Author: David Matney

Santa Claus is the greatest salesman who ever lived! Why do I assert that Santa is the ultimate salesman? To start, he has a couple of success stories most of us can’t compete with. First, he’s successfully run the same family business for hundreds of years. There’s something to be said for stability, especially over the long haul.

Second, Santa has a client base that expands every year — no matter the state of the global economy.

Can you or our businesses make those two claims?

But those aren’t the reasons I believe Santa is the greatest salesman who ever lived. Contrary to what you might think, his success doesn’t come from his business savvy. After all, consider the obstacles he has to deal with.

• Business attire: Santa obviously doesn’t buy into the “dress for success” business attire philosophy. Power suits are fine but a red suit and hat, both lined with fur, is a little over the top in today’s casual business environment.
• Delivery system: Santa’s remains way behind the times here. His “One Day Delivery” is literally that – you get your packages one day a year. He doesn’t seem to notice in today’s economy people want what they want, when they want it, and that usually means now. But the real problem behind “One Day Delivery” might just be his delivery method. I think you’d agree the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx or UPS would be much more efficient than eight tiny reindeer pulling a small sleigh.
• Manufacturing: Some say Santa’s operation is too labor-intensive to survive much longer. After all, he’s competing with Wal-Mart, Amazon, Apple and other giant organizations. In today’s marketplace, how can any business can get by without automating? Perhaps if he automated a process or two he’d have enough inventory to open this store more than one day a year.
• Efficiency: I realize Santa gives his product away for free but that doesn’t mean it costs him nothing. He has all those elves and reindeer to take care of. Food and lodging are bad enough but health care costs have to be crushing his profit margin! And what about worker’s compensation costs? If he automated at least he’d save a little money and might be able to take Mrs. Claus on a nice vacation – somewhere warm for a change!
• Branding: All companies change their branding to fit the times and Santa might want to consider doing the same. After all, “Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!” has gotten a bit old and stale.
• Orders: I think Santa could fill orders much faster if only he’d just set up a website. And how about replacing all those last minute letters with email, text, instant messaging or a Twitter account? It has to be painfully slow for him to read all those handwritten letters.

So, all this begs the question, “Why is Santa so successful…in spite of himself?” In business if you continually land new customers and retain the old ones then you’re doing something right.

Here are six reasons Santa continually attracts new customers and retains all his current ones:

• He loves his job! Could you do the same job day after day, year after year for most of your life? Could you do it and remain so upbeat and jolly? Perhaps, “Ho, Ho, Ho,” is his corporate culture and not just some slick branding slogan.
• He genuinely cares for his customers. His goal is to meet everyone’s needs and all he hopes for in return is to see joy on their faces. Do you get joy from serving others?
• He gets to the personal side of selling. Granted he’s not always accessible but he doesn’t expect clients to come to him. When he’s at his absolute busiest, with his deadline approaching and delivery date nearing, he can be seen everywhere talking with his customers. How he can be in so many places at one time I’ll never know. How often do you initiate contact with your customers, even when it’s inconvenient for you?
• He creates an experience. A toy is just a toy, except when it’s from Santa. Because it only comes once a year and will be found under the tree on Christmas morning it creates anticipation and builds excitement! That’s so much better than getting something online or from some mail order catalog. Do you create an experience for your customers?
• He adds value. When people hear the word “free” they often think “cheap” or wonder, “What’s the catch?” Even though Santa gives his products away we love what he gives us mostly because it comes from him. Don’t you have a few things you value above all others because of the person who gave it to you? Do your customers see you adding value?
• He delivers on his promise. Santa does what he says and always delivers; no excuses, no extra charge, always on time! Can your customer count on you to be that consistent?

So there you have it, six reasons behind the success of jolly old St. Nick.

Did you notice that everything Santa does is within our power to do with our customers?

That’s right, there’s no reason we can’t do the same things Santa does. And here’s some welcome news for most of you – you don’t have to wear a silly red uniform while you do those things…. unless you want to.

