We are currently in the summer season, and for many businesses, this can be a make-or-break time of year.
This is a time when people take vacations and enjoy some time with family and friends. The pace feels different and more relaxed. But your customers and prospects are still out there, still making decisions.
I know my schedule changes during the summer with a priority on leisure activities, and I think it’s awesome. Something is energizing about longer days and that summer feeling. I’m not saying you should skip vacations or avoid time with family — those things matter tremendously.
At the same time, we need to maintain a focused approach to our goals and quarterly initiatives. The key is finding that balance between enjoying summer and staying committed to your business objectives.
We need to meet our sales goal, achieve our professional services billing goals, and ensure that we don’t use the summer schedule or vacation as an excuse for not doing so.
The numbers don’t care what season it is.
We need to plan to achieve our milestones every quarter. Reaching goals and achieving your quarterly rocks can be part of having a great summer. It’s all a mindset. When you hit your targets, that vacation feels even better. There’s no guilt, no stress about what you should be doing instead of relaxing.
I learned a lot about this early in my sales career. As a young salesperson, I was part of a few very large sales organizations. I was eager to learn and watched everything closely. What I discovered was fascinating — there were really two types of salespeople during the summer months.
I noticed that most salespeople often used summer, holidays, and vacations as excuses for not meeting their monthly or quarterly sales goals. It was always something — kids were out of school, people were traveling, decision-makers were unavailable. The excuses were endless and creative. But here’s what was interesting: The prospects and customers were still there, still buying — just from someone else.
I watched others achieve consistent results every month. I saw how they always had a plan that factored in external issues or events. They understood that business doesn’t stop just because the weather gets nice. These top performers knew that while others were making excuses, they were making money. They treated summer as an opportunity, not an obstacle. This is a great lesson to learn, and I brought it mentally into my career as a business leader.
Take time to think about this and make sure everyone on your team does as well. Set expectations early and get everyone aligned on what success looks like. And make the decision that you and your team will get results four quarters every year. That’s what separates good teams from great ones.
The best teams don’t have seasons — they have standards.
Look, summer will come and go whether you hit your goals or not. But which version of yourself do you want to be come September?
The one who enjoyed summer and crushed their numbers, or the one who has to scramble to catch up?
The choice is yours.