This article was updated on December 11, 2025 with an up-to-date FAQ section.
It’s that time of the year again: end-of-quarter!
In fact even better: end-of-fiscal-year!
At the end of every quarter or fiscal year, there is a rush to close as many deals as possible. While every deal counts and your manager is pushing you to bring everything in, sometimes it seems like you’re just not making any progress.
Here at SalesWings | B2B Studio for Marketing Cloud we have gathered a few tips with handy sales tips – for 4 great end-of-sales-quarters this year!
Jump!
- Working a premature deal?
- Discount approvals
- Can’t reach your leads?
- Make it special with Video
- Provide a “complete” solution
- Scheduling ahead
- Dig out some up-selling/cross-selling opptys
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1. Premature deal? Don’t push it – or you’ll push them to the competition ⛔
A client will buy your product once they have all their questions answered and have eliminated key doubts surrounding the decision.
Quarter-end is of course a special time, so we try to accelerate the pace of the evaluation. If your gut tells you that the client is simply overwhelmed with the pace, don’t push it. It can turn your lead off if they feel you’re trying to impose your own agenda, and it can create a situation where they will end up buying with a competitor if the competitor’s evaluation is more advanced.
In fact, Ken Krogue from InsideSales.com states in a study on end-of-quarter sales rushes that while the end of the month shows an increase in a firm’s overall number of sales, the end-of-the-month push coincides with a 51% decrease in overall sales win rate.
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2. Get your discount approvals from management early 🏷️
When you are expecting your lead to bend to your agenda, you’ll likely be faced with a discount request, or it can help “sweeten the deal”.
If these requests come in late – say on the last day of your quarter – you may run into an issue. At some organizations, it can take several days for discounts to be approved by your management. If you have one or two deals in your pipeline where you feel it will definitely come down to negotiation – get your approvals early so you know your margin.
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3. Can’t reach your leads? 📞
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Tactical tip: Do the “Double Dial”!
It’s 5 to 12 and you can’t reach your leads? Do the “Double Dial”!
Your leads may not recognize your number when you call them the first time, and with so many hungry sales people calling these days, they may ignore your call. Naturally a voice message with a compelling reason for them to call back – not for you – is key.
Now if you dial them again within 5 minutes (giving them enough time to listen to your voicemail) – same number – they may understand that there could be some urgency.
“This must be important, they’re calling again.”
“Double Dial” is a great trick in the hat of seasoned sales professionals, and the best time to try it out is right now…
Align with your Marketing team on supportive actions
While you’re on the ground hustling, do you get the aircover you need?
Huddle up with a marketing peer and define a short-term impact campaign that can create engagements. For instance, a short but sweet email campaign to get your leads back to your website.
Marketing email campaigns, combined with lead website tracking and lead scoring, are a fantastic way to create alignment with sales around interested leads. Your company’s website is somewhat like a physical store. Do you see when your prospects are walking in? Sometimes you’re working leads, and are ignoring others that are actively evaluating you. A timely alert of a lead you’ve been ignoring can ensure that to you.
Remember: It’s not just sales; you and the marketing folks are the “Revenue Team” – so make the quarter happen together.
Get Social with your leads
To See and be Seen – that’s the order of the hour. Are you visible?
Seems standard? Well, what’s your ratio of emails vs. social messages that your leads get?
When emails go unnoticed and calls are ignored, your leads are at risk to make your deal their second priority. Being visible on social media more than ever is a great weapon to stay top of mind.
- Be helpful, be relevant, be friendly, and be seen; these are four key points to keep in mind when you engage in social conversations.
- Engage with their posts, like and share them (it’s like waving in a bar!)
- Send them a useful article in a direct message
- Share great content – pick a great post now, share it and mention them
Staying top of mind is key, and many people today prefer LinkedIn messaging over email and get alerts on their mobile phones. So get started, and go social!
Text messages / SMS / Whatsapp – and Emojis!