Happy Selling,

David

Christmas is a season of giving and I’m going to encourage you to get into the spirit. I have found that those that are givers seem to experience the most amount of joy in life. Now, I’m not just talking about giving money or donations. It could be just as simple as giving someone your time or helping someone that’s in need. 

Let me encourage you that if you have not considered yourself to be a giver, change that. No matter what you’re going through in life, you are truly blessed. Because you are blessed, be a blessing to others. If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours. Make someone’s day brighter because they met you. 

The second thing I’d like to encourage you to do is to stay motivated. This time of year, when there’s presents to buy, people to see and places to go, it’s easy to get distracted and get off your success routine. Definitely enjoy your time with family and friends, but also make sure you stay on track throughout the holidays.

 As you think about the upcoming year, set some small goals so you can maintain your momentum. Take a look back at this last year and give yourself a pat on your back for the things that you have accomplished. Along with that, write out some areas that you would like to improve on. Remember that no matter what level we achieve, we always have room for improvement.

Accountability is a very important factor when it comes to having success. Write out weekly goals, monthly goals, and yearly goals. Make sure you keep revisiting these as a reminder of why you are doing what you are doing.

Take a look at your inner circle and understand you may need to change some of them. Is your inner circle also known as a complaint department? If it is, it’s time to get some real mentors in your life. I’m talking about someone that will help and encourage you to reach your full potential. Remember, you are who you hang with. Be part of a winners circle. Encourage each other and celebrate one another’s success.

 As you start writing out your goals for the new year coming up, it’s important to start getting into your success routine. We all know people that are going to do something amazing next week, next month, next year, etc. etc. Procrastination is a killer of success. Make the decision to get into a success routine today. Start small and start right where you are at. As you begin to do this, carry that momentum into the new year. 

Finally, visualize yourself achieving your goals. Celebrate all the small victories along the way. In order for your dreams to come true, you must visualize yourself achieving them. Look forward to the celebrations that will be coming. You will have challenges along the way, but with your commitment, your dreams will come true.

So this Christmas season, be a blessing to others, and stay motivated and carry that momentum right into the new year. Your future looks amazing!

Have a fantastic Christmas season!

David

During the winter holiday season, “It’s a Wonderful Life” airs frequently on major and local TV stations. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a synopsis [Warning: There are spoiler alerts]:

From childhood until adulthood, the movie follows George Bailey, who dreams of leaving the small town of Bedford Falls to see the world. Through a series of selfless acts he ends up taking over his family business, the Bailey Building and Loan Association, and he remains in Bedford Falls…just in time for the Stock Market Crash of 1929. His loan company ends up $8,000 short on deposits through a mistake made by his uncle. With his life in shambles, George contemplates suicide until his guardian angel comes to change his mind and save his life.

There’s some great entertainment in this story, but there are also a few great lessons as well.

Each of us was put on this earth for a reason. We all have specific gifts. The sad part is that most do not reach their potential because they are simply wasting their life away.
We have all heard the cliché “Every day is a gift”. Do we truly live our lives with that philosophy?

For example, take inventory of your daily routines. How much time is wasted on unproductive things? Think about how much time is spent on watching garbage TV and scrolling through social media. You will be amazed by the time that is wasted.
Are you taking advantage of the opportunities coming your way?

I have met so many people with so much potential, but they waste their talent because of laziness. There’s way more to life than just living day by day, following a mediocre routine. Unfortunately, this way of thinking is just wasting your life away.

Time is your most precious commodity. It is time to live your purpose. Our philosophy should be to invest in causes that will outlive us. This is truly the opposite of waste. The time is now for you to reach your full potential and to make a commitment to fulfill your purpose in life.

First, you must believe that you are a valuable person with something to contribute. You truly can make a difference in other peoples lives. Your gifts are there for a reason. Believe in your full potential and make a difference.
Write out some specific goals so you know exactly which direction you want to head. Create a roadmap for reaching your potential. Set short-term and long-term goals. Put a plan together and take action.

