What Are You Doing to Sell During the Holiday Season?

in Unique Value Proposition

I’ve often preached about the importance of calling during the Holiday times and how it can be a real goldmine for you. I want to hear about what you are doing to drum up business the next couple of weeks. It doesn’t have to be a success story, just what action you are taking. If you already have results, that’s great.

OK, let’s hear what YOU are doing!

{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }

Jason Peppy December 21, 2010 at 6:21 pm

The holidays are supposed to be fun so why can’t selling during them be fun as well. A few things we have been doing is sending existing clients humorous video cards you can create with your face on elves or hand written holiday cards early enough to contact them to ensure they received the cards talk about the holidays then discuss shopping for family, plans for the new year and closing deals for clients operating according to the calendar year. May seem corny or over sentimental but it brings a human touch to reaching out to clients over the holidays and we have experienced some great success

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Greg December 21, 2010 at 11:42 pm

I’m actually just getting started selling, so I’m taking action and learning a TON and having fun doing so.

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Charles Carrington December 22, 2010 at 12:36 am

As a political fundraiser working for a pro-business institutuion, our impact never stops. Not even in the so called “slow times”. I’m selling nothing but IMPACT. The impact of this year’s healthcare bill on business, our successful and aggressive political program, the tax compromise in the lame duck congress and above all, the upcoming new 112th congress and it’s potential for solid pro-business growth and pro-business policy. It’s a great time to be a chamber and let our anti-business adversaries know we mean business. So far, so good, it’s been a terrific December and one outstanding mid-term election year. Dream BIG!

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Roy December 22, 2010 at 1:21 am

Aside from the thoughtful Christmas and New Year greetings, I always send an email between Christmas and the New Year thanking my customers for their business this past year, wishing them a prosperous year and reminding them of the many services that I offer.
It always gets me new business. (I fix (office furniture) problems)

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Tammy December 22, 2010 at 2:24 pm

They say that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers. I started at the very bottom of my list and have been calling on that other 80%. I’ve definitely had some interest from customers that haven’t been buying anything from us.

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Autumn Bostic December 23, 2010 at 2:07 pm

Hi Art. December is usually our least successful month. My job is to set appointments for our sales reps and I have averaged about 6 appointments in December. In the past 7 months or so, we have reconstructed our team and work hard to achieve our goals. Our normal individual goals are 20 appointments/month and 160/month for our 7 person team. This December (in the first two weeks might I add) we did a whopping 176 appointments (I had 30 individually). This is unheard of and we are so excited that we did what we were told could never happen. Thanks as always for your helpful tips and I hope you and your family has a very Merry Christmas. I look forward to what 2011 has to bring.

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Ron L. December 27, 2010 at 1:02 pm

I am going thru all of my “maybes” and attemting to gain a positive commitment. A “No” is much better than a maybe and allows me to move on a spend more time with potentially profitable prospects!

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Camille Sears December 27, 2010 at 1:20 pm

I remember Art saying “Nobody buys at Christmas time”. So not true…but with me this year…the restaurants are very busy will the holidays when I call…but they are asking me to check back in the New Year! I work in the manufacturing end of the restaurant industry. 99% of my customer base are restaurants. I printed out a list of customers that haven’t purchased in the last 2 years and re-introducing Menu Designs. In the restaurant industry, the turn over is great. So I want to make sure my existing customer base in contacted and if needed, re-introduce our Company! I have been following art since 1991 and all i can say “HE ROCKS”. All of my techniques used is all because of ART!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

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Art Sobczak December 28, 2010 at 10:00 am

Camille, not sure if that was a typo, but to be perfectly clear, I have ALWAYS said that the holidays are a great time to sell… check out the recent post, and it also references past articles of mine on the subject. http://www.telesalesblog.com/2010/12/09/holiday-season-a-dead-time-only-if-you-think-it-is.html

Thanks you for this post and your other comments!

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Jodi Kaplan December 27, 2010 at 3:08 pm

I stay in touch via telephone and email with all of my clients who are working this holiday season. I encourage them to use the remaining budget to their advantage. I also try to discover their needs for the first quarter of 2011 – therefore getting a jump start on my competitors. Lastly, I take this semi down time to forge even better friendships. Longer conversations and more personal info sharing. Seize the time for you can never make more time.
Happy Holidays and Best of Success in 2011.