People love to text, to chat, and to get pinged – it’s a fact.
In many countries, mobile interactions between buyers and sellers are common. What about in your country? No? Well then stick out and try something new!
Keep messages short and sweet. Be sure to focus on a key message; remind them of an email, ask how they are doing? Texting is a communication channel for your prospects to ask questions and get quick replies too – maybe they are just about to walk into a meeting with their peers where they could discuss your offer.
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4. Make it special with video messages in emails 🎦
Many people suffer from “email overload”, and it is getting harder to get their attention.
If you want to stand out at the end of the sales quarter, you’ll need to come up with unique ways to get your message through. Personal touches are key, such as well thought video messages.
Start by sending a customized video message to your 5 top leads. You could for instance:
- Provide them with a 5 minute summary of their key goals and why you’re the best fit to achieve them/li>
- Walk them one more time through your proposal and ROI overview
- Send them a friendly greeting, offering help and another call to go over things
Don’t have a solution? Have a look at Vidyard which we like to use here at SalesWings.
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5. Ensure clients have a complete solution to their problem 📑
You’re on the verge of closing this deal; you’ve been working on it for months – and the lead is still hesitating. Have you truly covered all their needs – as you may just be a piece of the puzzle?
A great mentor once told me: if your client faces 5 challenges, and you can only solve 3, you will still win this deal if you find a third-party solution for the 2 remaining issues they have shared with you.
Even enterprise marketing technology solutions such as the Salesforce Marketing Cloud or Sales Cloud, may not cover all of a client’s needs. That’s when it’s a good moment to check out partner offerings. In the case of Salesforce, that’s the Appexchange with great complementary solutions such as SalesWings lead website tracking and lead scoring or the Deselect.io segmentation tool. In other areas
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6. Map out all steps till the close – and schedule ahead 📅
It’s always key to have a rapid cadence of engagement when things get closer to the finish line. And it’s even more critical near the end of the year.
Prospects are busy, company executives are in and out of the office, and decision-makers are putting the finishing touches on their strategic plans. We don’t exist unless we’re on their schedule, and you don’t want to be the last in their agenda. Make sure you map it out:
- Start with the planned close date, and calculate backwards
- List the touchpoints and allow for time between meetings
- Proposal (meeting)
- Client internal review (4 days)
- Last demo to decision-maker (3 days)
- Expected negotiation (2 days)
- Discount approval (0 – if planned ahead*)
- Confirming offer (2 days)
- Client internal sign-off (2 days)
- Signature
So we got at least 12 days here – not counting weekends. Yes, sometimes it goes faster, but build in a safety margin.
Jot down all decision-makers that will be responsible for the decision, and signing the contract. Check with the client if any additional product demos are required. That way, you know that they won’t fall through the crack and avoid missing a key person right before you want to sign the deal.
Salespeople frequently fail to calculate all required steps for the client to be ready when working towards a deadline. In the next meeting with your user buyer, be transparent about you can make this work, and involve him in the plan to create a buying vision.
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7. Dig out some up-selling/cross-selling opportunities 🤝
Possibly you’re just missing a few thousand dollars to hit your quota? Sometimes a timely upsell can do wonders.
If it appears that you will fall short of your targets, go over your present clients. Clients that have previously purchased from you are more likely to do so again, and you may encourage them to do so.
The goal of upselling and cross-selling is to increase the value that a customer gets from your partnership. Based on the client’s behaviour and prior purchases, suggest additional services and products that they can benefit from. Share case studies of other clients who have done it before, and demonstrate the value of spending more with you.
And of course: make them an offer tied to the year-end they cannot refuse…
Frequently Asked Questions
For Account Executives
- How do I create urgency?
- What does the best outreach cadence look like?
- Should I offer discounts early?
- Does double dialling really work?
- How can video speed up decisions?
- How do I handle silent stakeholders?
- How do I map steps backward?
For Sales Managers
- How can I forecast accurately now?