If you truly want to live a wonderful life, you must start using your gifts to serve others. Shift your focus from yourself and be a blessing to others. A standard for a successful life is found in serving others, and that includes the ones closest to you.
Remember that happiness is a choice. When we need others to make us feel worthy or happy, we are undermining this great truth. Choose happiness.
A growth mindset will always bring value in your life.

It is difficult to waste your life when you are humble and open to new ideas. Adapt the idea of continuous learning. Learners ask questions rather than acting as if they know everything.

The time has come to start living your life rather than wasting your life. Take a look at your inner circle. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Make a commitment to start surrounding yourself with the right people. Find people that are in life where you want to be and start learning from them.

Finally, you must accept the fact that difficulties and challenges are part of life. Use all of these as growing and learning experiences. If you have found yourself complaining about things, it’s time to get rid of this negative thinking. Complaining and moaning eats time away. Complaining makes it harder to be productive and happy. Do not waste your time complaining and miss out on these wonderful opportunities that are ahead of you.

This is your time! It’s time to make a difference and start living your life to it’s fullest potential. No more wasting time and no more wasting your life away!

Start today with a new attitude, a growth mindset, and a servant’s heart. Give your very best, and go out there and achieve your dreams! You’ve got this!

Next time “It’s a Wonderful Life” comes on I hope you take a few minutes to watch it. It may be a classic, but its lessons about life and that never get old.

Happy Selling,

David

December is a tricky time to prospect. You have year-end when people are trying to wrap up projects or close the books. Staff people of all levels are spontaneously out of the office, squeezing in their last vacation days before they lose them. Holiday parties and long lunches expand to Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Companies (like ours) close between Christmas and New Year’s, or people just take the whole week anyway.

Reaching prospects is slow – sometimes painfully slow compared to other times during the year.

And yet, when you reach prospects, suddenly you find that they’re willing to chat longer. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know you yet and you cold-called. In December, they’ll open up and share their challenges, desires, decision criteria, upcoming projects, contract duration, budget, what they’re doing over the holiday, when the kids get out of school, how they can’t seem to find the perfect gift for their significant other, and why Sally can never make a decision.

If you can reach them, they’ll just talk. And talk. And share – a lot.

So, while December may be a difficult to time to reach people, don’t give up on prospecting. When you do reach contacts, you discover a treasure trove of information both business and personal. The conversations turn from five-minute prospecting calls to 20-minute relationship building.

Below are 7 tips to help you reach prospects, uncover last-minute sales in December and set you up for a fast start in January.

1. Keep at it. Be persistent. Our research shows that with cold calling it can take at least 9 attempts to reach a new prospect. In December it’s going to take all 9 prospecting attempts. Call every few days. Send follow up emails. Stick with it. It’s going to be hard to catch prospects, so persistence and frequency are critical. Call, email, reach out through LinkedIn, call some more. If you learned our Follow-up Strategy in our  training, follow it closely.

2. Leave a voicemail.  with a promise to call back. December is a critical month to leave voicemails. With the light holiday spirit in the office, things drop through the cracks. Your call is easily forgotten even when it’s a priority. Leave a voicemail and include a promise to call back – then see #1 and do it.

3. Use calendar invitations.  to request a quick 20-minute meeting. The closer you get to the holidays, the greater the likelihood that contacts’ calendars will be open if they aren’t taking time off. Your 20-minute conversation will extend well beyond that, and you’ll walk away with new opportunities. Remember, if prospects don’t decline or accept, call anyway. Your appointment may still be on their calendar. Even if it’s not, you may catch them at their desk

4. Prospect with holiday spirit. This isn’t the month for a serious, dry voice. Of course, you don’t want to sound unprofessional, but this is a happy time of year no matter if you celebrate or not. People are lighter. Let your voice reflect this fun time of year. Is your value proposition different? Not really. It’s your delivery that’s different. Smile. Remember the tip to use a mirror so you can see your expression when you call? A mirror helps you be jovial this time of year.

