Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and all that it has to offer.  For most people, summer means more outdoor activities, possibly more travelling and even having your children out of school which can alter your current work schedule.  For some industries, work slows down during these months.  Many people are either taking more vacation days or possibly shorter work days.  However, as a sales rep, you can’t simply sell less in the summer because you haven’t dedicated as much time to selling.  You will most likely be feeling more pressure to hit your sales numbers based on the fact that it’s summer.  This is just the time to be developing your sales skills, as well as improving your sales techniques to help maintain and even increase sales during the summer months. 

Here are some tips to help you stay on track this summer and throughout the year: 

1. Do NOT assume people aren’t buying, that’s what average sales people believe.  If you make the assumption and don’t put in the effort, what opportunities are you forfeiting?  This could mean the difference between barely making sales in the summer or making your whole summer.
2. Take the time to ask more open-ended questions of your clients and prospects.  The more information you find out now, the better position you will be in later.  As the weather gets warmer, people tend to be in a better mood and more open to conversation.  Take this opportunity to build a stronger relationship; people purchase from those they like and trust.
3. You put in the hard work and hit all of your goals, but don’t be tempted to coast for the rest of the summer.  Think about how nice it would be to have that boost before heading into fall.  Slowing down because you know you have reached your goal can give both your manager and your customers a negative impression of you.
4. If you haven’t hit your goal, do NOT give up.  Don’t be intimidated to ask for help from your manager as they want to see you succeed as well.  Your manager should spend time coaching you to help you close more deals. 
5. Make sure you are utilizing your time well as you may be taking more time off during the summer and have less time to accomplish your goals.  Many of us get distracted with meetings, emails, etc. and the day gets away from us.  If you are aware of the time spent that isn’t productive, you can consciously focus on making more calls and scheduling some of these things for early or later in the day. 
6. Longer days mean that there is actually more time to sell.  Commit to making additional prospecting calls per day over the summer months.  For instance, ten extra calls may not seem like that much more; but if you do it for one month and you have touched an extra 200 prospects.  A little can go a long way. 
7. Show your customers that you are there to assist them even if they are not buying. Take advantage of the nice weather and take your customers out golfing, boating or some other summer activity.  This will show them your appreciation as well as helping to build and maintain your relationship.
8. Don’t let the summer deter you from your hard work ethic.  Continue to maintain a positive, upbeat attitude and put in the extra effort by going above and beyond the call of duty.  This will set you apart from your competitors and show your loyalty to your customers.