Here's how Santa's marketing Director views the Christmas period:
Step 1: Pre-sales marketing
Step 2: Persistence pays off
Step 3: Sales marketing reinforcement
Step 4: The negotiation of the deal/concept
Step 5: Closing the deal/concept
Step 6: Delivering on what you promised
Get your branded Christmas game here
So how does this pan out over the Christmas period?
Step 1: Pre-sales marketing is critical to your success as a sales professional: Maybe you remember the days as a kid of circling toys in the Argos catalogue? Mum would ask us what we wanted for Christmas a few months before! Pre selling the concept.
Step 2: Persistence pays off when selling anything: There was of course the constant reminder of the Naughty and Nice List, which seemed to happen every day with me and my bother Tommy. Mum used persistence to keep the focus and message alive.
Step 3: Sales & marketing reinforcement is critical during all phases of the sales process: What about the visit to sit on Santa’s lap? Was it a coincidence that you were taken to the shopping centre by your Mum to have your photo taken with Santa in the store? Wait, what about Santa reinforcing the sales message while you sat on his lap?
Step 4: The negotiation of the deal: As a young child I didn't know or care about my parents financial situation, because I was just so excited. But, prior to the big event, my Mum would begin the process of “gift negotiation”. She would remind me that Santa wants to bring me all I've asked for, but his elves can only make so many toys each year. She was managing my expectations too.
Step 5: Closing the deal: The night before Christmas the tradition of cookies and milk for Santa was my parents way of enhancing the concept, although I did wonder why it changed to a glass of wine and a mince pie! The Santa Sell rested on their ability to convince two boys that some overweight old man would be bringing us gifts from down the chimney arriving on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. You know the story. Huge sell!
Step 6: Delivering on what you promised: A tonne of preamble goes into Christmas for many families. I can remember boxes of “decorations” that needed to come down from the loft for the holiday period. The tree, the lights, the clues to sweets. It all pointed towards having an amazing time, topped off with Christmas day itself. The perfect scenario.
If you factor in all of the above, you will see that at Christmas time, our parents transform into the best sales people ever. If you question your ability to sell think about this… thousands of loving parents sell the idea of Santa to millions of children each year. If they can pull off that sales miracle year in and year out… your sales job should be a piece of Christmas cake!
Make a dash for your Santa here and have lots of fun with your customers.
Have a good one.
Rob.
If you are looking for help with your business, feel free to contact Rob Barber on 01727 898 191 or email him on rob@tyga.co.uk