5. Drop by. If you work in an area where you can do drop-by cold calling, December is a perfect month to integrate it into your prospecting strategy. Receptionists will talk more freely. Bring holiday cookies to top prospects you haven’t been able to reach all year. If your contact is in the office, there is a greater chance they’ll come out to greet you than at any other time of the year. (Unless they’re heads down in year-end, and then you may have to settle for plying the receptionist or another staff person for some information.)

6. Party it up. Prospects are going to all those holiday lunches and parties, so take yourself off to those parties when you’re invited. Local associations, Chambers, leads groups and membership organizations all seem to have some type of holiday event. Network with the intention of chatting and establishing more personal relationships with people. The treasure trove of information flows at holiday gatherings just as it does in one-on-one phone conversations.

7. Prospect on Fridays. Don’t stop prospecting on Fridays or even the last week in December. A higher percentage of your prospects will take Fridays off, but those who are in the office often aren’t in meetings because of that. Set aside Friday mornings to prospect and maybe even some Friday early afternoons. You’ll reach a lot of voicemail – and be rewarded with quality conversations when you reach a decision-maker live.

While all other sales reps are sitting back to wait for the holidays to be over, it’s the perfect time for you to cold call and find more leads. Whether you do it over the phone or drop by offices, prospects are more relaxed and willing to have conversations. You’ll uncover last-minute sales for December and get January off to a fast start.

Prospect all holiday long!

Happy Selling,

David

---

Tomorrow marks the final month of the year, and when we combine it with the holidays, it’s easy to simply pass on December and focus on January.

I can’t emphasize enough as to how much business you stand to do lose if you start focusing on January now.

Just because you’ve had a couple of customers or prospects tell you to check back with them after the first of the year doesn’t mean there’s no business out there.  

The closer we get to the end of the year, I’ll argue the more business there is to be had.

It starts with your competition throwing in the towel on the year and going into hibernation.   

Hey, I’ll encourage my competitors any time to do just that because it leaves me with more business. Go for it! Keep on pushing just as hard and you’ll find yourself taking customers away from your more lazy competitor.

Second is the end of the year spending blitz many companies are going through as they look to spend their remaining budget or accelerate buying decisions due to their year-end numbers.

Offer them Dual Pricing programs  and merchant cash advances and help them put thousands on the bottom line in the first quarter of the new year.

Either way it is easy business, but there’s no way you’ll get it unless you’re out there making it happen. 

What’s nice about this business is the customer is under the gun to get things done and that means many times you’ll have an accelerated buying process.

Nothing better than getting business to close quickly, especially from those companies that normally take forever to make a decision.

Final reason I like selling in December is it shows your prospects and customers alike that you’re working hard to make things happen. 

I’ll never forget the first year I was in sales walking into an account the day after Christmas at 8:30 AM. They were shocked to see a salesperson — so shocked that I walked out the door with a great account.

Make this December a big December by keeping on track making it happen. You’ll be thanking yourself come Dec. 31. Best of all, you’ll also wind up jumpstarting the New Year!

Happy Selling,

David

What would the holiday season be without the “It’s the Holidays blog…?

It’s that time of year. Time for a reality check.

How many salespeople do you know that go on cruise control between Thanksgiving & New Year’s Day?

How many companies do you know that will actually admit to winding things down right about now?

It happens every year. So common. We could call it an epidemic at some companies & an easy way out for many salespeople.

Saying things like,

 “Nah… they don’t want to see salespeople… it’s the holidays. Or,

 “I’m sure they don’t want to see us over the holidays”. Or, “Nobody’s even there, they’re all off, it’s the holidays”. 

That’s Total B.S. !

Here’s an idea: Get out of the office. Go see some clients, customers & prospects between now & the start of 2024? Make it a point to capitalize on your competition’s weakness – laziness! Epidemic laziness!

