A Goofy Christmas Mistake You CAN’T Make With Customers
I love Christmas.
I love the decor, the songs, the cheesy Christmas specials (my favorite is the Charlie Brown Christmas), my mom’s shortbread, visiting with friends and family and having mulled wine after cross-country skiing. I love it all!
This fa-la-la-la-la atmosphere can lull you into making one of the GOOFIEST mistakes I see people making with their customers.
What Is The Goofy Christmas Mistake?
Sending Christmas cards and presents to your clients.
You know what I’m talking about here.
The dreaded fruit basket.
The frightening fruit cake.
The dried-out gingerbread house.
The Costco cheese platter.
All mixed in with 12 million Christmas cards that are strung out on a string across your client’s office. Or worse – some lame e-card that says Seasons Greetings.
If you’re doing this – you are breaking the GOLDEN SALES DIVA RULE.
Thou shall not BLEND IN WITH THE MASSES.
Listen lady.
I know you love your customers. However, giving them something at Christmas when they are swamped with a bunch of Christmas goodies – DOES NOT MAKE YOU STAND OUT.
So What Does Your Diva Want You To Do?
Send something in January.
Why? Well – the fun is over and the bills start to pour in. The credit cards are full, it is cold outside and your client is starting to feel a little grouchy.
Here’s where YOU come in.
You’re going to send something FUN in the mail to them – a cool gadget, a magazine subscription for their favorite hobby, a ticket to the opera – whatever would float their boat. Or you’ll take them for lunch and give them the scarf you found for their Paris trip. Make it personal.
And you’re only going to send it to your TOP 10% of your clients. Remember -the clients who are responsible for keeping you in business with their referrals and purchases. (The ones you’d have a panic attack over if they went to your competition)
Your client will love you for it.
You will stand out in the crowd.
And you’ve created an opportunity for starting the year off on a positive note.
So there.
Love from your Bossy Sales Diva,
Kim
Hi Kim, I hope all is good with you.
Yet another simple but very excellent idea from you – many thanks!
Paul.
Comment by Paul McMenamy — December 2, 2009 @ 7:28 am
I totally agree, sending something in the new year makes more sense. Not only are you frazzled from having to find gifts for family and friends now you have to find something for your client. You are aslo probably trying to make your own party arrangements during this time too.
What a great way to start the year off and your 2010 marketing campaign too.
Comment by Francesca — December 2, 2009 @ 7:37 am
Wow – that recommendation is as valuable as a well orchestrated follow-up call. Thank you!!!
Comment by Karen Donaldson — December 2, 2009 @ 8:38 am
I do this for my mail lady too (I called it happy crappy weather day). I buy the gifts from some of my customers who have nice little stores with unique things. I give them a little January stimulous and my customers who get the gifts are usually thrilled, ask where I got such a unique thing, or I happen to leave the stor’es mark somehow (not pricetag of course!). Then I have done some referring myself as well. EVERYONE is happy.
Comment by Julie — December 2, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
Kim –
Your advice is too good to keep for just the ladies! I’ll be sure to pass on your advice to all of my friends in sales and help you towards your goal!
Stay Beautiful,
Nick The Avon Man
Comment by Nick The Avon Man — December 2, 2009 @ 6:31 pm
Thanks everyone for the wonderful feedback!
Now make sure you sit down with a glass of wine and scheme up some cool gifts you can send your TOP CLIENTS in January. (And PUH-LEASE – no cheesy calendars with your name and photo on them)
Love ya!
Kim
Comment by kimduke — December 2, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
Hello Kim!
I love your tips as usual! I just saw Debbie from your camp in Dallas and we spoke about her visit with you.
Being a gift company I can relate to this one really well. We recommend this to our clients also. It is hard to stand out from the crowd and while we have some clients whose customers “need” us before the holidays, chocolate is a proven stress reliever
, we also have clients whose customers “love” us after the holidays.
Savor the moment,
Katrina
(aka “The Chocolate Lady”)
Comment by Katrina — December 3, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
[...] Last week I shared with you my little secret – Send gifts to your Top Clients in January. [...]
Pingback by The Business Woman’s Guide to Gift-Giving | Diva Sales Tips — December 7, 2009 @ 4:15 am