I know it's still summer - probably vacation time for you and many of your prospects and customers. It's hardly time to be thinking about winter. But in sales, you know you need to lay the groundwork now to be able to close business in Q4.

Sales trainer and author Mike Brooks has the five things you need to do now to have a great fourth quarter:

1) Call every existing customer and client you have to get a firm idea of what their end of the year needs are going to be. The last thing you want to do is let your existing business (often called the "low hanging fruit") go to a competitor who got their first.

When you find out what their 4th quarter needs are, do what you can to capture it in advance - reserve the best spots for them, write up a sample order, create a 'pre-order' sale - but do everything you can NOW to secure their business in advance.

2) Do the same thing with your short list of "hot prospects." Once again, contact them and arrange dates for your presentation or service to be delivered, create an urgency for the end of the year and let them know that you've penciled them in to take care of their needs, get a specific call back date - and then call them 2 weeks prior to that!

If you can send an email of interest to them, or mail them anything, do so. It's crucial that you connect now, and give them something so they'll be thinking about you when their need arises.

3) Schedule the training you need NOW. Make sure your team has fresh ideas, techniques and strategies in place by October. Now is the time to get your team sharp, to get them effective scripts, and to learn the most effective techniques so they are ready to go when the business is flying.

4) You must set goals for your exact production and income numbers and begin affirming these results NOW. You will produce exactly what you think you will, and for this reason it's so important to identify in advance what that revenue figure is going to be.

5) Commit to making just 10 more prospecting calls per day for the rest of the year. Now I know that doesn't sound like a lot, does it? But when you work it out, you'll find that you'll be making an additional 1,050 prospecting calls between now and the end of the year! How many more clients, deals, and dollars in your pocket would that mean?

"If you commit today to implementing these 5 ideas, you'll be smiling all the way into the New Year," says Brooks. And isn't that what you really want?

Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, offers free closing Scripts, and a free audio program designed to help you double your income selling over the phone. He works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. Learn more at http://www.mrinsidesales.com/