It’s time to buckle down & do the one thing that you actually control in your daily selling lives. Pick up the phone, get in the car and go see prospects & customers. Yes, you control that activity. Nobody else will be doing it so you will stand out automatically. Nobody else thinks anyone is “IN” – so I like your chances.

Strong salespeople don’t go on cruise control – ever.  Successful companies don’t wind down during the holidays. They make things happen.

The holidays are great times to see prospects & current clients & customers.  

Here are 5 reasons to keep prospecting for new business & keep seeing current clients during the holidays:

1.  It’s your job
2. Companies review current year incumbent products & services & decide what to do for the next year
3. Prospects will see you – it’s their job
4. It’s a great time to plan new programs for 2024 with current clients (your competitors won’t be there)
5. As my mother always says, a Thank You is never inappropriate – thank your clients for their business

Business does not stop between Thanksgiving & New Year’s Day. 

Some salespeople do. Don’t be one of them!

Happy Selling.

David

The period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s can be a tough time in sales. You still have goals and quotas, but instead of workplaces abuzz with activity, you encounter busy business owners vacationing decision-makers, and an overall atmosphere of wanting to take time off. 
The holiday season is huge for retailers, representing up to 40 percent of annual sales, but sales departments in some verticals tend not to expect much from this time of year. It can be a self-fulfilling prophecy — some teams find that their close rates in December plummet by 10–20%. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Over our years of selling, I have identified five quick tips that contribute to prospecting success during the end of the year. As a result, our clients’ sales funnels continue to fill consistently — even while wading through an influx of out-of-office responses. These techniques may not work for every business, but they could work out for you. Test them out and do a little bit of tweaking. See if you can customize them for your outbound prospecting. Here they are… 5 holiday prospecting tips you can put to work today.

Tip #1: Focus more on nurturing current leads. The holiday season is all about spending time with those who matter most. So why not extend that philosophy to your sales funnel?

Look at your sequence touchpoints and identify those who have engaged with you in the past but have fallen by the wayside in favor of higher priorities. Set a goal to identify an X number of those prospects who you would like to put into an end-of-year re-nurturing campaign. 

If possible, set up a multi-touch sequence that involves email, phone, and LinkedIn ot text messaging. Since they have communicated with you before, these are all warm channels for you to reach out again. Connect over something that connects the holidays and your business relationship. 

How to Do It? Bring 

up something that’s both timely and relevant.  Personalize your message with the recipient’s name, and reference a prior conversation. Allude to something they’ve expressed interest in previously — hopefully you took some good notes during initial conversations. Settle on a next-step based on their timeline, whether that’s a sale before end-of-year or a meeting in 2022. 

How NOT to Do It Don’t

 send the same message out to everyone. Not segmenting and personalizing your messaging never gets you anywhere in outbound prospecting — during the Holidays or any other time of year. Don’t include language like “we know you’re probably busy” or “when you have time.” Assume they’re in business mode just like you are.
Tip #2: Emphasize End-of-Year BudgetingWe’ve mentioned end-of-year budgeting several times, and that’s not an accident. Just like the retail shoppers who are racing around town and surfing the internet to get the most gifts for the least amount of money.  Lets make the most by focusing on offering dual pricing. Let your competitors take the end-of-year slump as an excuse to knock off early. Get focused, look at those touchpoints again, and follow up with promising leads. When you make contact, ask about the prospect’s how they feel about putting thousands of dollars on the bottom line in 2023. Have options for different budget levels prepared, so when they give you a number, you can show them how your product or service fits perfectly. How to Do It Do your homework. Have a couple of suggestions ready so you can make your offering work with their budget. Ask multiple questions. Focus on budget, but also ask what they’re hoping to accomplish in the coming year. The more you know, the more you can tailor your pitch. Talk about pricing and onboarding. Can you be flexible about billing so you make the sale and they get the perfect closure for their fiscal year? Guide them into a purchasing mindset. Use words like “this month” and “this year.” How NOT to Do It Don’t pitch too soon. Wait until you’ve figured out the right angle. Don’t pigeonhole a solution where it doesn’t belong. If your product or service would work best for them now, go with that.

