As hard as it is to believe, that time of year is here again. The holidays are right around the corner. If you’ve been reading this newsletter for awhile, you probably know that we tend to do an article or two around the holidays designed to remind everyone of the basics. With that in mind, here are a few things to keep in mind as things pick up.

Be patient – A lot of people are more intense and stressed during the holidays, including your customers. Be aware that you might be dealing with a customer that who is on their ninth store of the day, and their patience might be wearing thin. The best thing you can do is not add to that stress, and provide the highest possible level of customer service.
Stay on top of the little things – Many companies like to run specials or sales around the holidays, so it is up to the professional salesperson to be on top of those things.
Keep your focus on the customer in front of you – It’s easy to get ahead of yourself and try to serve as many customers as possible. During the holidays, business tends to pick up, but it is even more important to focus on the customer in front of you. Do your very best for that customer and then move on to the next one. You won’t get to as many customers, but you will close more sales if you take the time with each person.
Stay on top of your inventory – Products sometimes move faster during the holidays just because there are more customers coming and going. It’s always important to know your inventory, but it is even more important at this time of year.
Have fun – This is the biggest one! The holidays, despite all the stress and headaches, are supposed to be fun. If you as a salesperson are having fun at work, then your customers are more likely to have fun as well. A happy customer is always going to be more willing to buy then an unhappy customer.