How to Score Deals in the Final Quarter [Data & Expert Backed Tips]

It’s here, the biggest sales quarter of the year. The very moment deal-seekers everywhere shoot their shot, turn prospects into buyers, and score buzzer-beating slam dunks that accelerate the business to record-breaking sales.

Q4 sales are often the most lucrative of the year, but successful sales don’t come simply because of the season. Sales professionals who are doing their best work in Q4 are executing their sales processes to perfection.

If you want a lucrative Q4, read on for the best-kept secrets in the sales world.

Why is Q4 the biggest sales quarter of the year?

Q4 is generally the biggest sales quarter of the year due to two major factors: buyer behavior and budgets.

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You might expect that only B2C sales would increase in Q4, but research suggests otherwise. FastSpring reviewed 30 randomly selected businesses serving B2C and B2B markets across the globe and found a noticeable increase in Q4 sales.

Let’s take a look at what contributes to Q4 sales.

1. Buyer behavior: Many buyers are trained to buy at the end of the quarter or year.
2. Anticipation of discounts: Buyers know that salespeople are more likely to discount the later it gets, so they wait in anticipation of discounts.
3. Budget management: In many companies, if business leaders don’t spend their budget, they may lose it altogether. As the end of the year approaches, prospects will divert excess money to priorities that are now financially feasible to tackle.
4. Conditions in a company change throughout the year: CDhampions get hired, blockers get fired, and priorities change. Things might be drastically different in Q4 than they were in Q1.

Often, a combination of the above will be true.

Now you know there’s some data and reasoning behind increased Q4 sales, here are top tips to help you score more deals.

15 Tips to Score More Deals in Q4

1. Set a goal.

Be very clear about what you want to achieve in Q4. If you decide you want to hit 110%, 120%, or 150% of your quota, commit to doing the necessary activities to reach that number.

Goals are important all year round. It’s no coincidence that 42% of managers and sales pros who coach or train their teams say that their primary goal is to get sales teams aligned on a common goal. If you know what you want to achieve, you can work to achieve it.

Review your year-to-date quota attainment to gauge where you stand today, and calculate the number of customers you have to sign to hit your goal based on your historical deal size and velocity.

Work backward from these numbers to determine the number of demos, discovery calls, and connects you’ll need to make by month, week, and day. Then, diligently track your activity against these metrics throughout the quarter.

2. Touch base with your manager.

Set up a meeting with your manager to review your performance year-to-date. They’ll be impressed by your initiative, and more importantly, they’ll be able to help you identify and correct performance issues.

For example, if your deals consistently lose momentum, it means you struggle with establishing urgency. Your manager can help you work on explaining to your prospects why it’s important they act now and what will happen if they don’t.

3. Take advantage of team selling.

It almost sounds cliche, but people buy from people. If a prospect isn’t really clicking with you, try bringing your manager on a call or handing over the prospect to another salesperson.

It’s not personal, and it’s not a reflection of your sales teams; simply, some people click better with others.

Handing over a prospect can feel like a failure or a risk, but if you honestly feel like you won’t get this deal over the line, there’s nothing to lose. Plus, you’ll free your own time to focus on the deals you’ve got a better chance of converting.

4. Assess the Q4 calendar.

Q4 is going to move faster than a hungry man to a free buffet, so you have to be laser-focused on all the key dates over the next 90 days. Typically, the worst month of Q4 is November. It’s short, and people travel during Thanksgiving week. To make your quota that month, you’ll have to make your case in advance of Thanksgiving. People aren’t likely to have meetings on their last day in the office before taking a vacation.

Before November rolls around, make strategic assessments around timing and dates. Determine what holidays will be a distraction before Q4 begins and plan around them accordingly.

5. Leverage data-driven insights.

You don’t need to plan your Q4 strategy alone, especially with AI CRM systems that are built to analyze prospect data for you.

Niclas Tim, founder and CEO of spectup, recommends analyzing patterns from the year and using the data to guide the strategy for Q4.

Before Q4 kicks off, Tim analyzes the company’s CRM patterns from previous quarters. He can then see which offerings were popular, which content had the highest engagement, and where potential clients showed enthusiasm. This data, he says, informs the company’s Q4 strategy.

“We might rejuvenate a waning service with a special offer or expand on content that previously resonated,” Tim says, “The strength of this approach lies in personalization — our outreach is tailored based on client preferences — [and] optimization.”

Using HubSpot’s analytics, Tim’s team can refine the sales funnel to enhance conversions.

“By pairing HubSpot's capabilities with targeted strategies, we position ourselves for a strong Q4 performance,” Tim says.

6. Send out “Where did the year go?” emails.

Every Q4, reassess opportunities that you’ve spent time on but didn’t close in the past year. During the first two weeks of October, send emails to everyone who falls into this category, reminding them that the end of the year is coming up.

Here’s an example:

Subject line: [Prospect's First Name], where did the year go?

Dear [Prospect],

Happy October! It's been a while — hard to believe the year is almost over.

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to see how you were doing in regards to [previously discussed goal]. Are you still on track to achieve that goal by December?

The end of the year is no time to sit back on your heels. If you feel there‘s room for improvement, I’d love to hear how I can help. Let me know if you want to chat, and let's set up a conversation!

Here are some resources and announcements that might make your job easier in the new year.

• [Announcement 1]
• [Announcement 2]
• [Announcement 3]

Cheers,
[Salesperson]

This strategy instills urgency and reminds prospects of their previous interest in your product.

Don’t be afraid to be personable, bring up something memorable about the prospect. You want your prospect to feel special, like you’ve remembered them specifically. Depending on your relationship, something memorable can be professional or personal.