Tip #3: Schedule your 2024 Appointments Now Appointment scheduling is a time-consuming part of the sales professional’s day. At times, it can cut significantly into your client contact time, which inevitably reduces your revenue. Take advantage of the downtime in early December to schedule meetings for early 2024. Of course, between office parties and people trying to use up their expiring vacation time, it may be harder to reach your prospects during the holiday season. Instead of letting that slow you down, consider using an online scheduling tool that lets contacts choose a mutually convenient appointment when they’re at work and in that mindset.Alternatively, think about engaging an outbound sales agency to get your early 2023 calendar booked.  

How to Do It 

Include a touchpoint in your current sequence that focuses solely on messaging for 2023 planning, identifying this might be a slow time to connect, and schedule a meeting for after the new year. If you catch them on a phone call, try to schedule right away over the phone. If you can’t, arrange another way of choosing a time. If you get an out-of-office message, make a note in your CRM of the date that the person will be returning. Follow up a day or two after they get back and get the ball rolling. 

How NOT to Do It 

Don’t push a meeting back into 2023 if the prospect wants to meet with you now. They might be hoping you can help them now. Don’t get stuck in your process. If a client wants to set up the meeting later or use a particular tool to do it, be willing.

Tip #4: Pick up the phone & Make the Calls 

Not all decision-makers hop on a plane out of town in December. 

Many are in their offices, taking advantage of the relative quiet to plan for next year. Businesses like auto repair, tire shops, dry cleaners, storage places are just a few great places to hit this time of year. 

These are the people you want to talk to. They’re thinking about how to grow their businesses, they understand the value of thinking ahead, and they’re probably considering the rest of this year as well as next.

 In sales development we can become shackled to our email sequences sometimes and forget that we are all just humans who communicate best 1:1 in verbal conversations. During Holidays, there is a general feeling of openness, and you might find that a call converts quicker to a demo or sales appointment. 

How to Do It 

Approach this cold call like any other. Ask your questions, make your pitch points, and connect where your product or service meets their needs. Meet them where they are. Some will be focused on their 2022 finances; some will be thinking primarily about next year. 

Offer them solutions accordingly. Work with their schedules. If they want you to call back after the new year, get them to suggest a particular day and time. 

How NOT to Do It 

Don’t come across like you’re interrupting someone’s holiday. You’re not. You’re helping the prospect do what they’re already doing, which is preparing for next year. Don’t leave a message if your call reaches a machine. They might be on vacation and come back to so many messages that yours falls through the cracks.

Tip #5: Launch an end-of-year specific outbound sequence. 

When business slows down for the holidays, decision-makers have more time to do what they couldn’t do in busier periods. 

That includes reading emails, and it’s particularly applicable to longer prospecting emails. As we discussed earlier, the holidays are when many decision-makers take deep dives into how they do things. 

They’re already thinking about changing certain approaches, so an email could engage a prospect at just the right time. 

 How to Do It Use an email automation tool like constant contact, get response or mail chimp to create a multi-touch end-of-year sequence that incorporates themes we have already touched on: end-of-year budget, 2024 plans, and holiday-specific messaging. Create a sense of urgency. Offer a special deal for those who take action before the new year. Perhaps a free consultation?

Craft subject lines and pre-headers that are personable, inviting, and communicate your unique offer. 

How NOT to Do It 

Don’t send out something too general. Make it relevant to the time of year and the new fiscal year coming up. 

Don’t be cute. People are already getting enough snowman and Santa references. Avoid images or sparkly gifs — honestly, those hurt your deliverability rates anyways. 

Don’t overdo the urgency. Everyone is asking people to “buy now” during the holidays. 

Holiday Prospecting Tips: 

Wrapping Up Here are your key takeaways for prospecting in the holiday season…

 ➜ The holidays are notorious for being slow in many verticals, Identify those and attack. If you don’t accept this assumption as a given, you’ll have many opportunities that others miss. 

