We are now just about 3 weeks away from the Memorial Day holiday weekend.  Most consider this the official beginning of summertime/fun time.  For many OOH operators it also ushers in a time of year when our sales results tend to not be so stellar.

Let’s talk about what causes the summer sales doldrums…I like that word, doldrums!

Let’s face it and be real…for most of us, the summertime brings A LOT more fun distractions tugging at us to relax, enjoy, come play!  There always seems to be something fun happening that we and others are asking us to participate in.  And doesn’t it all sound like so much more fun than making prospecting calls on the phone, knocking on doors to try and find/speak with the decision maker, digging through the avails to see what locations might make sense for this proposal, chasing down that new client for a signature, getting that artwork to creative so we can get final approval from the client, ordering the new vinyl for your clients faded, ratty current ones,  and on and on and on.

But why do we succumb to those temptations to do the more fun stuff in the summertime?  Well, we’ve got lots of excuses, er, reasons!; it’s too hot, I don’t have any energy, it’s raining outside, it’s too hard to reach people – they’re not in the office as much, I’m getting ready to go on a trip/vacation, no one wants to make a decision…they are in “summer play mode” and not really focused on business, short staffed covering for employee absences, etc., etc., etc.

Many years ago, I had a mentor who I’m convinced was an amateur psychologist.  He used to say, “If you have an excuse, you don’t have a problem”  Excuses provide an easy way for us to rationalize that we are not making poor choices with our time in the summer, we are actually making rational decisions based upon external factors that I don’t have control over…sounds pretty good, huh?!  Now I’ve got my excuse…I don’t have a problem.

Love this quote from Nick Saban, “There are two pains in life.  There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment.  If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you’ll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment.”

When we talk about self-discipline, what do we mean?  In its simplest of terms, it is the ability to stick to your plans and follow through on your commitments despite temptations to abandon them for easier, more pleasurable endeavors.

So, how do we do that?  Here’s a quick 5 suggestions for you…

1. Create a Success File: Actively look at past successes you have had.  Setting new sales record for yourself/staff, how you have helped different clients have business success through your working with them, notes and comments you have received from clients, peers, leaders lauding who you are as a person or an achievement or something you have done.  Don’t those things tend to make you feel 10 foot tall and you can do/achieve anything?
2. Define Your SUMMER goals with Clarity: What do you want to have achieved when you look back come Labor Day?  Be aggressive, set big goals.  Those goals will give you direction allowing you to stay on track.
3. Breakdown goals into smaller, actionable steps: Don’t let those big goals overwhelm you.  Breaking them down to smaller, actionable steps you can make happen on a daily, weekly basis will make them less intimidating and give you that sense of accomplishment each time you complete a step.  In our world we call this our cookbook or our minimum daily behaviors that drive success.
4. Get an accountability partner: This is someone who cares enough about you to not accept your excuses.  Someone who will hold you accountable to doing the things you said were important to you!  Someone you trust with similar goals you can share progress with and encourage each other.
5. Reward yourself for progress: Did you follow through on all of your commitments and minimum daily behaviors this week?  Reward yourself with something meaningful to you.  A favorite meal, a small indulgence of an item you would like to have, etc.  Most of us are instant gratification people, use that natural wiring to keep us driving toward our goals.

Aristotle – “Excellence is never an accident.  It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.”

What choices will you make that will determine your results for the summer of 2024?

Need help with sales skills or coaching to take your out of home company to the next level.  Learn more about OOH Sales Mastery at oohmastery.com  or Contact Dan Nausley at  dan.nausley@sandler.com, 423.702.5579.

Lisa & Dan Nausley and Reggie Piercy of Sandler Chattanooga have developed the OOH Sales Mastery Program after more than a decade of training/coaching thousands of OOH Operators across the country in sales, leadership, and executive coaching. 

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