Our latest sales survey found that 82% of sales pros say building relationships and connecting with people is the most important part of selling.

7. Call your top 40 to 50 opportunities.

Schedule a call with prospects you’ve spent a bit more time with. Resurface a personal detail from your past conversations, remind them of their interest, and see if now is a better time to revisit their situation.

Request an update on their professional situation or their company’s operations. Likewise, update them on changes in your product or company, share a case study or success story, and point out that Q4 is a great time to finalize a transaction because both sides are motivated.

By Q4, people know whether they’re going to make their goals or not. They’ll either be able to devote time and money to address problems that weren’t previously high-priority or tell you definitively that they just can’t do it this year.

8. Don’t be afraid to upsell.

If you’re calling existing opportunities, you might be able to upsell other products or services. Things may have progressed, and needs may have developed since your last conversation.

Peter Riches, a new business manager at Clear, suggests that you prioritize your existing clients.

“Reconnect, check in on their needs and explore opportunities for upselling or cross-selling. Check if there's anything they need to push things harder, and proactively suggest ideas,” Riches says. “Ask if there's anything you can do to support their sale periods.”

Riches’ advises that you keep yourself focused, “Don’t waste your time on the long list you can never make contact with – simply ask – ‘Is the project still live or shall I close the file?’”

9. Leverage urgency.

As mentioned before, budgets are a major contributor to Q4 sales. When talking to your prospects, leverage the urgency that Q4 brings. Remind clients of year-end budgets and fiscal advantages to spending before the new year.

10. Pull out the discount.

You can always lean on a trusty discount. The discount can be used in conjunction with a note about urgency.

Try an offer like, ‘If you sign with us before [date], we’re happy to honor a xx% discount.’

Bill French, a sales specialist at USA Borescopes, says, “By emphasizing that deals are available only during this quarter, we tap into the natural consumer desire to take advantage of special opportunities before they disappear.”

French says this strategy leverages the holiday season's gift-giving mindset and the excitement surrounding it. The festive mood can drive customers to make purchasing decisions sooner rather than later.

“Additionally, it fosters a sense of exclusivity, making customers feel like they're getting something unique and valuable, which can be a powerful motivator for driving sales during this crucial period,” French says.

As mentioned, buyer behavior is a factor in Q4 sales. French knows this and uses discounts to elicit that holiday gift-giving (and therefore spending) mindset.

11. Demo in bulk.

Group product demonstrations are a brilliant strategy in Q4. Every company should conduct a webinar during the first two weeks of October that shows off new features or product updates. This type of mass demo will reinvigorate your relationship with low-hanging prospects.

According to 49% of sales experts, their buyers prefer to gather information about a product or service through a demo. This impactful strategy shouldn’t be ignored, especially not in Q4.

12. Be available.

The key to making quota in a holiday-packed quarter is to be available when your prospects are. If you’re traveling or out of town on days when your prospects are in the office, make sure not to go off the grid completely. Check your email regularly and give prospects your cell phone number in case they have last-minute changes of heart.

Alternatively, if being available isn’t possible for you, set up auto-responders or have a team manage your inbox for you. A tardy response to a prospect could be a major loss.

Jonathon Dunaway, director of sales at Veritas Logistics LLC, beats the competition with availability in Q4. He notes that it’s essential to proactively reach out and make yourself available to current and future customers.

“Let them know you are there to support their needs,” Dunaway says. “Q4 is when the competition is taking the most vacations and holidays off, and the customers can be left without a transportation partner at a time of need as a result. The best ability oftentimes is availability!”

13. Use your vacation time strategically.

If you’ve got the luxury to vacation strategically, do so. When planning your annual calendar, think about Q4 and structuring your vacation so you’re not left taking days out of the office just to take holiday quota. Instead, take it ahead of time.

If you’re taking a vacation during Q4, no problem! You can still be strategic about it. Think about the quarter, the people you need to see before you go away, or those who need a note about your vacation and your return.

14. Call your prospect.

Around the holidays, always make sure to get your prospect’s cell phone number. If they’re sitting on contracts or aren’t responding to you, a personal call is often the best way to light a fire.

15. Commit now. Kick-off later.

Stacie Sussman, chief revenue officer at RevUp Advisory, recommends getting buyers to commit in Q4 with a goal of kicking off the project in January. Sussman smartly pairs this incentive with a bonus month in December and proves her solution works with a short case study.

A few years ago, as Q3 was winding down, Sussman’s team faced the perennial challenge of maximizing Q4 sales. The solution emerged during a pivotal meeting with General Mills. General Mills, like many companies, was looking to make the most of their remaining budget without compromising the impact of their campaigns.

“Our proposal was simple yet effective: ‘Commit now in Q4, but let‘s kick off your campaign in January. As a gesture of our partnership, we’ll throw December in as a bonus month,’” Sussman says.

For General Mills, this proposition was more than just a budgetary solution, according to Sussman. The bonus December month provided them with a strategic edge.

“While their competitors would only be initiating their campaigns in January, General Mills would already be a month into theirs, leveraging the momentum of the new year right from its start,” she says. “This sales approach was about merging fiscal intelligence with strategic business acumen. It was about recognizing that in the world of sales, timing can be everything.”

Make the Most of Q4

Q4 can be huge to your sales success if you prepare correctly. Start with a winning attitude, and tell yourself that you will do everything in your power to exceed your goals. Then, practice the tactical advice above to ensure that your goals are met. If you consistently grind it out from October to December, there’s no reason why you won’t be able to crush your quota at the end of the year.