➜ Take advantage of the slower holiday pace to touch base with current leads and work on lead generation by cold-calling new prospects. Not everyone is doing business, so you’ll have a captive audience. 

➜ In December, merchants are looking for ways to put money on the bottom line. offer up Dual pricing. 

➜ Some prospects will be making decisions for 2023, some will be thinking about 2024. Listen to where their thoughts are and pitch accordingly. 

Do you rev up prospecting at year’s end?

What’s your favorite holiday prospecting tip?

Happy Selling,

David 

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving…a sacred time to gather together with family and friends and give thanks.

It’s also a time to battle for the last turkey leg and last scoop of cranberry sauce at the family table, consume thousands of calories, brave the midnight crowds on Black Friday, bust out the holiday decorations, zone out to endless hours of football, and hope you make it home after traveling in a snow storm on the busiest travel day of the year.

Between the soporific effects of the tryptophan in turkey and the hectic running around, it’s not a mystery why we’re all feeling a little sluggish this week. 

It’s a lot!

However, we need to be mindful of not continuing our turkey nap at the office. Time to re-energize and re-engage at work and leave the comfy sweatpants and turkey sandwiches at home.

3 Ways to Re-Engage at Work After Thanksgiving

Finish Strong

These last few weeks of 2023 are going to fly by, and it’s critical to finish strong. Put down the shopping list and turn off Amazon, time to revisit your list of goals, project deadlines, deliverables, and to-do lists and make sure you’re on track to complete everything on time.

Think Small

This is an overwhelming time of year with millions of competing priorities, and it may be difficult to fully focus on one big thing. Therefore, think small. Go for the little wins, the tiny victories throughout the day. Build some positive work momentum with a returned email, an engaging meeting, or a completed task. It doesn’t need to be big for it to count.

Help Others

We are all super busy this time of year and it’s easy to hyper-focus on our own issues, but there are always others in greater need. Extending a helping hand, a kind word, or a boost of support to a colleague or co-worker is one of the most effective ways to re-engage.

The holidays are simultaneously wonderful and challenging. We look forward to these weeks all year long, and then try to “do it all” at the end of the year. Above all, this is the time of year to be good to yourself, to be kind to yourself, and to keep the pipeline full!

Happy selling,

David

(In the tone of It was the Night Before Christmas)

It was the night of Thanksgiving and all through the town black Friday deals come early like never before.

Stores opened early, disrupting family time, “Farewell to dinners,” they said in a chime.

Children in tents, freezing and cramped, Outside Best Buy, where bargains were camped. Ma with her coupons, Pa with a rant, Don’t you cut in line, was his rant.

At the mall, all was a clatter, doors flung wide, People running wild, cash savings as their guide. Hair pulling, elbows thrown in the rush, Like animals hunting, a frenzied hush.

A lady fell, in the chaotic crush, A fear she stayed down, in the mad rush. Fighting for deals, a fervent zeal, Discounts so deep, a shopping steal.

Two ladies tussled at the clothing rack, Over a sweater, a sleeve they attack. Flat screens, laptops, appliances galore, Discounts, sales, and even more. Shelves ransacked, as shoppers do, “Go to hell!” they yelled, a chaotic crew. Three microwaves bought, just because, At 40 percent off, applause.

One lady with iPads, a Walmart spree, Gift cards galore, how rad is she? An employee whispered of TVs in the back, Duck and cover, stay off the pallet jacks.

Stores emptied out, doorbusters done, A second wave came, shopping for fun. No dawn lines, too good for that crap, Vultures descended, scavenging the gap. Bins searched for finds, Black Friday’s plight, Everything bought, a desperate night. From deep in the store, a joyous shout, “Norbit for two bucks!” bought without doubt.

People left, broke and nearly dead, Passing a jolly man, all dressed in red. He exclaimed, as I drove out of sight, “Shop online, my friends, it’s the new modern delight!”

