Summer Selling

Are you going on vacation this summer? If you've got some days saved up, cheap flights and hotels make it a great time to get in some rest and relaxation. That being said, you don't want vacation time to have any negative impact on your business. Follow these tips from Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, and you'll be able to rest easy knowing your sales aren't going anywhere.

"Summer is upon us and that means a lot of vacations. Just because there's a vacation in your schedule, it doesn't mean you should let it slow your selling process," says Hunter. "As much as you might be looking forward to it, it's best to avoid mentioning it to prospects or others. Talking about it may give a potential customer a reason to go someplace else when they're ready to buy, if for no other reason than they think you won't be focused on serving them."

Take these steps to avoid missing sales while you're away:

1. Make sure either you or someone else can still check your email and voicemail messages at least a couple of times a day.

2. Know in advance how you will handle any orders that may come in and how sales questions or issues will be handled.

3. Plan your vacation schedule so you will have a couple of blocks of time to deal with hot sales issues. For example, take one hour every other day to be available by phone or email to deal with issues. If you don't need it, great! If you do need it, you won't feel that it has disrupted your vacation because you planned for it in advance.

4. Do not leave a message on your voicemail saying you're away on vacation. Nothing will turn off potential customers faster than knowing you're away.

5. Always remember that your vacation is a product of the job you do. If you didn't do your job, you wouldn't have a vacation so working a little bit while you're on vacation is certainly no big deal.

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a motivational sales speaker and industry expert who addresses thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information on his sales training or to receive a free weekly sales tip via email, contact "The Sales Hunter" at www.TheSalesHunter.com.