For sales professionals, summer brings a unique set of challenges. The typical rhythm gets disrupted by vacations, shifting office priorities, and buyers who simply say, “Let’s pick this up in the fall.”
Hitting targets while the world takes it slow requires strategic thinking and a dose of adaptability.
Why Does Everything Slow Down?
The summer slowdown isn’t just in your head, it’s a reality shaped by competing schedules, decision-makers on PTO, and entire industries shifting into vacation mode. Sales teams can find themselves pushing meetings weeks out just to accommodate everyone’s absences. But there’s also a hidden culprit.
“I think it’s a little bit self-inflicted too, because you know, salespeople, everybody just wants to take time off.” —Mark Hunter
Recognizing the patterns—and planning around them—keeps you from being surprised when everything suddenly stalls. Start by knowing your customer, your market’s calendar, and your own vacation plans. For some clients, like those in Spain or New York, entire months become no-go zones for business as usual.
Adapt Your Tactics, Not Your Effort
The temptation during summer is to ease off entirely. But that’s not a strategy. Instead, reframe the season as an opportunity to build rapport, deepen relationships, and fill your pipeline for when things ramp up in September.
“The actions that you take will yield the results once everything “returns to normal.’”
For example, use prep time to check in with past clients, engage new prospects, and avoid the hard sell. “You need to keep your foot on the gas,” Meridith noted, “in those seasons that you’re not as busy when you’re not closing as much business, you’ve got a great opportunity to make more calls.”
Smart sellers move meetings up when possible, respect their buyers’ vacation time, and shorten requests. It’s not just about closing, but rather keeping conversations alive and showing you’re still present and valuable.
Play the Summer Calendar Like a Pro
Holidays and vacation weeks don’t have to be roadblocks. Leverage them. Know when your clients’ fiscal years end, what industries work straight through summer, and which groups are likely to pick up the phone in July and August.
“There is opportunity out there and if you’re willing to make the move and leave that person a message, reach out to them—it is amazing at how it resonates,” Mark reminds us.
And don’t be afraid to change things up, shifting from the boardroom to the golf course, or using the season to gather outdoor, informal connections.
Make Your Confidence Your Edge
Above all, mindset is everything. It’s easy to slip into inactivity or self-doubt when deals drag. Instead, fill your tank with small wins, celebrate progress, and focus on the habits that build long-term success.
“Do you know your customer’s KPIs? … If you know your customers KPIs … you can now focus your questioning your conversation, how you’re going to help them dramatically.” —Mark Hunter
Book Recommendation: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
This episode’s recommended read, The Slight Edge, focuses on the small, incremental habits that create big results. Selling through the summer isn’t about giant leaps, it’s about doing what your competitors won’t and maintaining that daily discipline.
“Selling through the summer season is one of those incremental things that highly successful, sustainable professional salespeople do. They sell when everybody else is stopping.” —Meridith Elliott Powell
Lightning Round: Top 10 Ways to Build Your Confidence
- Have a vision
Clarity about what success feels like fuels confidence. - Build your success list
Know what you’re aiming for so you can recognize progress. - Push out of your comfort zone weekly
Make an extra call or tackle a new challenge regularly. - Join a peer or mastermind group
A strong network lifts your spirits and your results. - Focus on progress, not perfection
Value what you’ve accomplished rather than flawless execution. - Set a daily achievable goal
Small wins create powerful momentum. - Watch your self-talk
Positive self-talk reinforces competence and energy. - Celebrate every success, no matter how small
Recognition keeps you motivated for the next win. - Stop comparing yourself to others
Comparison breeds discouragement—run your own race. - Schedule daily learning time
Read, watch, or listen to something that makes you better.
“Play the long game. Don’t get hung up. Success always takes time.” —Mark Hunter
Summer doesn’t have to slow your sales. It’s your chance to get creative, stay proactive, and build the habits that will set you apart come fall.
Question: Enrica from Mexico City asks, “Love the show, I have my team listen to the download every week. So this question is for them. We are already behind on our quota, and as we head into summer I am worried. Between our vacations, our customers’ vacations, and the general slow down of the summer months—what do we need to be doing to ensure we do not fall any further behind?”
Book: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson