your goal is to make purchasing an easy choice. Maybe you need to introduce a new basic plan for companies with less revenue or redistribute plan features. Small adjustments can tip prospects into purchasing and have large dividends.
4. Start Your Sales Kickoff ASAP
Once the new year starts, every week without your sales kickoff is one week where your sales team is not using updated and data-informed strategies. You want your sales team empowered immediately so they can do their best work and be ahead of your competition.
Take time to plan your kickoff before the year ends. You might need to book space for the event. Or, simply align everyone’s schedules. By getting on everyone’s calendar now, you guarantee an easier time gathering the team.
5. Energize Everyone not just your team, include customers and prospects as well
Your goal for 2023 should be to instill confidence in your team, prospects, and customers. The last couple of years has been defined by unexpected events, anxiety, and rapid adjustments. By setting a clear prioritization path for deals and feedback implementation, you help your team know what they should be doing and how they should approach it.
But what about your prospects and customers? In these macroeconomic times, there’s a great deal of uncertainty, especially from buyers. As much as you’re struggling to make decisions, their choices are exponentially more difficult. You can remedy this by instilling confidence – in your product, support, and team.
Have your customer success team involved in deals from the beginning. When a prospect can experience the level of service that a customer would, it makes the transition easier and safer. The fears of being left high and dry begin to melt away.
Good Luck, Everyone!
Best wishes to everyone and happy holidays! I hope having a priority list will help you end the year by hitting your goals and carrying your momentum forward.