- How do I prevent margin erosion?
- Which activities should I prioritize this week?
- How do I align with marketing for “air cover”?
- What metrics signal deal risk?
- How can I coach reps on timing?
- Should we push end-of-month sprints?
For Account Executives
How do I create urgency?
Anchor urgency to agreed business outcomes and deadlines, not arbitrary quarter dates, then confirm consequences of inaction with the buyer’s words.
Start your recap with quantified impact (time saved, revenue gained) and date-linked milestones your champion already cares about. Use mutual action plans to make next steps and owners explicit. If a blocker appears, propose two options (“proceed now with X, or delay until Y with risk Z”) so status quo feels like a decision with cost.
Tip: End each call by scheduling the next meeting while momentum is high; calendar holds create built-in urgency without pressure.
What does the best outreach cadence look like?
Blend short, purposeful multi-channel touches (email, phone, social, and SMS) then tighten intervals as the agreed close date approaches.
Use a three-day rhythm early, then shift to 24–48 hour spacing when dates are time-bound. Lead with value in every touch: a summary, risk checklist, or ROI snippet. Keep messages scannable and end with a single, easy next step tied to the plan. For time-sensitive deals, coordinate with marketing for reminders that revive stalled interest.
Tip: Optimize follow-up timing with data-backed guidance to lift reply rates.
Should I offer discounts early?
Offer discounts only after value is agreed and procurement is engaged; secure approvals early so price doesn’t stall the signature.
Premature discounts teach buyers to negotiate before they decide. Instead, confirm fit, business case, and decision path, then position any concession as an exchange: extended term, reference, or volume. Many organizations require multi-level approvals; don’t discover that on the last day. Ask, “What’s your internal pricing approval process and timing?” and mirror it in your plan.
Tip: Capture your ceiling and floor in writing so you can negotiate confidently under pressure.
Does double dialling really work?
Yes. Placing a second call within minutes can raise pickup rates when paired with a concise, value-led voicemail.
Many prospects screen unknown numbers; a second call signals relevance and can trigger curiosity, especially when your voicemail promised something useful (e.g., a one-page ROI or a blocker removed). Keep it respectful: two attempts, then switch channels to a short email or LinkedIn note recapping the benefit.
Tip: Time your second call within 3-5 minutes after the voicemail so the context is fresh.
How can video speed up decisions?
Use 60-120 second personalized videos to clarify ROI, recap decisions, and humanize complex points for unseen stakeholders.
Short screen-plus-face clips outperform long decks for busy executives. Record a TL;DR walk-through of the proposal, highlight the two numbers that matter, and address one risk you’ve heard. Include chapter timestamps in your email and a clear “accept meeting” CTA. Reps frequently report higher engagement and faster cycles when adding tailored video to late-stage threads.
Tip: Batch-record for your top five deals to maximize impact.
How do I handle silent stakeholders?
Map the buying committee, confirm roles, and give champions forwardable assets tailored to each stakeholder’s single biggest question.
Ask your champion to validate the decision path and approvers; then provide a one-pager addressing finance (cost, payback), security (controls), and the executive sponsor (business outcomes). Invite a 15-minute “risk review” with the decision-maker to surface last-mile concerns. Silence often signals hidden evaluators; equip your champion to sell when you’re not in the room.
Tip: Add a brief “Who else needs to review this?” line to every recap to flush out late surprises.
How do I map steps backward?
Start from your target signature date, list every step, owner, and buffer, then calendar all meetings before you leave the current call.
Include internal reviews, security checks, legal, procurement, and approvals; many cycles slip because one step lacked time or ownership. Share the plan as a living document with your buyer and treat it as the single source of truth. Re-confirm weekly and adjust buffers when new risks appear.
Tip: Use a lightweight mutual close plan template to keep everyone aligned.
For Sales Managers
How can I forecast accurately now?
Shift to exit-criteria forecasting: commit only deals with verified next meetings, signed mutual plans, and confirmed procurement timelines.
