10 Ways to End the Advertising Year Strong

As the year draws to a close, finishing strong isn’t just a motivational slogan—it’s a strategic advantage. Here are ten actionable ideas to help you make the most of the remaining months and set a powerful tone for the year ahead.

1. Position Yourself as an Advisor

Stop thinking of yourself as just a salesperson. Seventy-four percent of buyers would rather go to the dentist than talk to a traditional salesperson. The solution? Adopt an advisor mindset. While salespeople sell what clients want, advisors guide clients toward what they truly need, fostering lifelong relationships.

2. Stop Mass Emailing

The era of generic mass emails is over. Personalized emails boast a 35% higher open rate and a 45% higher reply rate. Tailor your messages to the recipient’s needs and interests to stand out in overcrowded inboxes.  If your CRM offer mass emails, be sure to fully use the customization features.  Customization is WAY more than just inserting someone’s name.

3. Share Marketing Impact Reports

Showcase the value you bring by creating and sharing impact reports. These reports highlight measurable outcomes and build trust, reinforcing your role as a results-driven partner.

4. Focus on Recommendation-Based Selling

Seventy percent of sales are driven by recommendations. Think of your approach as a fine dining experience, offering curated solutions rather than a buffet of generic options. Personal, tailored suggestions close more deals.

5. Leverage the Marketing Triangle of Success

Educate your clients on the three pillars of marketing success: new business acquisition, brand maintenance, and re-engaging past customers. A well-rounded strategy that combines traditional media, digital channels, and social media ensures comprehensive coverage.

6. Master Pipeline Management

A well-maintained sales pipeline is essential for year-end success. Regularly review your prospects, in-progress deals, and active accounts to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Organization is key to consistent results.  Also, look carefully at how many clients did not renew.  Know your churn rate is critical.  Try to keep it below 20%.

7. Prioritize Client Retention

Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one. Work as hard to keep your current clients as you did to win them in the first place. Show gratitude, stay active between the holidays, and make your clients feel valued year-round.

8. Work Smarter AND Harder

While the idea of working smarter not harder is appealing, sometimes you need both. Smart strategies combined with relentless effort are what win the game. Grind it out—success favors the persistent.

9. Get Loud When Others Go Quite

The end of the year, especially during the holidays, is the time of the sale cycle when many salespeople tend to go quiet, figuring that most of their clients will be out of the office. Do not believe this philosophy, or follow this philosophy. Ever! When other salepeople go quiet, it’s your time to put your foot on the gas and close more deals.

10. Offer Urgency Incentives

Incentives don’t have to mean giveaways for free. Use time-limited offers, such as “buy three, get one free,” or, rate protection, or bonus inventory from surplus digital inventory, to create a sense of urgency and drive immediate action.

Conclusion: 

These ten strategies will not only help you finish the year on a high note but also lay a strong foundation for the next one. Focus on relationship building, targeted outreach, and strategic planning to turn the year’s end into a launching pad for future success. Remember, it’s not just about closing the year strong—it’s about opening the next one with unstoppable momentum.

Never forget if selling was easy, everyone would be doing it.  – Ryan Dohrn

Ryan Dohrn is the host of the #1 iTunes advertising sales podcast Ad Sales Nation and has trained over 6,000 media sales people in 7 countries. His 25-year media career spans consumer, B2B, traditional, and digital media brands from Disney to PennWell. He is also the Founder of Brain Swell Media, an international sales motivational keynote speaker, an Emmy Award winner, best-selling book author, and he still sells media today.  Learn more online at http://360AdSales.com or http://RyanDohrn.com