It’s New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, 2026, and a coworker hands you a glass of champagne while she says, “Congratulations on a record year. You were the No. 1 sales rep. Would you mind sharing any tips with me? I’d sure like to be in your position this time next year.”
Up until that point, you hadn’t really thought about it. Sure, you had a plan, but you were so busy running it that you never really thought about where the success started or how you got to the No. 1 position. “Well,” you reply, “What I try to do is to look at the year in smaller chunks and then create a micro plan for each. As I think about it, my 2026 success started about 15 months ago. Let me see if I can break it down for you. ”
Fall 2025: Laying the Foundation for Success
Given that the selling cycle in print is three to six months, the key to having a great Q1 is to prospect like crazy from Labor Day until Thanksgiving of the year before. First, you need to secure existing accounts. Then, it comes down to new business, both from current clients and new ones. The seeds to my success were planted in September, October, and November of 2025:
Talking with existing clients — Most companies tie their fiscal year to the calendar year. It’s during this end-of-year time span that they do something crazy while looking ahead. The “crazy” happens when they look to spend leftover budget money like a drunken sailor so that they don’t lose it the following year. I happily help them with this “problem.” Second, I know that companies look ahead and make growth plans during this time frame. I can help, but only if they know what I can do.
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