Have a Great Weekend everyone,

David

I know shopping is just a few hours away. The big sales, and the huge discounts are all locked and loaded. But for now, The calm before the storm. I would like to wish everyone reading this blog a very happy Thanksgiving holiday!

So while you’re getting ready to dine on turkey and trimmings, I’m going to offer you up some fun facts about Thanksgiving, its history, and the bird it centers on:

Let’s Talk Turkey

According to the National Turkey Foundation the U.S. raised a whopping 293 million turkeys in 2022. Of those birds, approximately 83 million found themselves roasting in ovens across the country last Thanksgiving. That number is on the rise in 2023. An estimated 298 million turkeys will be raised for slaughter in the U.S. this year, up  a bit from 2022 total.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

National Geographic states: “Minnesota is the United States’ top turkey-producing state, followed by North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Virginia, and Indiana. These “big six” states produce two of every three U.S.-raised birds, according to data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau. 

U.S. farmers will also produce 770 million pounds of cranberries in 2022, which, like turkeys, are native to the Americas. The top producers are Wisconsin and Massachusetts.”

History of the Holiday

Though many competing claims exist, the most familiar story of the first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. More than 200 years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941. Sarah Josepha Hale, the enormously influential magazine editor and author waged a tireless campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday in the mid-19th century, and is often cited as having an impact on getting Lincoln to declare it a holiday. Interesting fact about Sarah Hale, she is the author of the classic nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

What Was On The Menu?

The traditional foods we tend to associate with Thanksgiving were most likely not part of the menu that day in Plymouth. The feast was organized by Governor William Bradford and attended by some 50 English colonists and about 90 Wampanoag American Indians. It lasted for three days and had some foods that might surprise you. That National Geographic article suggests that the Wampanoag killed five deer for the feast. And that the colonists shot wild fowl — which could have been geese, ducks, or the turkey we all associate with the feast. And it is regarded that some forms of Indian corn dishes were also served. The article also suggests that the Indians supplemented the venison with fish, lobster, clams, nuts, and vegetable dishes like pumpkin, squash, carrots and peas.

Recounting Turkey Day

The aforementioned National Geographic Article also suggests Plymouth wasn’t really the first Thanksgiving. It states that American Indian peoples, Europeans and other cultures around the world often celebrated the harvest season with feasts and gatherings, many of which gave thanks to higher powers for their survival and their sustenance. In 1541 Spaniard Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and his troops celebrated a “Thanksgiving” while searching for New World gold in what is now the great state of Texas Panhandle. After that, a similar feast was held in 1564 by French Huguenot colonists in present-day Jacksonville, FL. English colonists and Abnaki Indians feasted together in Maine’s Kennebec River around 1607. And Jamestown, VA colony celebrated the arrival of a food supply ship that ended a brutal famine in 1610.

More Facts About the Holiday – a short Top 10:

• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States….Just seems wrong.

• The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1924…. I always wanted to go to that.

• Congress to passed a law on December 26, 1941, ensuring that all Americans would celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year. And American Express created small business Saturday in 2010.

• Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey and two dressed turkeys to the President. He “pardons” it and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm. They should make a movie about that.

• Each year, the average American eats somewhere between 16 – 18 pounds of turkey.

• Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States. I would have thought Tofu was..

• Although, Thanksgiving is widely considered an American holiday, it is also celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada. 

• The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog. That’s one fat turkey!

• Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity. Now that’s locked in my brain.

• Weird fact: Male turkeys gobble. Hens do not. They make a clucking noise. I have nothing for that…

So there you have it. A completely incomplete rundown on Thanksgiving and turkeys! Enjoy your meal, watch some football and get ready for the big shopping blitz to begin later today. Black Friday is upon us and credit card processing, merchant services and e-commerce business is about to boom.

One last think to share, this Thanksgiving I hope you’re able to avoid the tragedy of the different foods on your plate from touching one another. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving,

David