Replace gut feel with observable milestones: executive access, legal kickoff date, pricing approval path, and scheduled decision meeting. Inspect calendar holds and email threads, not just CRM stages. Stage hygiene improves when reps know the checklist and you coach to gaps in the plan.
Tip: Run a daily “green-yellow-red” review tied to concrete exit criteria to prevent end-of-quarter surprises.
How do I prevent margin erosion?
Approve discounts early with give-get rules, protect floors, and centralize exceptions so last-minute pressure doesn’t force deep cuts.
Publish allowed bands, require value exchanges (term, multi-year, case study), and track win rate versus discount to spot unproductive concessions. Teach reps to re-frame price objections around business outcomes and total cost of delay. Finance and RevOps should monitor stacked discounts across teams.
Tip: Use a simple approval SLA dashboard so reps know turnaround times and stop sandbagging price conversations.
Which activities should I prioritize this week?
Prioritize meetings booked with decision-makers, legal kickoffs, procurement onboarding, and multi-threading… activities that directly unblock signatures.
De-prioritize net-new prospecting unless it accelerates an in-flight evaluation. Ask, “What single step moves this deal to the next irreversible milestone?” Then resource it: security questionnaire help, pricing approvals, or executive alignment. Protect two-hour “deal rooms” for top opportunities and chase calendar holds relentlessly.
Tip: Align daily standups to unblock specific close-plan steps, not generic stage changes.
How can I align with marketing for “air cover”?
Request micro-campaigns to your late-stage accounts: short emails, social touches, and retargeting that revive intent and support rep outreach.
Share named accounts, personas, and talk tracks; then track site visits and engagement and alert owners in real time. This helps reps focus on buyers who are actively evaluating. Provide content your champions can forward to unseen stakeholders—security notes, ROI briefs, or case studies.
Tip: Use pipeline visibility to prioritize accounts most likely to convert now.
What metrics signal deal risk?
Watch meeting momentum, stakeholder breadth, legal start date, and email responsiveness; declining velocity usually precedes slipped forecasts.
Flag deals with no executive contact, no calendar holds beyond seven days, or single-threaded relationships. Responses that shift from hours to days often indicate priority loss. Use a “time since last buyer-initiated engagement” field to quantify risk and trigger manager intervention.
Tip: Coach reps to re-establish urgency with business-case refreshes and new value events, not generic nudges.
How can I coach reps on timing?
Coach to buyer timing, not seller deadlines. Optimize call windows, tighten follow-ups near milestones, and schedule next steps live.
Review rep calendars for late-stage accounts: Are calls during high-answer windows? Are follow-ups within 24–48 hours? Reinforce mutual plans and role-play price conversations. Encourage respectful “double dial” paired with value-led voicemails to increase connections in crunch time.
Tip: Share best-time-to-call data so reps prioritize windows with higher pickup rates.
Should we push end-of-month sprints?
Use disciplined sprints focused on verified deals, but avoid across-the-board last-day pushes that often reduce win rates and deal size.
Data shows aggressive end-of-month behavior can backfire; instead, sprint around mutual plans with confirmed steps and executive access. Create an “all-hands unblock” channel for pricing, legal, and security to resolve issues quickly without panic discounts.
Tip: If you sprint, define the rules: value-first communications, pre-approved concessions, and manager availability at key moments.
In conclusion
A client will buy your product once they have all their questions answered and have eliminated key doubts surrounding it.
Your deal will close if you remain cool and have a strong focus on your customer’s decision requirements. Plan your next steps, explore multiple channels of communication, commit to engaging in the relationship with prospects, and finally, provide value. Concentrate on the deals that have the best chance of closing. Try closing significant deals early and go ahead of your schedule – this will boost your confidence and prevent desperation later.
And remember, you are not trying to close a sale as fast as possible; you are building a relationship, so sometimes it’s best not to rush and the next quarter is just around the corner!
