Break out of that summer sales slump
It's summer finally and while Ella Fitgerald would tell you the livin's easy your sales numbers might not be where you want them to be this time of year. There are many reasons why selling in the summer is more difficult, people are busy with vacation, more long-weekends, more social gatherings the list goes on and on.
Trust me I know firsthand how hard it can be tracking down your prospects on a beautiful Friday before a long weekend (Let's be honest, I just hope they are at the same golf course I am). None the less if you are feeling the summer sales slump don't beat yourself up about it, instead relax and get motivated by watching one (or a few) movies from our Top Ten Sales Movies list sure to break you out of the summer slump.
- Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
- Tommy Boy (1995)
- Boiler Room (2000)
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
- The Founder (2016)
- Moneyball (2011)
- Steve Jobs (2015)
- Trading Places (1983)
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
- Love & Other Drugs (2010)
When an office full of New York City real estate salesmen is given the news that all but the top two will be fired at the end of the week, the atmosphere begins to heat up. Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon), who has a sick daughter, does everything in his power to get better leads from his boss, John Williamson (Kevin Spacey), but to no avail. When his coworker Dave Moss (Ed Harris) comes up with a plan to steal the leads, things get complicated for the tough-talking salesmen.
If you haven't watched this classic (or haven't watched in a while), put it at the top of your list, ABC Baby!
After his beloved father (Brian Dennehy) dies, dimwitted Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) inherits a near-bankrupt automobile parts factory in Sandusky, Ohio. His brand new stepmother, Beverly (Bo Derek), wants to cash out and close, but Tommy's sentimental attachment to his father's employees spurs him to make one last-ditch effort to find someone who will buy their products. With his father's tightly wound assistant, Richard (David Spade), in tow, Tommy hits the road to scare up some new clients.
If this movie doesn't cheer you up and get you out of that slump I don't know what will. Even though this is a slapstick comedy you can take motivation that hard work will pay off if you keep at it.
Welcome to the infamous "boiler room" -- where twenty something millionaires are made overnight. Here, in the inner sanctum of a fly-by-night brokerage firm, hyper-aggressive young stock jocks peddle to unsuspecting buyers over the phone -- and are rewarded with mansions, Ferraris and more luxury toys than they know what to do with. In this unassuming Long Island enclave, Gen Xers chase the green at breakneck speeds, sometimes one step ahead of the law.
Personally the speech Ben Affleck gives me goosebumps and gets me motivated to sell! If you have a sales team this might be a required watch. Think about doing some team building by watching a movie on a "slow" day.
In 1987, Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) takes an entry-level job at a Wall Street brokerage firm. By the early 1990s, while still in his 20s, Belfort founds his own firm, Stratton Oakmont. Together with his trusted lieutenant (Jonah Hill) and a merry band of brokers, Belfort makes a huge fortune by defrauding wealthy investors out of millions. However, while Belfort and his cronies partake in a hedonistic brew of sex, drugs and thrills, the SEC and the FBI close in on his empire of excess.
While you may not want to mimic Jordan's ethics in sales you can't deny his sales ability, mirror that confidence in your own pitch and you're sure to break out of that sales slump in no time!
The true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac (John Carroll Lynch) and Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman), who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers' speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. Kroc soon maneuvers himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a multi-billion dollar empire.
If you don't succeed try try again, Ray Kroc is the preeminent example that past failures do not dictate future success Don't give up if something does not work the first time you try it.
Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), general manager of the Oakland A's, one day has an epiphany: Baseball's conventional wisdom is all wrong. Faced with a tight budget, Beane must reinvent his team by outsmarting the richer ball clubs. Joining forces with Ivy League graduate Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), Beane prepares to challenge old-school traditions. He recruits bargain-bin players whom the scouts have labelled as flawed, but have game-winning potential. Based on the book by Michael Lewis.
Small budget, high expectations... sound familiair. If you can relate get inspired by this real-life story of David vs Goliath. Work smarter not harder to break out of your sales slump.
With public anticipation running high, Apple Inc. co-founders Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) and Steve "Woz" Wozniak get ready to unveil the first Macintosh in 1984. Jobs must also deal with personal issues related to ex-girlfriend Chrisann Brennan and their young daughter Lisa. Eventually fired, Jobs launches NeXT Inc. and prepares to release a new computer model in 1988. Ten years later, Jobs is back at Apple Inc. and about to revolutionize the industry once again with the iMac.
If your a technology buff like myself you will enjoy this take on the real-life story of Steve Jobs, a guy not afraid to take on a challenge and dig Apple out of their very own sales slump.
Upper-crust executive Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and down-and-out hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) are the subjects of a bet by successful brokers Mortimer (Don Ameche) and Randolph Duke (Ralph Bellamy). An employee of the Dukes, Winthorpe is framed by the brothers for a crime he didn't commit, with the siblings then installing the street-smart Valentine in his position. When Winthorpe and Valentine uncover the scheme, they set out to turn the tables on the Dukes.
A classic 80's comedy that shows even if you're new at this you can still succeed with the right perseverance and a little luck.
Life is a struggle for single father Chris Gardner (Will Smith). Evicted from their apartment, he and his young son (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith) find themselves alone with no place to go. Even though Chris eventually lands a job as an intern at a prestigious brokerage firm, the position pays no money. The pair must live in shelters and endure many hardships, but Chris refuses to give in to despair as he struggles to create a better life for himself and his son.
Want a movie you can watch with the kids, this is your movie.
Handsome pharmaceutical salesman Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal) always has good luck with women. A chance encounter with Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway), a free-spirited Parkinson's patient, leads to a sexual relationship. As Jamie and Maggie become closer, each must question if a serious commitment is in their future.
Want to pick up some serrious sales swagger this is a must watch, unlike Pursuit of Happiness this is not one to watch with the kids.
Other Strategies To Break the Summer Slump
Ok now that you're motivated lets look at some other strategies that can get you out of that summe sales slump
- Seek Referrals
- Find your term policies coming up for conversion
- Plan a Marketing Campaign
- Create Marketing Colateral (like our free CI template)
When sales are slow sometimes you need to go back to your existing clients and work on a referal strategy, this might go well with a term conversion push (kill two birds with one stone)
Make a plan, look for policies that will need service over the coming months and start working on setting up meetings and comparing what policy they currently have, where it is heading and what their options are. Start filling your calendar with review appointments then get to work analyzing their options. Want an easy way to review term policies? check out our blog on How to Review A Term Policy
Start an email marketing campaign that uses shared case and gate to capture new prospects, like our Cascading Life Insurance Concept or our Term Conversion Campaign
Use this time to create assets that you can share to build your funnel. Not good with design feel free to use our free CI infographic or Insurance thru the ages template that you can brand with your own logo!
Conclusion
I think we all have trouble focusing when the weather is nice out but if sales are slow take stock of your process and take time to sharpen your axe. Want more sales ideas book a training session with Jon or Nik from our support staff to see how Life Design Analysis can help your practice (just click on their names) and subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive offers, sales ideas and webinars!
