The “December Freeze” is in Your Head

We’ve all been there. It’s the first week of December. You pull into the parking lot of a retail strip center. You look at the bakery, the boutique, and the auto shop.

Then, the voice in your head starts talking:

• “Look at that line. They are way too busy to talk to me.”
• “They’re stressed out. If I pitch right now, they’ll kick me out.”
• “Nobody switches processors in December. I should just wait until January 2nd.”

As sales professionals, we are masters at talking ourselves out of a sale before we even unbuckle our seatbelts. I call this the “Holiday Head Trash.”

The truth? While you are sitting in your car rationalizing why you shouldn’t go in, another agent is walking out with a signed application. Here is how to get out of your head and crush it during the holidays.

1. Flip the Script: High Volume = High Pain

The biggest lie we tell ourselves is that merchants don’t care about processing fees in December because they are focused on sales.

The Reality: Merchants probably care more about fees in December than any other month.

Why? Because this is their highest volume month. If a merchant is running $50,000 in December compared to their usual $20,000, and they are overpaying by 50 basis points, they are literally bleeding cash right now.

When you walk in, you aren’t a distraction; you are a solution to their biggest end-of-year expense.

Mental Shift: You aren’t interrupting their busy season; you are there to ensure they keep more of their profit from it.

2. The “January 1st” Close

The fear of “switching” is what stops merchants (and salespeople) during the holidays. Business owners are terrified that if they switch terminals or POS systems now, something will break, and they can’t process cards during the Christmas rush.

The Solution: Don’t sell the “Now.” Sell the “New Year.”

When you approach a merchant, remove the pressure immediately.

• Don’t say: “I want to switch you over today.”
• Do say: “I know you are slammed. I don’t want to touch your equipment right now. Let’s get the paperwork approved and the equipment ordered so that on January 2nd, you start the new year keeping an extra $500 a month. Let’s set you up for 2024.”

This relieves their anxiety about downtime while locking in the deal for you.

3. Gatekeepers are in the Holiday Spirit

Throughout the year, gatekeepers (managers, front desk staff) are trained to block solicitors. However, the dynamic changes during the holidays.

1. The Decision Maker is Present: In retail and hospitality, the owner is often “on the floor” helping out because it’s so busy. You have direct access you usually don’t have.
2. The Atmosphere is Lighter: If you walk in with a smile and perhaps a small token (donuts, holiday cards), the resistance is lower.
3. B2B is Slow: While retail is busy, your B2B clients (wholesalers, manufacturers, professional services) are often winding down. They have more time to talk now than they will in Q1.

4. Use the “Tax Deduction” Angle

This is a massive tool for merchant services sales that gets overlooked.

If you sell equipment (POS systems, terminals) rather than placing them for free, remind the merchant that buying before December 31st allows them to write it off for this tax year.

• The Pitch: “If you’ve been thinking about upgrading that old POS, let’s do it before the 31st so you can lower your taxable income for this year.”

Summary: Your Daily Holiday Checklist

To keep your head in the game, follow this simple daily protocol:

• Check your assumptions: Are you assuming they are busy, or do you know they are busy?
• Lead with empathy: Acknowledge the chaos, then offer the solution for after the chaos.
• Look for the pain: High volume amplifies the pain of high rates. Point that out.
• Focus on B2B: If retail is truly inaccessible, pivot to auto repair, dentists, or B2B services where the lobby is empty.

Don’t let the calendar dictate your residuals. The only “freeze” in December is the one you create in our minds. Get out of the car, walk through the door, and help these business owners start the New Year profitable.

Happy Selling,

David