Equipment purchases typically slow in summer months. Sales teams are often challenged with indecisive customers during this time period. But have you ever wondered why sales follow these similar cycles from year to year and what you can do about it?
The real reasons for the “summer slump” are many, but the consistent behavioral pattern follows the yearly result. At the beginning of the year companies are building and at the end of the year there are tax benefits in addition to knowing with some certainty how the year will wrap up. In the middle, there may be more concern over how the company is tracking toward performance goals. The result…a summertime haze on your pipeline.
73% of small business owners spend less on capital equipment from June to August. The top reason: conserving cash for the big year end push.
With some creativity and a focus on affordability, equipment sales teams have an opportunity to build a pipeline for a busy summer. One best practice involves a simple email communication combined with a finance offering to indecisive prospects, 2-3 times throughout the slower months.
THE EXAMPLE EMAIL:
SUBJECT: Keep your cash, reduce your expenses…new equipment made affordable
It’s that easy. With rental needs growing and maintenance expense rising this summer, don’t let the long term need to improve your equipment fall victim to not having a large cash balances on hand. At XXXX, we offer the best equipment combined with the most competitive finance solutions that allow you to preserve your cash and for a low monthly payment…you’re reducing rentals and maintenance expense.
In fact our (ASSET MODEL) is available for you as low as XXXX/mo with no money down. As you have equipment needs this summer or just need an idea how to improve your asset base (fleet), give me a call!
We feel a commitment to this simple activity will allow you to more easily meet the needs of a previously indecisive market. At AFP, we think finance is at the heart of selling more equipment. We help dealers achieve more with simple, competitive commercial equipment financing. Let’s talk.
