How to Overcome the Holiday Sales Slowdown
If you’ve been in the business for more than two years, you know it’s coming. Every minor league sales leader knows the feeling. That week before Thanksgiving hits and all of the sudden - the phones (inbound and outbound) go dark.
Prospects are traveling, budgets are “locked until January,” and your reps start hearing the same polite brush-off:
“Let’s talk after the holidays.”
It’s predictable. But it’s not inevitable.
The best teams don’t accept a six-week slump — they prepare for it, plan through it, and position themselves to sprint into January while everyone else is still wiping up pie crumbs.
Here’s how to combat the holiday slowdown and keep revenue momentum alive.
Reframe the Season: It’s Not Dead Time — It’s Prep Season
From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, activity might dip — but strategy shouldn’t. This stretch is the perfect time to:
Clean up pipelines
Re-rank prospects
Tighten messaging and offers
Build January appointment calendars
I tell teams: “Don’t waste December — weaponize it.”
If you can’t get people to sign today, make sure you’ve got 40–50 real conversations scheduled for the first two weeks of January.
The worst day in sales is January 2nd with an empty calendar.
Sell the Gift, Not the Game
During the holidays, people aren’t thinking about baseball schedules — they’re thinking about gifts, experiences, and family.
So sell into that mindset.
Repackage your offers as:
“Holiday Ticket Packs”
“Gift of Summer Nights” packages
“Family Experience Vouchers”
Short-term, emotionally driven, easy to buy and give.
You’re not just selling seats — you’re selling memories in advance.
Make it easy: a few clicks online, a printable certificate, and a clean social media campaign that shouts “No shipping delays!”
Get Creative With Corporate Outreach
End-of-year budgets can be your friend if you ask the right way.
Many companies are looking to spend leftover budget on:
Employee rewards
Client appreciation
Early activation for 2026 partnerships
Don’t pitch ticket packages — pitch turnkey gifting solutions.
“Ten packs for your top clients, fully branded with your logo” lands a lot better than “ten flex books.”
And here’s a pro tip: offer to send them one physical sample. A tangible ticket or certificate on a nice card stock goes a long way.
Keep Your Reps Accountable to Process, Not Panic
It’s easy for reps to take their foot off the gas when the “not interested” replies pile up. That’s when leadership matters most.
During the holidays, focus on what you can control:
Daily outreach goals (calls, emails, texts)
CRM hygiene
Pipeline notes and tagging
Scheduled follow-ups
You’re not just managing sales — you’re building sales habits. A good December keeps your January clean and your February productive.
Show Gratitude — and Stay Visible
This is the season where relationships get built quietly.
It’s as simple as sending a handwritten note. Perhaps dropping off coffee or small gifts to key clients. Be ready with a genuine thank-you post to season ticket holders and sponsors on social.
Yes, it doesn’t move the month’s sales report, but it strengthens your foundation.
When renewal season comes, that goodwill pays off tenfold.
Final Thought
The holiday slowdown isn’t a problem — it’s a test.
It tests your systems, your creativity, and your ability to lead a team through the quiet stretches without losing momentum.
Because while everyone else is coasting, the disciplined front offices are tightening the bolts.
Come January, those are the teams that sprint out of the gate — and never look back.
At GameDay Advising, we help sports organizations build structured sales systems and coaching plans that keep revenue moving year-round — no matter the season.
