‘Tis The Season To Be Selling

‘Tis The Season To Be Selling

Having lived in the US now for three years, I have continually come across this
limiting belief from bankers and sales people that “it’s hard to get meetings with
prospects during the Holiday Season”.

Yes it’s true, there seems to be an elongated Holiday Season in the United
States that is propagated by Christmas tunes playing from November 1 and the
local stores bringing out their Holiday Decorations after Halloween.

It certainly is a wonderful time of year for families to get together, celebrate and
give thanks. A wonderful time when we all buy buy buy gifts and goodies so we
can enjoy our celebrations and truly give thanks.

But it’s also a great time to embrace the spirit of the season and sell sell sell.

With two months left in the financial year, I certainly recognize your customers
and prospects may be preoccupied with festivities however they are also
reflecting upon closing the current year and planning for the year ahead.

As Bankers and Sales people you offer wonderful solutions, support and insights that can help them with their reflections and planning.

So I encourage you to embrace this wonderful season and find more creative
ways to engage your prospects and customers, and overcome the limiting belief
that they do not have time to meet.

Consider the following holiday season strategies to help you stay front of mind
with your prospects so they can leverage your support to end the year
successfully and start the new year positively:

• Give them a call to thank them for their engagement throughout the year, share holiday plans and offer end of year/new year planning advice.
• Don’t assume they don’t have time to meet. Provide them with a
  credible reason to meet (not just for a celebratory drink) or book a meeting
  NOW for the New Year.
• Include them on your Newsletter and consider an expanded “Holiday Special Edition” series that not only includes cooking recipes but great ideas that support their business growth or tax planning.
• Invite your prospects and customers to events (internal or external) and personally introduce them to people within your Bank, organization and network that can help them.
• Join the festivities and deliver personalized gifts. Make your gifts and cards personal demonstrating how much you know about your customer or prospect and that you genuinely want to build a relationship. Personally deliver the gift if you can.
• Send a Thank You Card (or Holiday Card) with a personal message. Let them know you look forward to meeting again. Don’t just sign your name.

There are many ways to genuinely overcome the “Holiday-Season-Meeting-Drought”. It starts with believing in the incredible value you can provide to help your prospects and customers during this time of year.

It’s never too late to help your prospect, and by doing so you may just find you help yourself to a great finish to the year and/or a great start to the next.