Now that the Fourth of July holiday is behind us, the balance of the summer is going to be rushing by at a furious pace, and the first day of school will be hear before you know it.  While we are all still enjoying the long days and warm weather, it is time to start thinking about the second half of the year, and how to position ourselves for a strong close to 2011.

Our clients find themselves in much the same position.  Many of them will wake up when the kids return to school in the fall and realize that they have not accomplished some of the things they set out to do not only over the summer, but even from the start of the year.  The resulting spike in business once September hits is part of an annual sales cycle driven by both consumer and agent behavior.  This cycle has four distinct stages, and is so reliable that it has even become the basis for the timing of sales incentives at the carrier level.

So what are the stages in this cycle?

January through March

These months are like the honeymoon period.  Everyone has their goals for the year fresh in their mind, they are more disciplined and there is a corresponding spike in activity and productivity.

March through May

Despite the distraction of tax time this is still a rather productive time.  Business that was opened up in the early part of the year is wrapping up, and there may be some tax planning related business.

June through August

The doldrums hit during these months as described above.  Not only are our clients distracted, but our personal lives are crowded with vacations and other summer activities.  It even becomes more challenging to move cases through the home office for the very same reasons.

September through December

The sometimes desperate dash to the finish that leaves us all winded is again fueled by consumer, producer and home office behavior.  Clients realize there are objectives they set for the year that are incomplete.  Cases that may have been back burnered in the spring are now front and center.  Home offices are scrambling to meet year end goals.

So why bring this up today?  Great question, and the answer is two-fold.  First and foremost, now is the time to look back at the first half of the year to see if we are on track for our goals for the year.  Second is to position ourselves for a strong second half.  That positioning includes two things: rounding up the stragglers, and identifying your fourth quarter cases.   

Rounding up the stragglers is easy.  There are cases out there that never came to a conclusion.  The client was indecisive, they had a vacation to go on, the dog ate their homework, and the list of reasons goes on and on.  It's time to get them back with the rest of the heard and drive them home.  The fourth quarter cases are a topic in and of themselves that we'll discuss in the coming weeks, but for now, start making a list of potential cases and checking it twice because your holiday gift budget may very well be determined by how well you close the year!