Ah, the holiday season! time of family, food, and … slacking off in business? While the world gets wrapped up in holiday cheer, some entrepreneurs wrap themselves in a comfy blanket of excuses. But let’s kick that habit to the curb and turn this season into a winning streak for your business.
Here’s the thing to remember: The Holidays Matter – but not the way most businesses outside of the retail sector view them.
The simple fact is the holiday season is the perfect time to connect with your audience. People are in a good mood, more willing to engage, and guess what—they’re spending money. Now, though, you need to be open to the fact that the same excuses you might use – “We’re not doing anything until after the first of January” is the same excuse they’re going to use.
So you’ll need to bring your “A-game” for sales, but why not capture that holiday spirit and channel it into a win-win scenario?
One of the things we’ve seen used over and over again, even outside of retail, is “Black Friday” and “End of the Year” flash sales. Other winning ideas revolved around a holiday-themed lead magnet or promotion. Make it engaging, fun, and valuable.
Now – and this depends on whether your on cash or accrual-based systems – you might offer a discount to purchase “now” for the new year, or you might agree to bill after January first. Either way can be a winner, and both take this client off the market now and boost sales for you.
It might seem silly to think that a “12 Days of Savings” promo or a “New Year, New Strategy” course would even work, but they do. In one case I recall, a client used holiday-themed sales – in a digital marketing company – to make November and December their most profitable months of the year (something that had never happened in the decade they’d been in business. The possibilities are endless, and the potential rewards are rich.
So if you’re feeling a bit like a Grinch when it comes to generating new sales in the fourth quarter – especially around the holidays – don’t listen to the naysayers.
Be creative and be open to doing a bit of work and you can make Q4 a ridiculously profitable time and stuff your bank account, not just your stockings.
All the best,
Sincerely,
