We spend a lot of time here as sales people on prospecting, making sales, always hustling to close more deals. But there is a reason we do all of things. The holiday season is a time to reflect on those reasons. and share with friends and family.
You don’t usually associate Christmas movies with lessons for salespeople, and that got me thinking. Christmas movies are full of warmth. Sales is demanding and relentless. Could we get this warmth to rub off on us as salespeople, so we can find more joy in our job?
So I picked five Christmas movies and got to work. Eventually I didn’t have to work too hard because, well, Christmas movies have something for everyone. They’re Christmas movies , after all.So, here we go.
1. Home Alone (1990) – Don’t forget the basics
Let’s start with a Christmas favorite. An eight-year-old boy is left behind at home by his family when they set off on their Christmas vacation. Two robbers decide to target the house, and a series of hilarious antics follow. In the unlikely event that you haven’t watched this one, now’s a good time to start. I mean, like right now. I’ll wait. It’s worth it. Back? Awesome! But what does Home Alone have for sales folks? One simple lesson. R emember the basics .
A family leaving their son behind sounds incredulous, but it’s happened . The lights, the gas, the windows-they’re always on our mind, but the children? They’re just supposed to be there, right? Not always, as it turns out. And that’s the kind of oversight sales folks can make too. We’re so obsessed with nudging leads down the sales funnel that sometimes, we forget the basics. Has that new lead received a welcome email? Has enough research been done before that call for tomorrow? What about updating a lead’s status in the sales CRM?Sticking to the basics makes a solid impression on prospects who are checking out your business. And a solid impression can be the difference when the prospect evaluates you against your competition.
2. Die Hard (1988) – Plan and execute.
Critics are debating if Die Hard is a Christmas movie , but I prefer to keep it simple. Think of Bruce Willis arriving on Christmas Eve to reconcile with his wife over her company’s Christmas party. The party is taken over by terrorists who actually want to loot the company. Bruce proceeds to knock the daylights out of the bad guys, saves his wife and ensures everybody goes home happy and safe. Sounds like a proper Christmas tale to me.With heavy-duty action, of course.
When you’ve just closed a deal, it’s tempting to yell, “Yippee-ki-yay!” (followed by the un-Christmas-like word). But that’s not where we’re going. Die Hard is about how you battle it out when the numbers are stacked against you. One cop versus twelve bad guys is no joke. One salesperson juggling seven deals is no joke either. So what do you do? Plan and execute.Your deal pipeline will always have a bunch of deals vying for your attention. If you’re going for all the golden eggs at the same time, you’re killing your chances. Treat each deal on merit, look at which stage a deal is in, and make your move. Follow the plan.
3. A Christmas Carol (2009) Reflect on yourself.
As most know a Christmas Carol is a novel written by Charles Dickens. Numerou s adaptations have been made for the stage and for the silver screen. I t tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old frugal perhaps greedy man, and how he is reformed by three spirits: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. It’s a t ale about introspection, the futility of hoarding, and the importance of compassion.Sounds too altruistic for sales? Perhaps. But A Christmas Carol has a takeaway that’s especially relevant for salespeople.Reflect on yourself. You know sales is not a “today” job; a win today is the result of a cumulative effort spanning several months. Therefore, make it a point to regularly take stock of yourself. Analyze recent conversations with leads. Reflect on last year and gear up for 2018. Ask yourself,Which pitch worked?Which email worked? At what time did a call elicit the best response? Why was this month better than the last? In today’s times there’s no shortage of data. Use it to become the best salesperson you can be.
4. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – Stay honest.
Another classic movie-about a man who positively believes he’s Santa Claus-is rich in idealism and epitomizes the Christmas spirit of goodwill. It even has a scene where the protagonist sends Macy’s customers to a competitor for toys Macy’s doesn’t have! The whole honesty thing might seem like a bit of a stretch in the real world, but this is one quality that never lets you down . Even when you’re in a cut-throat job like sales.Stay honest. There are times when you know a prospect just isn’t meant to be. They could be asking for something you don’t offer right now. Call the prospect to describe the situation and shake hands over it. Or drop them a well-worded email. Either way,don’t offer something you can’t deliver on.
5. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – Don’t quit
It’s a Wonderful Life is to Christmas what cheese is to pizza. When you’re Googling for “best Christmas movies”, you’ll find this movie at one spot: #1 . And for good reason, too. It’s a Wonderful Life takes viewers into the life of a banker contemplating suicide, and shows how divine intervention helps him realize the value of life. For the Christmas season, that’s exactly the kind of feel-good fervor we all need. Two words sum up the movie’s essence.Don’t quit, A lost deal, lost merchant or a bad week out in the field doesn’t mean there’s no chance of a comeback. Yes, losing a deal sucks. Yes, they can be demoralizing. But step back for a moment and think about everything you’re capable of doing. Think about the difference you can make to the bottom line this month, this quarter, this year. And then step ahead. In this industry you can always go out a get more deals. Don’t ever quit!
That’s my top five Christmas movies,. Remember the basics, plan and execute, reflect on yourself, stay honest, and don’t quit.
From my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Thanks for all you do, David Matney
“Work Hard and Stay Hungry. Lazy People Get Nowhere in Life”
“You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset”- Tom Hopkins
Payment Lynx Daily 
Haha, I actually enjoyed your takeaways from these movies, especially seeing how I grew up with most of them. I also never thought they’d be part of a blog about life lessons, so thanks for this. Merry Christmas!
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