Pleading the Fourth

1. Start Now

As we mentioned above, it may seem counterintuitive to begin planning for fall and winter sales when the heat index is still topping 100, but we can't stress it enough: Don't wait until it's too late, or you may miss out on sales altogether. "The big mistake I see distributors making is starting too late," explained Rosalie Marcus, The Promo Biz Coach, proprietor of www.promobizcoach.com, a business coaching and consulting practice for the promotional industry. "They should be talking about fourth-quarter promotions months before the quarter begins. It's best to plan 90 days ahead of the quarter."