Behind on Sales Targets? Your 30-Day Mid-Year Recovery Plan to Finish 2025 Strong

Introduction

It’s the first half of August, and if you’re behind on sales targets with a sinking feeling about your year-to-date numbers, you’re not alone. The good news? You still have 5+ months to turn things around. While everyone else is mentally checking out for summer, this is your opportunity to gain ground and get back on track (zig when they zag, etc). Here’s your 30-day mid-year recovery plan to catch up on your goals and finish 2025 strong.

Week 1: Mid-Year Reality Check & Quick Wins 🔍

Time Investment: 3 hours total

If you’re behind on sales targets, the first step is getting brutally honest about where you stand. Start with getting real about where you stand today:

• Pipeline Audit (45 minutes): Review every opportunity in your pipeline. What’s realistically closing this year vs. wishful thinking?
• Win/Loss Analysis (60 minutes): Look at what you’ve won and lost so far. What patterns emerge? Are you losing on price, timing, or fit? Consider uploading the data into your favorite AI tool (I’m using Claude mostly) to see what patterns it picks up on that you might be missing.
• Dormant Connection Mining (75 minutes): Unlike January’s fresh start energy, summer requires a different approach. Look for:
  • Clients who went quiet during their busy spring season
  • Prospects who said “maybe later” in Q1 or early Q2
  • Past clients whose projects should be showing results by now

Quick Win Strategy: Focus on “temperature check” outreach. People are more relaxed in summer and often willing to have conversations they’ve been putting off.

Week 2: The Summer Strategy Pivot

Time Investment: 45 minutes daily

The Mid-Year Mindset Shift: Instead of “Happy New Year” energy, tap into “let’s finish strong together” momentum.

Your Summer Outreach Themes:

• Planning Mode: “As you’re thinking about priorities for the rest of the year…”
• Results Review: “Now that we’re halfway through 2025, how are things tracking against your goals?”
• Fall Prep: “In case you’re thinking ahead to fall projects…”

Daily Action Plan:

• Monday: Reach out to 3 dormant prospects with planning-focused messaging
• Tuesday: Check in with 2 existing clients about additional needs
• Wednesday: Connect with referral sources about their summer observations
• Thursday: Follow up on Week 1’s temperature checks
• Friday: Plan next week’s outreach list

Week 3: The Mid-Year Referral Strategy

Time Investment: 60 minutes daily

The Summer Referral Advantage: People have clearer pictures of their challenges now vs. January’s theoretical goals.

Your Referral Framework:

1. Results-Based Approach: “Remember that [specific outcome] we achieved? I’m curious – do you know who else in your network might be dealing with similar challenges?”
   
2. Mid-Year Reality Check: “Now that we’re halfway through the year, what’s your biggest surprise – good or bad? I bet others in your industry are seeing similar things.”
   
3. Planning Partner Positioning: “As you’re planning for the rest of 2025, who else should be having these conversations?”
   

Week 3 Daily Actions:

• Monday-Tuesday: Reach out to your top 5 satisfied clients with results-based referral requests
• Wednesday-Thursday: Contact clients whose projects are showing measurable impact
• Friday: Follow up and schedule referral introduction calls

Week 4: Sustainable Systems for the Second Half

Time Investment: 2 hours setup, then 30 minutes daily maintenance

The Mid-Year System Requirements: Unlike January systems that can build slowly, you need systems that work immediately and sustain through year-end push.

Your Q3/Q4 Operating System:

• Pipeline Velocity Tracking: Not just what’s in your pipeline, but how fast things are moving
• Decision-Maker Mapping: Summer often means different people are available – track who’s actually deciding
• Year-End Budget Awareness: Start conversations about budget cycles and year-end spend

Sustainable Habits to Install:

• Monday Morning Reviews: 15-minute pipeline assessment
• Wednesday Check-ins: Quick touches with active prospects
• Friday Planning: Next week’s priority outreach list

Your Q3/Q4 Calendar Blocks:

• Daily: 30 minutes of outreach activity
• Weekly: 60 minutes of pipeline review and planning
• Monthly: Half-day strategic review and system adjustment

August Action Steps

Don’t wait for August 31st. Take these steps this week:

1. Block your calendar now – Reserve time for this 30-day sprint
2. Create your mid-year story – Craft 2-3 talking points about what you’re seeing in the market
3. Identify your “finish strong” partners – Which clients, referral sources, or prospects could help you end the year well?

The Mid-Year Advantage

Here’s what most people miss: summer is when guard rails come down. People are more casual, more willing to have exploratory conversations, and less likely to hide behind “we’re too busy” deflections. Use this to your advantage.

Your 30-Minute Daily Commitment

This entire plan requires just 30 minutes of focused daily action. That’s less time than your lunch break. The difference between a disappointing 2025 and a strong finish often comes down to just showing up consistently during the summer months when your competition is mentally checked out.

What’s your biggest pipeline challenge heading into the second half of 2025? Send me a note and let’s problem-solve together.