3 reasons September is the best time to sell to companies (with a proven sales process)
Release Date: 09/04/2026
3 reasons September is the best time to sell to companies (with a proven sales process)
Selling To Corporate
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info_outlineSTC183: 3 reasons September is the best time to sell to companies (with a proven sales process)
In this episode, Jess Lorimer reveals why September is the most powerful month for selling to companies, provided you follow a proven sales process. The discussion covers key commercial drivers unique to Q4, the biggest employee turnover period, and strategies to secure business before companies allocate their budgets for the coming year.
Jess breaks down the three commercial reasons that make September the single best buying period for anyone selling services to corporate clients, provided you're running a best practice B2B sales process alongside it.
She explains why unfinished projects from the start of the year suddenly become urgent, why September triggers the biggest staff attrition period of the corporate calendar, and why companies are already planning six months ahead toward their next financial year, making now the moment to have budget conversations before funds are locked away.
Jess also revisits her decision to keep The C Suite ® running rather than retire it, and shares why a proactive, proven sales process, not luck, social media, or waiting for referrals, is what actually converts September's opportunity into signed contracts. If you're a coach, consultant, trainer, speaker, or done for you service provider selling to corporate clients, this episode is your reminder to get proactive before the year ends.
Timestamps
00:00 Why September is best for sales
03:21 Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome
09:49 Transformations in Sales Confidence
12:00 Importance of September for Sales
17:25 Importance of external support in Q4
18:53 Proactive sales in busy September
22:05 September sales opportunities and employee turnover
26:15 Decision-making and budget planning
28:24 Timing sales conversations for budgeting
Key Takeaways
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● September only works if you're running a best practice sales process. September isn't automatically the best sales month, it only works when it's paired with a proactive, structured sales process. Without that structure, the same commercial conditions create opportunity for prepared providers but pass by unprepared ones. -
● Reason one: unfinished start-of-year projects create urgent demand for external support. Returning from summer, organisations review progress against the goals they set earlier in the year, and unfinished projects, from talent retention and technology upgrades to succession planning and awareness initiatives, need delivering before year end. Internal teams rarely have the spare capacity, so companies turn to external coaches, consultants, and service providers. -
● Reason two: September is the biggest staff leaving period of the year, and it creates urgent capability gaps. September is reliably the year's largest attrition period. Departing staff leave projects and deliverables behind, and recruitment can take months, so organisations lean on external providers to keep critical initiatives moving while the gap is filled.
● Reason three: companies plan roughly six months ahead, so September conversations decide who gets next year's budget. Companies typically plan around 6 months ahead of where entrepreneurs do, so by September many are already thinking about the following March or April financial year end. That means deciding how to allocate remaining budget, a genuine use it or lose it dynamic, while also starting to plan next year's spend.
● The Selling to Corporate® 5 step sales process is what actually shortens the buying cycle in September. The five stages, Clarity, Lead Generation, Business Development, Offers and Proposals, and Delivery and Upsell or Resell, run consistently rather than switched reactively, are what allow the buying cycle from cold lead to signed contract to shorten significantly in Q4.
● Chasing a new strategy every time something feels stuck usually means abandoning something that was already working. Business owners often jump between strategies, assuming whatever isn't converting must be broken, when the real issue often sits at a different stage of the process. Diagnosing where a process is genuinely stuck, rather than restarting from scratch, is a more reliable route to a strong Q4.
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● Passive visibility alone won't win this business, because decision-makers are too busy to go looking. Decision-makers returning from summer still have their own day job to do, and aren't scrolling LinkedIn or websites hoping to find a supplier. A proactive approach that demonstrates commercial understanding is what wins the work, not credibility alone.
Key Quotes
“I talk endlessly and relentlessly about the fact that September is the best time of year to sell to corporate companies.”
“ In the corporate space, if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
“You must, must run a best practice sales process.”
Resources and Links
The C Suite®
Ready to leverage the September sales opportunity? Explore The C-Suite® program to implement a scalable, proven sales process that secures high-value corporate clients.
Click here: https://smartleaderssell.thrivecart.com/the-c-suite-2027/
Join the B2B Sales Edit: Busyness to Business
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Episode Sponsored by The Expert Services Directory
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Related Episodes
● STC026 - Why September Is Your Best Time to Sell to Corporates https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/stc026-why-september-is-your-best-time-to-sell-to-corporates/
● STC053 - Why September Is Your Best Time to Sell to Corporate Organisations https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/stc053-why-september-is-your-best-time-to-sell-to-corporate-organisations/
● STC075 - How to Set Yourself Up for a Successful Q4 of B2B Sales https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/stc075-how-to-set-yourself-up-for-a-successful-q4-of-b2b-sales/
Content Disclaimer
The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article, video or audio are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article, video or audio. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article, video or audio. Jessica Lorimer disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article, video or audio.