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Christopher Westfall December 27, 2010 at 8:35 pm

We’re selling like crazy, although it’s pretty much the nature of our business. We help seniors by selling medicare supplement insurance plans with an independent price analysis. Since all of the medicare supplement plans are the same, it’s just a matter of price that separates one company from another.

All seniors feel like they have to make this happen before January 1st. While we sell consistently throughout the year, during December the business is actually overwhelming.

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Guy Dabney December 28, 2010 at 2:41 pm

Art,

I’ve been contacting my customers and thanking them for the business they have sent my way in 2010 and letting them know how I am going to take care of them in 2011. Most of them have no budget left right now, but will be buying again as of 1/3/2011.

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Mari December 29, 2010 at 12:54 am

We as a company have run a promotion on our Detox products and my team has pulled reports for anyone who has purchased it in the last year. I have my team cleaning up accounts-closing the sale or closing the lead- and and calling on all those that are due to order. So far we are ahead of last years sales for the month and the year.

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Ken Franz December 29, 2010 at 12:59 pm

Our office is shut down for the holiday. I’m a month into
a new job in a new part of the country. “a stranger in a
strange land” if you will. I’m taking advantage of the
situation and prospecting my butt off. This way when the
office opens back up I can hit the ground running ahead
Of the game.

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Mary Jo Bergs December 29, 2010 at 1:34 pm

Ours is a wholesale meat company and I’ve been working to create urgency in my sales calls and emails. Because of our delivery schedules and having to rely on common carriers and airlines, and the fact most of our clients want not to stock up right now for inventory purposes, urgency is my tool. Also since our product is a high end item, the end users often find themselves short due to higher reservations, having forgotten to order and other crazy reasons. All my customers have to do is pay for overnight shipping once or twice and urgency pays off immensely.

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Michael Landau December 29, 2010 at 2:27 pm

This week I have been calling the more senior executives and managing partners that have otherwise been elusive. In a perfect world they would be on vacation but in the real world the ones that are working now are the ones that I would like to do business with. They have a good work ethic and put the business first; an ideal customer.

All of the hard to reach contacts have many fewer layers of protection around holidays and vacations. They even pick up their own phone! It has also been great to wish happy holidays to many people. Some offer to talk business on their own. Being real and genuine is worth more than any product or service. Offer help and market intelligence at a time when many competitors are on vacation. Happy Selling!

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Carol Raynor December 29, 2010 at 4:03 pm

My husband and I ARE the snow bound people. Gave us some time to call ALL our customers to let them know how much they have meant to our business in 2010. Also used the call to update their information for January promotions and offer the new catalog (which all wanted). Holidays are the BEST time to call.

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Ted Nation December 29, 2010 at 4:15 pm

I am calling on professionals and business owners from the Chamber directory trying to setup times to introduce myself and learn more about their business. It always surprises how little interest some of these people have in networking.
Just received Smart Calling as a gift anxious to get into it.

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Jim Egly December 29, 2010 at 4:19 pm

Writing in long hand Thank You cards. Took two of my best customers to lunch and asked them how I can help them in 2011, outside of thanking them for their business did not talk shop. Made some calls to thank people who have supported my efforts.

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ROB SVOBODA December 29, 2010 at 4:51 pm

This is the time of year that I contact clients that don’t have close family that vist them. One of the only times of the year that you can call for no reason but just to say hi. Then going to the annual salesman’s meeting at Clancy’s on friday night.

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Kathy Pabst Robshaw December 30, 2010 at 10:49 am

I have preached this myself over the years and had my best December ever when I started this. Am coaching an Inside Sales chap now and we have had a productive time this month, built a stronger pipeline going into January and this also helped him with some marketing strategies for his customers for next year. He is asking: How can I, personally, help you achieve your goals in 2011! They love it!

Love the book, Art …! I did vote, of course.

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Harrison Greene December 30, 2010 at 11:22 am

“I can’t sell now because it is the end of the year”. Are you serious? If that’s the way you think, you either need a new job or you need to understand the sales process better. Sales is about relationships and what better time to build them than during a time when most people are feeling “good will toward all”.

Come on.

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Roger December 30, 2010 at 11:34 am

Luv Art’s latest book. He is a winner!
I’m at Turtle Bay on the North Shore, HI.
A little bored not being on the phone….
can you believe that? We were delayed
at the airport with Barack being here and
all. We return to Scottsdale next week to
hit the phones, and truly get back to work.
The feeling of wanting to” get back” to
business means we are still alive. :-))

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