A good time to reach decision-makers

To connect with decision-makers, sales experts suggest calling early in the morning or in the evening. Executives and senior leaders are hard to access during normal business hours -- assistants or more junior employees typically take your call instead.

But the logic goes, at 7 p.m. the CEO might be the only one in the office to pick up the phone.

The same principle applies to the holiday season. While many people are away, those at the top of the ladder may stick around or come in to get some work done while it’s quiet.

Keep this in mind next time you start dialing. You could get sent to voicemail, but there’s also the chance you’ll reach the buyer.